Xu  X  :b  :r  J^  :ei  "sr 

,   PBINCETON,  N.  J. 
The  Stefphen  Collins  Donation. 

No.  Case,  ;^^^'°"-" 

No.  Shelf,      Sec^iq5^,_.... 


No.  Book, 


No, 


Ax. 


.Ml  4^ 

COpvJ    / 


EXPOSITORY  LECTURES 


EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS 


BY   THE 

KEV.  ROBERT  j/lWGHEE,  A.M.,  M.R.I.A. 

lATE      MINISTER      OF      HAROLD's      CROSS      CHURCH,      DUBLIN, 
RECTOR    OF   HOLYWELL   CUM    NKEDINOWORTH,   HUNTS. 


NEW   YORK: 
ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS 

No.     285    BROADWAY. 
1849. 


DEDICATION. 


TO  THE 

RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  RODEN,  K.S.P., 

&C.J  &c.,  &c. 

My  Dear  Lord, 

Various  are  the  motives  which  influence  men  in  the 
dedication  of  their  Works.  Sometimes  it  is  from  a  conviction 
that  the  Person  to  whom  their  Work  is  inscribed  takes  a  warm 
interest  in  the  cause  in  which  it  is  written.  Or.  it  may  be,  that 
he  is  eminently  distinguished  in  knowledge  and  attainment  on 
the  subject  of  which  it  treats ;  and  that,  therefore,  his  judgment 
and  approval  are  highly  appreciated  and  prized  by  the  Public,  as 
well  as  by  the  Author.  Or,  the  Writer  may  consider,  that  the 
sanction  of  a  venerated  name  must  reflect  an  honor  on  his  book. 
Or,  perhaps  he  may  select  this  as  a  mode  in  which  he  desires  to 
express  the.  feelings  of  respect  and  grateful  affection  to  a  revered 
and  distinguished  friend. 

These  motives,  which,  in  various  degrees  and  modifications, 
may  dictate  other  Dedications,  so  combine  to  induce  me  to  inscribe 
this  Work  to  your  Lordship,  that  I  know  not  to  which  of  them,  I 
could  ascribe  a  preponderating  influence. 

To  those  which  relate  to  your  Lordship,  I  could  not  adequately 
or  truly  advert,  without  inflicting  a  wound  on  the  individual  whom 
I  desire  to  honor. 

As  to  those  in  which  I  am  myself  concerned  : — While  I  trust  I 
can  truly  say,  that  I  desire  not  to  seek  any  Patron  for  this  Avork, 
but  HIM,  whose  Blessed  AVord,  it  is  a  very  weak  and  unworthy 
effort  to  expound — and  that  I  desire  to  commit  it  to  Him,  to  bless 
and  direct  its  circulation,  as  far  as,  through  His  grace,  it  may  con- 


IV  DEDICATION. 

duce  to  the  promotion  of  His  glory,  and  the  edification  and  salva- 
tion of  souls — yet,  I  may  be  allowed  to  add,  that  there  is  not  a 
Layman  in  the  Church  of  England,  on  whose  opinion,  as  to  its 
sound  and  Scriptural  fidelity,  I  shoidd  more  confidently  rely  ;  and 
by  whose  approbation  of  it,  I  should  feel  more  truly  gratified  and 
honored,  than  by  that  of  One,  to  whose  judgment  and  advice,  on 
subjects  of  the  gravest  moment,  I  have  felt  so  often  and  so  deeply 
indebted — whose  kindness  and  affection  I  have  been  permitted, 
for  nearly  half  of  my  life,  to  feel  as  one  of  its  greatest  privileges, 
and  best  enjoyments ;  and  in  whom  I  have  found,  all  that  could 
be  included  in  the  truest,  highest  sense  of  that  sacred  name — A 
FRIEND. 

These  Lectures  in  fact,  owe  their  existence  to  your  Lordship — 
as  they  had  never  been  delivered,  if  you  had  not  erected  the  In- 
fant School-house  at  Bray. 

To  your  Lordship,  then,  with  the  sincere  hope,  that  you  may 
consider  them  true,  though  so  inadequate  to  the  mighty  subject ; 
and  Scriptural,  though  alas  !  so  very  defective  and  unworthy — 
permit  me  to  inscribe  them,  as  an  humble  testimony  of  that  grate- 
ful respect,  and  sincere  affection,  with  which  I  am, 

My  Dear  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's 

Most  Obliged  and  Faithful, 

R.  J.  MGHEE. 


PREFACE. 


The  Author  would  think  it  in  some  degree  presumptuous  to  present 
the  following  Lectures  to  the  Public  without  a  few  words  of  apology,  or 
at  least  excuse,  for  their  many  defects  and  redundancies,  of  which  he  is 
fully  conscious.  He  need  not  deprecate  criticism  upon  them  as  literary 
compositions,  from  those  who  know  the  circumstances  which  led  to  their 
delivery  and  publication  ;  but  as  they  are  now  submitted  to  a  more  ex- 
tended tribunal,  he  thinks  it  due  to  the  importance  of  the  subjects  on  which 
they  treat,  to  account  for  the  existence  of  many  faults  which  he  might  be 
supposed  to  have  been  able  by  care  and  labor  to  have  corrected. 

Having  been  precluded  by  ill  health  for  many  years  from  parochial 
duty,  although  AvilHng  to  Avork  according  to  his  ability,  he  undertook  to 
deliver  a  weekly  lecture  in  the  Infant  School-House  at  Bray,  near  which 
place  he  resided,  and  after  proceeding  through  an  exposition  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Romans,  he  commenced  the  following  course : 

The  Lectures  were  delivered  quite  extemporaneously,  without  any  other 
preparation  than  sincere  prayer,  that  God  would  be  graciously  pleased  to 
bless  His  own  Word,  plainly  and  simply  expounded  to  the  instruction  and 
edification  of  those  who  attended,  and  they  were  preserved  as  delivered, 
by  a  Reporter  whom  the  Congregation  assembled  there,  kindly  employed 
to  take  them  down. 

Since  the  Author's  subsequent  restoration  to  health  and  engagement  in 
official  duty,  time  was  not  afforded  him  to  prepare  them  however  imper- 
fectly for  the  press,  and  therefore  this  Work,  though  frequently  called  for, 
has  been  unavoidably  delayed. 

Lender  these  circumstances  the  Author  does  not  desire  to  incur  the 
charge  of  obtruding  himself  on  the  public  in  general,  with  self-sufficient 
presumption  as  a  Commentator  on  the  Scriptures  ;  he  rather  offers  his 
book  as  a  tribute  due  to  those,  who  considering  the  Lectures  profitable  to 
themselves  when  delivered,  subscribed  to  preserve  them,  and  (doubtless 
with  indulgent  partiaUty)  encouraged  and  urged  their  Pubhcation. 

These  Lectures,  therefore,  consist  of  a  very  plain,  unadorned  exposition 
of  that  Apostolical  Epistle,  which  next  to  those  addressed  to  the  Romans 
and  the  Hebrews,  may  be  said  to  comprehend  the  fullest  scope  of  Divine 
truth  of  any  in  the  New  Testament.  There  are  not  any  vital  doctrines 
which  are  not  fully  developed  or  implied,  nor  any  precepts  which  are  not 
enforced  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  and  which  must  not  be  conse- 
quently treated  of,  in  any  consistent  Scriptural  exposition  of  it.  It  has 
been  the  anxious  desire  of  the  Writer  to  adhere  with  the  closest  simplicity 
to  the  letter  of  the  text.  He  can  conscientiously  say,  that  according  to 
the  best  of  his  judgment,  he  has  not  strained  a  single  verse  or  a  single 
word  to  support  any  opinion  of  his  own, — or  of  any  other  man, — or  of 
any  party, — nor  has  he  attempted  to  force  a  single  expression,  to  maintain 


Vi  PREFACE. 

any  system  derived  from  human  authority.  He  has  not  endeavored  to 
preos  the  Sci'iptures  into  the  principles  of  his  exposition — but  he  trusts  he 
can  say  with  ti'uth,  that  he  has  endeavored  throughout,  that  the  princiijles 
of  the  exposition  shoukl  simply  follow  the  Scriptures.  He  has  not  tried 
to  make  the  Bible  support  the  doctrines  of  our  Church, — but  he  can  say 
with  honest  tnith,  he  iinds  the  doctrines  of  our  Church,  in  the  plain  letter 
of  the  Bible. 

He  does  not  accord  with  the  opinion  which  is  frequently  expressed  and 
written,  that  we  cannot  find  a  system  in  the  Sacred  Volume.  He  is  fully 
satisfied  that  there  is  a  perfect  system  in  the  Word,  as  well  as  in  the 
Works  of  God ;  and  that  the  laws  that  rule  the  Planets  in  their  orbits, 
are  not  more  accurately  ordered  in  their  influences  and  operations,  than 
are  all  the  plans,  principles,  and  movements,  of  that  mighty  njoral  gov- 
ernment, which  is  developed  in  the  Word  of  Truth — all  the  course  of  that 
"  everlasting  covenant"  which  is  "ordered  in  all  things  and  sure." 

It  is  true,  that  in  the  lofty  heights  and  wondrous  depths  of  the  eternal 
Woi'd,  as  in  the  mighty  altitudes  and  profundities  of  nature,  Ave  find  that 
we  have  neither  instruments  adequate  to  measure  the  height,  nor  lines  to 
fathom  the  depth  ;  and  so  far  we  must  in  many  things  await  in  humility 
and  patience,  the  full  development  of  those  truths  which  we  have  not  the 
means  or  power  to  comprehend — but  we  can  advance  so  far  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  system  of  eternal  truth,  that  we  can  be  sure  and  confident  as 
of  our  existence,  of  the  certainty  of  the  truth  we  have  attained ;  and  we 
do  not  fear,  in  its  clear  and  practical  application,  to  maintain  it  against  the 
sophistries  of  those  errors  that  are  inconsistent  with,  or  oppose  it. 

We  can  tell  the  right  ascension  or  declination  of  a  star,  though  we  can- 
not measure  the  angle  of  its  orb,  or  calculate  its  distance  from  our  sphere. 
We  can  steer  with  firm  hearts  and  joyful  hope,  under  the  blessing  of  God, 
over  the  bosom  of  the  deep,  though  we  cannot  fathom  the  depths  of  the 
abyss  beneath  us. 

There  are  truths  in  the  system  of  redemption,  bright  as  the  stars,  yea, 
brighter  than  the  orb  of  day ;  fixed  as  these  luminaries  in  the  firmament, 
and  firmer  than  the  boundaries  of  the  fathomless  ocean,  on  which  the 
soul  can  fix  its  gaze  Avith  as  perfect  certainty,  as  we  can  see  the  lights 
that  rule  the  day  or  the  night,  and  on  Avhich  it  can  rest  with  as  fearless 
security,  as  Ave  stand  upon  the  mightiest  rock  that  mocks  the  advances  of 
the  rolling  billoAvs. 

Of  these  truths  there  is  one  which  stands  in  the  Sacred  Word — the 
fundamental  basis  of  Christianity. — That  Christ,  our  glorious  Redeemer, 
is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  man's  salvation — that  every  sinner  that  shall 
ever  enter  into  the  gates  of  eternal  life  must  enter  by  the  righteousness 
and  atoning  blood  of  a  crucified  SaA'iour,  through  faith,  and  not  by  his 
own  works  or  deservings,  in  Avhole  or  in  part. 

This  sacred  truth — Avith  those  that  are  dependent  on  it,  and  implied  in 
it,  is  largely  treated  of  in  this  Epistle.  "  Salvation  to  our  God  which 
sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb"  is  the  theme  of  joy  and  in- 
spired instruction  to  the  Church  on  earth,  as  it  is  her  song  in  glory.  And 
those  who  tell  us  that  there  is  no  system  in  the  Scriptures,  but  help  to 
undermine  the  confidence  of  truth  and  faith,  and  to  encourage  the  pre- 
sumption of  ignorance  and  error — to  transfer  the  dependence  of  the  heart 
from  the  unerring  oracles  of  God,  to  the  wavering  opinions  of  men,  vary- 
ing between  the  extremes  of  sceptical  latitudinarianism  and  drivelling 
superstition. 


PREFACE.  Vii 

Those  indeed  who  set  up  a  system  of  theu-  ovrii,  or  of  a  party,  or  a 
Church,  into  which  they  endeavor  to  compress  the  revealed  will  and  mind 
of  God,  will  tind  no  system,  if  they  mean  their  own  system,  in  the  Bible. 
But  those  wlio  through  Divine  Grace  are  enabled  to  cast  their  souls  with 
confidence  on  their  Master's  truth,  as  far  as  it  is  fully  revealed  to  them  in 
His  word,  and  to  wait  in  patient  humility,  for  clearer  knowledge,  on  thossi 
deeper  subjects,  or  less  clearly  revealed  truths,  or  seeming  inconsistencies 
which  as  yet  they  know  not,  can  rejoice  in  the  light  that  shines  in  tho 
system  of  eternal  truth,  with  as  full  a  confidence  in  all  its  great  realities, 
its  Divine  perfections,  and  its  unerring  laws,  as  a  man  can  bask  in  the 
beams  and  warmth  of  the  noonday  sun,  without  knowing  the  laws  and 
properties  of  light,  or  troubling  himself  when  he  hears  of  the  spots  upon  the 
solar  disc,  on  which  learned  Astronomers  may  please  to  differ  and  debate. 

The  ]\Ianna  from  heaven  was  given  for  food  and  not  for  chemical  analysi:;. 
— "  The  Living  Bread  that  cormth  down  from  heaven,  and  glveth  life  unto 
the  world,"  was  given  to  support,  to  nourish,  and  to  save ;  and  not  to 
supply  a  subject  for  vain  and  specvdative  theories. 

How  satisfying  is  the  Gospel  ta  the  soul,  when  the  weary  and  heavy 
laden  sinner  comes  to  Christ  for  refuge  !  How  sweet  the  green  pastures 
of  the  Fields  of  Promise,  when  the  soul  Hes  down  to  repose  and  ruminate 
in  them,  beneath  the  watchful  eye  of  her  Shepherd  ! 

"  /  know  in  ivhom  I  have  believed,''^  is  the  language  of  the  Apostle — 
but  it  may  be  that  of  every  sinner  who  believes  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
with  as  much  confidence  as  it  Avas  that  of  St.  Paul.  Christ  beino>  the 
object  of  hope  for  both  through  the  Spirit,  is  as  worthy  of  the  confidence 
of  one,  as  of  the  other.  "  The  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  them 
that  call  ujyon  him."  Rom.  x.  12.  "Henceforth,"  saith  the  Apostle, 
"  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  croivn  of  rir/hteousness,  which  the  Lord  the 
righteous  Judge  shall  give  to  me  in  that  dag,  and  not  to  me  only,  hut  unto 
all  them  also  that  love  his  ajypearing."  2  Tim.  iv.  8.  All  who  with  the 
Apostle  look  to  Christ  as  "  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  everg 
one  that  helieveth,"  Rom.  x.  4, — all  who  with  him  trust  that  "  being  now 
justified  bg  his  blood  we  shall  bo  saved  from  ivrath  through  him"  Rom.  v.  9, 
and  therefore,  who  "  love  his  appearing  ;"  may  look  with  joyful  hope  like 
the  Apostle  to  a  crov/^n  of  righteousness. 

Here  is  the  rest  of  those  who  look  for  •'  a  kingdom  lohich  cannot  be 
moved."  Here  the  solid  repose  of  the  heart,  which  has  Christ  for  its 
refuge  and  His  purchased  inheritance  for  its  home.  It  is  this  alone  that 
can  enable  the  soul  to  adopt  the  language  of  the  Psalmist  as  its  joyful 
song — "  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  o  very  present  help  in  trouble  ; 
therefore  ivill  we  not  fear,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though  the 
mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  tlie  sea,  and  though  the  waters  thereof 
roar  and  he  troubled,  and  though  the  mountains  shake  with  the  swelling 
thereof  There  is  a  river,  the  streams  lohereof  shall  make  glad  the  city  of 
God,  the  holy  place  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  most  high.  God  is  in  the  midst 
of  her,  therefore  shall  she  not  be  moved  ;  God  shall  help  her,  and  that  right 
early."  Psal.  xlvi.  1 — 5.  It  is  this,  which  in  that  great  and  dreadful  day 
when  this  scene  of  teiTor  shall  be  realized  at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man 
— when  "  The  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men,  and 
the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bond-man,  and  every 
freeman  shall  hide  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains, 
ami  shall  say  to  tlie  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the 
face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb, 


VIU  PREFACE. 

for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and  tvho  shall  he  ahle  to  stand  ?" 
Rev.  vi.  15,  16,  IV, — it  is  this  that  shall  then  enable  the  believer  to  lift 
up  his  head  with  joy  and  triumph,  and  to  cry,  "  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  ive 
have  tvaited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us.  This  is  the  Lord,  we  have  waited 
for  him  ;  toe  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation.''^  Isa.  xxv.  9. 

This  is  indeed  that  "hope  that  inaketh  7iot  ashamed,"  when  Christ  is 
known  as  "  The  Wag,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,"  as  the  Foundation  of 
Hope — the  Source  of  Consolation — the  Rock  of  Trust — when  He  gives 
peace  to  the  conscience,  and  comfort  to  the  heart, — when  faith  in  our 
blessed  Redeemer,  brings  salvation  to  the  soul,  and  love  to  Him  becojnes 
the  mainspring  and  motive  of  the  conduct,  making  our  duty  our  pleasure, 
and  teaching  us  to  feel  that  the  service  of  our  God,  is  indeed  "  perfect 
freedom." 

These  blessed  truths,  which  are  so  fully  comprehended  within  the  scope 
of  this  Epistle,  are  alas  !  very  imperfectly  and  unworthily  treated  in  the 
Exposition.  But  if  the  Author  may  be  permitted  to  express  a  general 
opinion,  he  would  observe,  that  detailed  expositions  of  the  sacred  (Script- 
ures, appear  to  be  the  most  useful  and  important  religious  works,  that  can 
be  published  or  studied  in  the  present  day. 

The  best  must  be  indeed  defective  in  exposition  of  the  fulness  of  truth. 
But  if  they  are  sincere  and  simple  as  far  as  they  go,  they  may  serve  to 
guard  the  mind  vinder  the  Divine  blessing,  against  the  pertinacious,  and 
])ersevering  perversities  of  error.  Many  modern  Avorks,  as  those  of  Papal 
and  Tractarian  subtlety,  abundantly  illustrate,  how  far  Scripture,  in  de- 
tached quotations,  may  be  pressed  into  the  service  of  the  grossest  false- 
hood. And  those  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  letter  or  spirit  of  the 
Bible,  are  in  danger  of  being  misled  and  perverted  by  them. 

Those  anti- Christian  principles,  under  the  guise  of  a  strict  and  sanctified 
morality — a  scrupulous  observance  of  the  ordinances  and  ceremonies  of 
religion — or  a  mortified  abandonment  of  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  un- 
dermine the  very  foundations  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  lay  the  axe  to  the 
very  root  of  all  Christian  morals,  by  totally  corrupting  the  principle  from 
which  alone  they  can  spring  with  acceptance  before  God.  Thus  really 
subverting  morals,  by  the  pretended  interests  of  morality,  and  overturning 
the  faith  of  Christ,  vmder  the  pretence  and  semblance  of  religion. 

There  is  but  a  step  from  the  cell  of  the  ascetic  to  the  carnival  of  the 
voluptuary.  It  is  an  easy  and  natural  transition  for  an  emancipated  mind, 
to  pass  from  the  adoration  of  a  piece  of  paste,  to  the  worship  of  the  goddess 
of  Reason — from  being  a  posture-master  in  religion,  to  become  a  profligate 
in  infidelity.  It  is  all  ahke  to  the  Prince  of  darkness  whether  he  can 
dishonor  the  Majesty  of  God  and  destroy  the  souls  of  men  by  infidelity 
or  superstition.  Both  alike  reject  "  the  record  which  God  hath  given  of 
his  Son,"  and  both  alike  shall  perish  in  their  ignorance  and  unbeUef.  The 
one  makes  God  a  har,  because  it  affirms  He  has  only  told  part  of  the  truth. 
The  other  makes  him  a  liar,  because  it  denies  He  has  told  any  truth  at  all. 
But  it  seems  to  the  Avriter  that  the  most  effectual  mode  of  guarding  against 
error  ourselves,  and  opposing  it  in  others,  is  to  bring  it  to  the  test  of 
God's  Holy  Word,  not  merely  by  comparing  it  with  detached  passages 
of  Scripture  that  oppose  it,  but  by  taking  a  portion  of  Scripture,  such  as 
an  Apostolical  Epistle,  in  which  the  mind  of  God  is  given  in  its  own 
perfect  consecutive  arrangement  on  the  subject,  and  testing  by  that,  any 
system  that  is  opposed  to  it.  This  is  a  process,  by  which,  the  man  who 
inquires  after  or  maintains  truth,  will  only  more  fully  investigate,  or  more 


PREFACE.  IX 

fearlessly  sustain  his  Master's  cause  ;  while  the  opponent  of  truth  meets 
at  every  step,  principles  which  he  cannot  make  to  square  with  the  false- 
hoods and  incongruities  of  his  scheme  of  error ;  and  he  will  therefore 
shrink  from  the  ordeal,  with  a  conscious  incapacity  to  endure  the  test  to 
which  it  subjects  his  principles. 

To  follow  the  revealed  mind  of  God  in  faithful  simpHcity,  is  necessarily 
to  attain  to  truth  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  where  this 
is  really  the  object  of  a  Christian  teacher,  he  has  reason  to  trust  that  a 
blessing  will  attend  his  labors. 

The  following  Lectures,  the  Author  trusts  he  can  truly  say,  were  begun, 
continued,  and  ended  with  that  object.  In  whatever  he  has  failed,  he 
desires  to  express  regret  for  his  inability  to  succeed ;  and  for  whatever 
measure  of  success  has  crowned  his  efforts,  he  desires  to  express  his  humble 
gratitude  to  that  God,  to  whose  grace  and  mercy  alone  he  owes  it ;  and 
to  pray  that  He  will  abundantly  bless  it  to  prorhote  His  own  glory  in  the 
salvation  of  men,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


PREFACE   TO   THE    SECOND  EDITION. 

The  demand  for  this  work  having  almost  exhausted  the  numbers  of  the 
first  volume  before  those  of  the  second  could  issue  from  the  press,  the 
Author  is  induced  to  print  a  second  edition. 

Having  learned  from  several  quarters  that  it  has  pleased  God  to  bless 
it  to  the  edification  and  comfort  of  many  into  whose  hands  it  has  ftillen, 
the  Author  can  only  say,  that  it  adds  another  to  the  list  of  the  many 
proofs,  that  God  can,  in  His  great  mercy  and  power,  work  by  humble 
and  insignificant  instruments.  Fully  conscious  that  to  Him  alone  any 
good  which  it  can  effect  is  to  be  ascribed,  he  therefore  desires  to  commit 
this  edition  to  His  grace  and  power,  with  an  earnest  prayer  that  as  far  as 
it  is  consistent  with  His  blessed  word,  it  may  be  accompanied  with  His 
Divine  blessing  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  prove  to  many  "  a  savor  of  life 
unto  lifeT  "  Unto  him  be  glory  in  the  Church,  by  Christ  Jesus,  through- 
out all  ages,  tvorhl  joithout  end.  Amen."     Eph.  iii.  21. 


CON  T  E  N  T  S . 


FIRST    LECTURE. 
Ephesians  i.  1,  2,  3. 

Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Ciirist  by 
the  will  of  God,  to  the  saints  which 
are  at  Ephesus,  and  to  the  faithful 
in  Christ  Jesus :  Grace  be  to  you, 
and  peace,  from  God  our  Father, 
and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  v.ho  hath 
blessed  us  with  all  sj>iritual  bless- 
ings in  heavenly  places  in  Cjirist." 


SECOND    LECTURE. 

Epiit;si.iN.s  i.  4,  G. 

According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in 
him  belbre  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love: 
Having  predestinated  us  unto  the 
adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ 
to  himself,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will,  To  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein 
he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the 
Beloved."      .        .        -        -        - 


THIRD    LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i.  7,  8. 

In  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace;  Wherein  he  hath  abounded 
toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and  pru- 
dence."   


FOURTH    LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i.  9,  10. 

'  Having  made  known  unto  us  the 
mystery  of  his  will  according  to  his 


3G 


good  pleasure,  which  he  hath  pur- 
posed in  himself:  That  in  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  fulness  of  times, 
he  might  gather  together  in  one  all 
things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth, 
even  in  him."        .        .        .        . 


FIFTH    LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i.  11,  12. 

•  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an 
inheritance,  being  predestinated  ac- 
cording to  the  purpose  of  him  who 
worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will;  That  we  should 
be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory,  who 
first  trusted  in  Christ."  -        -        - 


SIXTH    LECTURE. 

Ephusians  i.  13,  14. 

'  In  whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  that 
ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gos- 
pel of  your  salvation:  In  whom 
also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were 
sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our 
inheritance,  until  the  redemption 
of  the  purchased  possession,  unto 
the  praise  of  his  glory." 


SEVENTH    LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i.  15, 16, 17. 

•Wherefore  I  also,  after  I  heard  of 
your  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
love  unto  all  tlie  saints.  Cease  not 
to  give  thanks  for  you,  making  men- 
tion of  you  in  my  prayers ;  That 
the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Fatlier  of  glory,  may  give  unto 
you  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  reve- 
lation in  the  knowledge  of  him."  - 


45 


55 


6'J 


85 


CONTENTS. 


XI 


EIGHTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i  17,  !o. 

■  That  tlie  GoJ  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may 
give  unto  you  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  revelation  in  tlie  knowledge  of 
him :  The  eyes  of  your  understand- 
ing being  enlightened  ;  that  ye  may 
know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling, 
and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
his  inheritance  in  the  saints." 


NINTH    LECTURE. 

EPHESI.4NS  i.  IS. 

■  The  eyes  of  your  understanding  be- 
ing enlightened ;  that  ye  may  know 
what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and 
what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his 
inheritance  in  the  saints."' 


TENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  i.  19,  20,  21,  22,  23. 

And  what  is  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  his  power  to  us-vvard  who 
believe,  according  to  the  working 
of  his  mighty  power,  Which  he 
wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at 
his  own  right  liand  in  the  heavenly 
places,  Far  above  all  principality, 
and  power,  and  might,  and  domin- 
ion, and  every  name  that  is  named, 
not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in 
that  which  is  to  come;  And  hath 
put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and 
gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,  Which  is  his 
body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filletli 
all  in  all."     ----- 


92 


101 


113 


ELEVENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  1,  2,  3. 

■  And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who 
were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ; 
Wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  ac- 
cording to  the  course  of  this  world, 
according  to  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  nowwork- 
eth  in  the  children  of  disobedience  ; 


Among  v/hoiii  also  wc  all  had  our 
conversation  in  times  past  in  the 
lusts  of  our  Hesh,  fulfilling  the  de- 
sires of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ; 
and  were  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath,  even  as  others."         -        -  li 


TWELFTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  4,  5,  6. 

■  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved 
us,  Even  when  we  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  quickened  us  together 
with  Christ;  (by  grace  ye  are 
saved ;)  And  hath  raised  us  up  to- 
gether, and  made  us  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.''  - 


THIRTSENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  7. 

"  That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might 
show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace,  in  his  kindness  toward  us 
through  Christ  Jesus."  -        -        -  148 


FOURTEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  8,  9. 

■  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through 
faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves  : 
it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  Not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast."  -        -  15(: 


FIFTEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  10. 

'  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained 
that  we  should  walk  in  them."       -  168 


SIXTEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  11, 12. 13. 

'■  Wherefore,  remember,  that  ye  being 
in  time  pa-st  Gentiles  in  the  flesh, 


Xll 


CONTENTS. 


who  are  called  Uncircumcision  by 
that  which  is  called  the  Circumcis- 
ion in  the  flesh  made  by  hands ; 
That  at  that  time  ye  were  without 
Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  cora- 
uionwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers 
from  the  covenants  of  promise,  hav- 
ing no  hope,  and  without  God  in 
the  world  ;  But  now,  in  Christ  Je- 
sus, ye  who  sometimes  were  far  off 
are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of 
Christ." 


180 


SEVENTEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  14, 15,  IG,  17. 

'  For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made 
both  one,  and  hath  broken  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition  between 
us ;  Having  abolished  in  his  flesh 
the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  com- 
mandments contained  in  ordinan- 
ces ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain 
one  new  man,  so  making  peace ; 
And  that  he  might  reconcile  both 
unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross, 
having  slain  the  enmity  thereby ; 
And  come  and  preached  peace  to 
you  which  were  afar  o(T,  and  to 
them  that  were  nigh."   - 


190 


EIGHTEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  18. 

•For  through  him  we  both  have  ac- 
cess by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."  202 


NINETEENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  19. 

'  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  stran- 
gers and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citi- 
zens with  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God."       -        -        -  210 


TWENTIETH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  ii.  20, 21, 32. 

And  are  built  upon  the  foundation 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus 


Christ  himself  being  the  chief  cor- 
ner-stone ;  In  whom  all  the  build- 
ing, fitly  framed  together,  groweth 
unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord : 
In  whom  ye  also  are  builded  to- 
gether for  an  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit."       -         -         - 


22-^ 


TWENTY-FIRST  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iii.  1,2,3,4,5,0. 

For  this  cause,  I  Paul,  the  prisoner 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  you  Gentiles,  (If 
ye  have  heard  of  the  dispensation 
of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given 
me  to  you-ward  ;  How  that  by  rev- 
elation he  made  known  unto  me 
the  mystery ;  as  I  wrote  afore  in 
few  words;  Whereby,  when  ye  read, 
ye  may  understand  my  knowledge 
in  the  mystery  of  Christ,  Which  in 
other  ages  was  not  made  known 
unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  now 
revealed  unto  his  holy  apostles  and 
prophets  by  the  Spirit;  That  the 
Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,  and 
of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of 
his  promise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel."  233 


TWENTY-SECOND  LECTURE 

Ephesians  iii.  7,  8. 

'  Whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  ac- 
cording to  the  gitl;  of  the  grace  of 
God  given  unto  me  by  the  eflectual 
workingof  his  power."  -        -        -246 


TWENTY-THIRD  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iii.  8,  9, 10. 

'  Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least 
of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that 
I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ; 
And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is 
the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world 
hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created 
all  things  by  Jesus  Christ ;  To  the 
intent  that  now,  unto  the  princi- 
palities and  powers  in  heavenly 
places,  might  be  known  by  the 
church  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God." 255 


CONTENTS. 


xm 


TWENTY-FOURTH  LECTURE. 
Ephesians  iii.  9,  10, 11. 

PAGE 

■  And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the 
fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beirinning  of  the  world 
hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created 
all  things  by  Jesus  Christ :  To  the 
intent  that  now,  unto  the  principal- 
ities and  powers  in  heavenly  places, 
might  be  known  by  the  church  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God,  Accord- 
ing to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he 
purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  266 


TWENTY-FIFTH  L 

EPHEsiAjHrffi.  12, 

In-wbonTwe  have  boldness  and  ac- 
cess with  confidence  by  the  faith 
of  him." 277 


TWENTY-SIXTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iii.  13, 14, 15, 16. 

'  Wherefore  I  desire  that  ye  faint  not 
at  my  tribulations  for  you,  which 
is  your  glory.)  For  this  cause  I  bow 
my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Of  whom  the 
whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth 
is  named,  That  he  would  grant 
you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might 
by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man."     -  290 


TWENTY-SEVENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iu.  17, 18, 19, 20, 21. 

' '  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts 
by  faith ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  May  be  able  to 
comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is 
the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth, 
and  height ;  And  to  know  the  love 
of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge, 
that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God.  Now  unto  him 
that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abund- 
antly above  all  that  we  ask  or  think, 
according  to  the  power  that  work- 
eth  in  us,  Unto  him  be  glory  in  the 
church  by  Christ  Jesus,  through- 
out all  aires,  world  without  end. 
Amen." 301 


TWENTY-EIGHTH  LECTURE. 
Ephesians  iv.  1,  3 

PAGE 

'  I  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,) 
beseech  you,  that  ye  walk  worthy 
of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are 
called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meek- 
ness, with  long-suffering,  forbearing 
one  another  in  love."    -        -        -  314 


TWENTY-NINTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  3 — 6. 

'  Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There 
is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as 
ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your 
calling;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of 
all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  you  all."      -        -        -  329 


THIRTIETH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  7 — 12. 

But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given 
grace  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  gift  of  Christ.  Wherefore  he 
saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and 
gave  gifts  unto  men.  (Now  that 
he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he 
also  descended  first  into  the  lower 
parts  of  the  earth  1  He  that  de- 
scended is  the  same  also  that  as- 
cended up  far  above  all  heavens, 
that  he  might  fill  all  things.)  And 
he  gave  some,  apostles ;  and  some, 
prophets ;  and  some,  evangelists ; 
and  some,  pastors  and  teachers; 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ." 


34'i 


THIRTY-FIRST  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  12 — 16. 

■  For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ :  till 
we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the 
faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 


XIV 


CONTENTS, 


the  fulness  of  Christ :  that  we  hence- 
forth be  no  more  children,  tossed  to 
and  fro,  and  carried  about  with 
every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the 
sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craft- 
iness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to 
deceive ;  but,  speaking  the  truth  in 
love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
things,  which  is  the  head,  even 
Christ :  from  whom  the  whole  body 
fitly  joined  together  and  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth, 
according  to  the  effectual  working 
in  the  measure  of  every  part,  mak- 
eth  increase  of  the  body,  unto  the 
edifying  of  itself  in  love."     -        -  355 


THIRTY-SECOND  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  17 — 20. 

'  This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in 
the  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk 
not  as  other  Gentiles  walk,  in  the 
vanity  of  their  mind ;  having  the  un- 
derstanding darkened,  being  alien- 
ated from  the  life  of  God  through 
the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  be- 
cause of  the  blindness  of  their  heart  : 
who,  being  past  feehng,  have  given 
themselves  over  unto  lasciviousness, 
to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greed- 
iness. But  ye  have  not  so  learned 
Christ." 371 


THIRTY-THIRD  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  20 — 24. 

But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ ; 
if  so  be  that  ye  have  heard  him,  and 
have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the 
truth  is  in  Jesus :  that  ye  put  off, 
concerning  the  former  conversation, 
the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  ac- 
cording to  the  deceitful  lusts ;  and 
be  renewed  in  the  sp-rit  of  your 
mind;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new 
man,  which  after  God  is  created  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness."  -  3SS 


THIRTY-FOURTH  LECTURE. 

Epheslans  iv.  25 — 28. 

'Wherefore,  putting  away  lying,  speak 
every  m.an  truth  with  his  neighbor; 


for  we  are  members  one  of  another. 
Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not :  let  not 
the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath. 
Neitiier  give  place  to  the  devil.  Let 
him  that  stole  steal  no  more :  but 
rather  let  him  labor,  working  with 
his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good, 
that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him 
that  needeth."       -        -        -        -  393 


THIRTY-FIFTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  iv.  28 — 32. 

•  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more : 
but  rather  let  him  labor,  working 
with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is 
good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to 
him  that  needeth.  Let  no  corrupt 
communication  proceed  out  of  your 
mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the 
use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minis- 
ter grace  unto  the  hearers.  And 
grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day 
of  redemption.  Let  all  bitterness, 
and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamor, 
and  evil-speaking,  be  put  away 
from  you,  with  all  malice :  and  be 
ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender- 
hearted, forgiving  one  another,  even 
as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  for- 
given you." 404 


THIRTY-SIXTH   LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  1 — 6. 

'  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as 
dear  children  ;  and  walk  in  love,  as 
Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath 
given  himself  for  us  an  offering  and 
a  sacrifice  to  God  lor  a  sweet-smell- 
ing savor.  But  fornication,  and  all 
uncleanness,  or  covetousness,  let  it 
not  be  once  named  among  you, 
as  becometh  saints;  neither  fifthi- 
ness,  nor  foolish  talking,  nor  jest- 
ing, wliich  are  not  convenient ;  but 
rather  giving  of  thanks.  For  this 
ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger,  nor 
unclean  person,  nor  covetous  man. 
who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inher- 
itance in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and 
of  God.  Let  no  man  deceive  you 
with  vain  words:  lor  because  of 
these  things  cometh  the  wrath  of 
God  upon  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence."   417 


CONTENTS. 


XV 


THIRTY-SEVENTH   LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  7 — 12. 

"  Be  not  ye  therefore  partakers  with 
them.  For  ye  were  sometimes  dark- 
ness, but  now  are  ye  hght  in  the 
Lord:  walk  as  children  of  light; 
(for  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all 
goodness,  and  righteousness,  and 
truth;)  proving  what  is  acceptable 
unto  the  Lord.  And  have  no  fel- 
lowship with  the  unfruitful  works  of 
darkness,  but  rather  reprove  them. 
For  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of 
those  things  which  are  done  of 
them  in  secret."    -        -        -        -  431 


THIRTY-EIGHTH  LECTURE 

Ephesians  v.  13 — IG. 

'  But  all  things  that  are  reproved  are 
made  manifest  by  the  light :  for 
whatsoever  doth  make  manifest  is 
light.  Wherefore  he  saith,  Awake 
thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light.  See  then  that  ye  walk  cir- 
cumspectly, not  as  fools,  but  as 
wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because 
the  days  are  evil."  ...  445 


THIRTY-NINTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  17 — 21. 

'  Wherefore  be  ye  not  unwise,  but  un- 
derstanding what  the  will  of  the 
Lord  is.  And  be  not  drunk  with 
wine,  wherein  is  excess ;  but  be 
filled  with  the  Spirit ;  speaking  to 
yourselves  in  psalms,  and  hymns, 
and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and 
making  melody  in  your  heart  to  the 
Lord;  giving  thanks  always  for  all 
things  unto  God  and  the  Father  in 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
submitting  yourselves  one  to  an- 
other in  the  fear  of  God."      -        -  457 


FORTIETH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  22 — ^24. 

'  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your 
own  husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord. 


For  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the 
wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of 
the  church ;  and  he  is  the  saviour 
of  the  body.  Therefore,  as  the 
church  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let 
the  wives  be  to  their  own  husbands 
in  everything."      -        .        -        -  470 


FORTY-FIRST  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  25 — 27. 

Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as 
Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and 
gave  himself  for  it ;  that  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the 
washing  of  water  by  the  word ; 
that  he  might  present  it  to  himself 
a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot, 
or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but 
that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blemish."       -        -        .        .        . 


480 


FORTY-SECOND  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  v.  28 — 33. 

"  So  ought  men  to  love  their  wives  as 
their  own  bodies:  he  that  loveth 
his  wife  loveth  himself  For  no 
man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh  ; 
but  nourisheth  and  cherisheth  it, 
even  as  the  Lord  the  church :  for 
we  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his 
flesh,  and  of  his  bones.  For  this 
cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father 
and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined 
unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  shall 
be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  mys- 
tery :  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ 
and  the  church.  Nevertheless,  let 
every  one  of  you  in  particular  so 
love  his  wife  even  as  himself;  and 
the  wife  see  that  she  reverence  her 
husband."     -        -        -        -        - 


494 


FORTY-THIRD  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  1 — 3. 

"  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the 
Lord  :  for  this  is  right.  Honor  thy 
father  and  mother,  (which  is  the 
first  commandment  with  promise,) 
that  it  may  be  well  with  thee, 
and  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the 
earth." 


507 


XVI 


CONTENTS. 


FORTY-FOURTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  4. 

•  And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your 
children  to  wrath  :  but  bring  them 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord,"        .        .        -        - 


518 


FORTY-FIFTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  5 — 7. 

"  Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that 
are  your  masters  according  to  the 
flesh,  with  fear  and  trembhng,  in 
singleness  of  your  heart,  as  unto 
Christ;  not  with  eye-service  as 
raen-pleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of 
Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from 
the  heart ;  with  good-will  doing  ser- 
vice, as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men." 


534 


FORTY-SIXTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  7 — 10. 

'With  good- will  doing  service,  as  to 
the  Lord,  and  not  to  men ;  know- 
ing that  whatsoever  good  thing  any 
man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  re- 
ceive of  the  Lord,  whether  he  be 
bond  or  free.  And,  ye  masters,  do 
the  same  things  unto  them,  forbear- 
ing threatening ;  knowing  that  your 
Master  also  is  in  heaven ;  neither 
is  there  respect  of  persons  with  him. 
Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might." 


544 


FORTY-SEVENTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  10,  11. 

Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might.  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of 
God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand 
against  the  wiles  of  the  devil."      -  558 


FORTY-EIGHTH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  12 — 14. 

'  For  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh 
and  blood,  but  against  principalities, 
against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of 
the  darkness  of  this  world,  against 
spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places. 


Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able 
to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and 
having  done  all,  to  stand.  Stand 
therefore,  having  your  loins  girt 
about  with  truth,  and  having  on 
the  breastplate  of  righteousness." 


570 


FORTY-NINTH  LECTURE, 

Ephesians  vi.  15,  IG. 

"  And  your  feet  shod  with  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  Gospel  of  peace;  above 
all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith,  where- 
with ye  sliall  be  able  to  quench  all 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked."       -  582 


FIFTIETH  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  17,  18. 

And  take  the  helmet  of  salvation, 
and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
is  the  word  of  God  :  praying  always 
with  all  prayer,  &c."     .        -        -  598 


FIFTY-FIRST  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi.  18 — 20. 

'  Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and 
supplication  in  the  spirit,  and  watch- 
ing thereunto  with  all  perseverance 
and  supplication  for  all  saints ;  and 
for  me,  that  utterance  may  be  given 
unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth 
boldly,  to  make  known  the  mystery 
of  the  gospel,  for  which  I  am  an 
ambassador  in  bonds  :  that  therein 
I  may  speak  boldly,  as  I  ought  to 
speak."         -----  611 


FIFTY-SECOND  LECTURE. 

Ephesians  vi,  21 — 24. 

"  But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  af- 
fairs, and  how  I  do,  Tychicus,  a  be- 
loved brother  and  faithful  minister 
in  the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to 
you  all  things :  whom  I  have  sent 
unto  you  for  the  same  purpose,  that 
ye  might  know  our  affairs,  and  that 
he  might  comfort  your  hearts.  Peace 
be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with 
faith,  from  God  the  Father  and  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Grace  be  with  , 
all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity.     Amen."  -  627 


THE    EPISTLE 


PAUL  THE  APOSTLE,  TO  THE  EPHESIANS. 


Ephesians  I. — 1,  2,  3. 

"  Paul,  an  Apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  will  of  God,  to  the  saints  which  are  at 
Ephesus,  and  to  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus.  Grace  be  to  you  and  peace  from  God 
our  Father  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ." 

The  Apostle  Paul  commences  this  Epistle  in  the  same  manner 
in  which  he  commenced  that  to  the  Romans,  which  we  have  just 
concluded,*  and  as  he  begins  all  his  Epistles  except  that  to  the 
Hebrews,  by  prefixing  his  name  (as  was  the  custom  in  writing 
in  those  days)  instead  of  subscribing  it  at  the  close  of  the  letter  as 
we  do.  "Paul  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will 
OF  God."  You  perceive  he  not  only  prefixes  his  name  but  his 
authority  too.  This  is  a  point  which  few,  if  any  of  us,  sufficiently 
consider.  I  do  not  mean  that  when  we  take  up  the  Scriptures,  we 
have  not  generally  a  conviction  of  their  divine  authority  and  in- 
spiration ;  but  we  have  not  as  we  ought  to  have,  that  influential 
operative  conviction  which  receives  all  that  is  therein  contained 
as  the  pure  truth  of  God — the  whole  truth  ;  we  have  need  to  pray 
continually  for  this  conviction,  and  the  more  so,  because  of  the 
false  opinions  that  are  frequently  not  only  entertained,  but  even 
expressed  on  the  subject. 

Many  persons  will  tell  you  that  they  prefer  the  Gospels  to  the 
Epistles,  as  if  they  possessed  some  authority  superior  to  the  apos- 
tolic letters.  They  even  profess  to  make  from  them  a  standard 
of  doctrine,  as  it  were  contradistinguished  from  that  of  the  Epis- 
tles. Hence  you  often  hear  persons  say,  especially  those  who 
argue  against  salvation  by  grace,  and  quote  the  morality  of  the 
Scriptures,  against  its  doctrines  of  redemption  ;  "  Paul  expresses 
himself  in  such  or  such  terms,  but  Christ  says  so  and  so — now  I 
take  the  word  of  Christ  in  preference  to  that  of  Paul."     Now  there 

*  The  Author  had  just  finished  a  Course  of  Lectures  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
similar  to  this,  and  there  are  so  many  allusions  made  to  it  in  these  Lectures,  that  it 
is  necessary  to  mention  the  fact. 

2 


18  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

is  a  three-fold  reason  for  this  :  First — Ignorance  of  the  plenary 
inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  ;  that  "  all  Scripture  is  given  hy  in- 
spiration of  God^''  2  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  that  "  Holy  men  of  old  spake 
as  they  were  tnoved  hy  the  Holy  Ghost.''''  2  Pet.  i.  21.  Sec- 
ondly— Forgetfulness  of  our  Lord's  testimony,  "  It  is  not  ye  that 
speak,  but  the  spirit  of  your  Father  which  speaketh  in  youP 
Matt.  X.  20.  "  He  that  heareth  you,  hearetk  me,  and  he  that  de- 
spiseth  you  despiseth  me,  and  he  that  despiseth  me  despiscth  him 
that  sent  me.''''  Luke  x.  16.  They  do  not  understand  or  believe 
these  and  similar  passages,  or  they  would  know  the  identity  of 
inspiration  and  authority  in  these  sacred  documents ;  and  that 
such  a  comparison  between  the  words  of  Christ  and  His  apostles, 
was,  as  it  really  is,  a  contempt  of  Himself  of  his  own  authority 
and  truth. 

But  there  is  a  third  reason  for  this,  viz ; — that  the  Epistles  are 
more  calculated  to  awaken  the  enmity  of  the  natural  mind  against 
God  than  the  Gospels ;  for  although  the  Gospels  contain  much 
that  cannot  be  clearly  vuiderstood  by  these  persons  in  a  spiritual 
sense  ;  still  the  parables,  of  which  many  are  so  clearly  illustrative 
of  moral  truth,  and  the  precepts  of  our  Lord,  come  home  at  once 
to  the  natural  judgment  and  conscience,  and  commend  themselves 
to  both  ;  and  therefore  are  not  so  calculated  to  provoke  objections 
as  the  Epistles.  Therefore  you  will  find,  that  some  persons  who 
would  substitute  extracts  from  the  Bible  for  the  Bible  itself,  for  the 
instruction  of  the  people,  are  exceedingly  cautious  in  the  selec- 
tions which  they  make  from  the  Epistles ;  and  are  fond  of  quot- 
ing the  passage  from  Peter,  which  they  pervert,  saying,  that  in  the 
Epistles  of  Paul  "  are  some  things  hard  to  he  understood.''''  Be- 
cause, as  the  Apostle  Paul  sets  forth  so  fully  salvation  by  grace, 
and  holds  forth  the  Gospel  of  Christ  so  freely,  this  l)eing  foolish- 
ness unto  them — as  "  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  tliings  of 
the  ^Spirit  of  God,"  1  Cor.  ii.  14 ;  therefore  such  men  give  a 
preference  to  the  Gospels,  and  so  will  often  quote,  and  ignorantly 
appeal  to  their  authority  against  the  Apostolical  Epistles.  But  let 
us  remember  that  every  word  spoken  by  the  Apostles,  claims  for 
itself  the  full  authority  of  "  thus  saith  the  Lord  ;"  because  accord- 
ing to  the  words  of  the  I.jord  Jesus,  "  It  is  not  they  tJiat  speak  hut 
the  Spirit  of  their  Father  that  speaketh  in  them.''^     Matt.  x.  20. 

We  find  then  the  Apostle  Paul  exceedingly  tenacious  of  this 
authority,  and  always  setting  it  forth,  as  if  to  remind  the  churches, 
that  the  authority  with  which  he  addressed  them,  was  that  of 
God ;  and  thus,  we  ought  to  receive  every  word  of  his  inspired 
testimony. 

"To     THE     SAINTS     WHICH    ARE    AT    EPHESUS,    AND    TO    THE 

FAITHFUL  IN  Christ  Jesus."  We  Considered  so  much  at  large, 
the  persons  who  are  included  in  the  term  "  saints"  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Romans,  that  I  shall  now  l)ut  briefly  recall  to  your  remem- 
brance, that  it  is  the  Scriptural  appellation  of  all  believers  in 
Christ.  All  who  are  justified  by  faith  in  Jesus,  are  also  sanctified 
in  Him,  and  in  this  sense  all  are  alike  sanctified — none  more  so 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  19 

than  others — the  babe  in  Christ  is  sanctified  in  Him,  as  well  as  the 
young  man,  the  young  man  as  well  as  the  father.  There  are  indeed 
different  gifts  of  grace,  as  well  as  different  degrees  of  growth  in  grace. 
in  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  in  this  sense  some  beleivers  are  more 
than  others  under  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
And  this  ought  to  be  the  continual  object  of  attainment,  to  all  the 
children  of  God.  But  in  the  sense  in  which  all  are  one  with  Christ, 
as  united  to  Him  by  faith,  they  are  all  sanctified  in  Him  alike,  dedi 
cated,  set  apart,  consecrated  in  Him  to  God  forever.  In  this  sense 
their  sanctification  is  ascribed  to  the  salvation  wrought  by  Christ, 
so  saith  the  Apostle  Paul:  ".By  the  which  ivill  ive  are  sanctified 
through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all,'^ 
Heb.  X.  10 ;  and  again,  "  The  bodies  of  those  beasts  whose  blood 
is  brought  into  the  santuary  by  the  high  priest  for  sin  are  burned 
ivithout  the  camp.  W/ierefore  Jesus  also,  that  he  tnight  sanctify 
the  people  ivith  his  own  blood,  suff'ered  without  the  gate,'''  Heb. 
xiii.  11,  12.  And  so  our  blessed  Lord  ascribes  the  sanctification 
of  his  Church,  in  this  sense,  to  faith  in  Him,  in  His  commission  to 
the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  "/o  whomi!''  saith  he  '•'-now  I  send  thee 
to  open  their  eyes  and  turn  them  from,  darkness  to  light,  and  from 
the  power  of  Satan  unto  God ;  that  they  may  receive  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  and  inheritaiice  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by 
faith  that  is  in  we,"  Acts  xxvi.  17,  18.  Therefore  I  say,  every 
believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus  is  sanctified  in  him,  the  weakest  as 
well  as  the  strongest — the  poorest  believer  of  this  day,  as  much 
as  the  Apostle  Paul.  It  is  the  more  necessary  to  explain  this  from 
the  gross  errors  that  are  prevalent  on  the  subject.  Many  persons 
are  in  the  habit  of  making  justification  only  as  it  were  an  initia- 
tory act,  whereby  men  brought  into  a  state  in  which  they  may  be 
sanctified  and  saved  ;  and  think  they  are  not  warranted  to  trust 
in  Christ  for  salvation  till  a  certain  purifying  process  takes  place 
in  them  which  they  call  sanctification — a  work  of  the  Spirit  sepa- 
rate from  the  sajvation  wrought  by  Christ.  Nothing  can  be  far- 
ther from  the  Gospel  than  this — this  error  keeps,  I  am  satisfied, 
many  of  the  children  of  God  mourning  all  their  days,  looking  for 
this  purification  in  themselves  which  they  never  feel  or  can  feel. 
They  confound  two  things  which  are  quite  distinct — the  sanctify- 
ing influences  and  power  of  the  Spirit,  which  it  is  ever  their  privi- 
lege and  duty  to  pray  for — to  watch  for,  and  to  receive  as  being 
the  children  of  God ;  that  they  may  serve  and  glorify  their  hea- 
venly Father — with  that  work  of  the  Spirit  whereby  they  are 
quickened  and  l)rought  to  Christ,  pardoned,  washed,  justified  from 
all  their  sins,  sanctified  in  Him  and  presented  in  Him  to  God 
'■'•without  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing.''''  The  truth  is 
equally  opposed  to  every  error,  whether  those  that  are  more  spe- 
cious, and  approach  nearer  the  Gospel  in  appearance ;  or  those  by 
which,  as  in  this  case,  the  Church  of  Rome  runs  into  an  anti- 
Scriptural  apostacy,  canonizing,  as  she  calls  it,  certain  persons  as 
saints,  who  are  pretended  to  have  advanced  to  some  imaginary 
stage  of  perfection  in  holiness,  but  of  whom  multitudes  have  been 


20  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

characterized  by  devotion  indeed,  to  her,  but  by  ignorance  of  God, 
and  enmity  against  His  Gospel.  I  need  not  enter  at  length  on 
the  no  less  awful  state  of  those,  who  profess  to  protest  against  the 
idolatry  and  superstition  of  Rome,  but  who  use  the  very  name  of 
"saint"  as  a  term  of  reproach  and  mockery,  applied  to  those  who 
do  not  fear  to  profess  the  faith,  and  follow  the  conduct  of  those 
who  really  are  servants  of  Christ.  Recollect  then,  that  "  the  saints 
and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ"  are  synonymous  terms  for  all 
those  who  truly  believe  in  Him  as  the  hope  and  refuge  of  their 
souls. 

"Grace  be  to  you,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father  and 
FROM  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

This  is  the  apostolical  benediction  with  Avhich  Paul  generally 
commences  and  concludes  his  Epistles.  So  we  had  it  in  the  con- 
clusion of  that  to  the  Romans  on  our  last  day.  "  The  g-race  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  allP  Rom.  xvi.  24.  Believ- 
ers, then,  as  now,  required  grace  continually  to  keep  them,  and 
enable  them  to  stand  before  their  God.  As  our  bodily  frames  re- 
quire fresh  food  for  their  daily  subsistence,  and  without  it  would 
grow  weak,  languish,  and  die ;  so  do  we  in  a  spiritual  sense  require 
continual  supplies  of  heavenly  refreshment.  If  the  Israelites  were 
obliged  to  go  and  gather  the  manna,  morning  by  morning  in  the 
wilderness,  so  have  v/e,  my  dear  friends,  daily  need  of  supplies  of 
"  tJie  Bread  of  God,  ivhich  is  he  that  cometh  down  from  heaven, 
and  giveth  life  unto  the  world.''  John  vi.  32.  So  sliould  we  pray 
continually  in  the  language  of  those  who  heard  this  truth  from  his 
own  lips,  ^'-  Lord  evermore  give  us  this  breadP  v.  33.  And  if 
we  "  have  nof''  let  us  remember  the  reason  is  "  because  we  ask 
not.'''  Jam.  iv.  2.  We  shovdd  use  the  means  if  we  expect  the  end. 
Remember  the  promise,  Prov.  viii.  17,  "  They  that  seek  m,e  early 
shall  find  meP  Again — "  They  tJiat  wait  on  the  Lord  shall  re- 
new their  strength,  they  shall  mount  up  ivith  wings  as  eagles — 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  they  shall  walk, and  not  faint'"' 
Isai.  xl.  31.  We  ought  to  use  industry  for  the  soul  as  well  as 
for  the  body  ;  for,  "  The  soul  of  the  diligent  shall  be  made  fatP 
Prov.  xiii.  4.  This  may  be  viewed  as  an  apostolical  prayer  for 
the  Church  as  well  as  an  apostolical  benedictiorf.  All  require 
grace  to  keep  them  as  well  as  to  call  them.  We  need  daily  sup- 
plies, and  we  receive  them  too,  as  we  have  just  been  singing  in 
our  hymn  : — 

"  Grace  turned  my  wandering  feet, 
To  tread  the  heavenly  road, 
And  new  supphes  each  hour  I  meet, 
While  passing  on  to  God." 

But  it  is  not  only  grace,  but  peace  too,  for  which  the  Apostle 
prays  for  them. — True  peace  cannot  exist  without  grace — and 
peace  is  the  consequence  of  grace.  The  believer  stands,  through 
grace,  accepted,  justified  by  tlic  precious  blood  of  Jesus  ;  the 
sweet  apprehension  of  Christ  by  faith,  brings  pardon  and  peace  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  21 

his  soul ;  so  saitli  the  Scripture,  "  being  justified  hy  faith,  ive  have 
peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  by  whom,  also 
we  have  access  into  this  grace  wherein  ive  stand  and  rejoice  in 
hope  of  the  glory  of  God,'^  Rom.  v.  1, 2,  they  are  justified  by  faith, 
and  have  peace — they  stand  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  rejoice  in 
hope.  Jesus  "  has  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,''^ 
Col.  i.  20,  and  so  to  know  him  and  to  enjoy  the  peace  he  has  pur- 
chased through  the  grace  that  is  given  to  them,  is  the  subject 
of  the  apostolical  prayer  and  benediction, — "  grace  be  to  you,  and 
peace." 

And,  as  then,  so  now  it  is  our  consolation  to  remember  the 
source  from  whence  alone  grace  and  peace  can  floAV.  It  is  not 
from  Paul,  or  from  Apollos,  or  Cephas  ;  but  ^'■from  God  our  Fa- 
ther, and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''''  Jehovah,  the  Father,  the 
fountain,  and  Jehovah,  the  Son,  the  channel  of  all  blessings. 
"  Jesus  the  sayne  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.'^  Heb.  xiii.  8. 
The  Fountain  of  living  waters,  as  redundant  as  at  the  creation— the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  with  undiminished  effulgence — the  Ocean 
unfathomable  in  the  depths  of  love  and  mercy, — "  an  ocean  with- 
out bottom  or  shore."  Oh  how  lamentably  we  live  below  our 
privileges,  my  friends.  How  little  we  bathe  in  that  fountain  ! 
how  little  we  bask  in  that  sun  ! — ^how  little  we  ride  buoyant  on 
that  ocean  with  our  anchor  cast  within  the  veil!  "Lord  increase 
cm"  faith." 

"Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings IN  HEAVENLY  PLACES   IN  ChRIST." 

The  Apostle  bursts,  as  it  were,  into  a  strain  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  at  the  contemplation  of  their  present  position,  and 
the  present  blessings  they  enjoyed  through  grace.  He  ascribes 
all  those  blessings  to  the  source  of  all  blessing,  to  Jehovah,  the 
Father,  and  he  calls  Him,  "the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,"  conveying  thereby  the  ideas  included  in  the  amaz- 
ing manifestation  of  His  love  in  giving  His  Son  to  die  for  us,  and 
the  unity  of  the  divine  w  ill  in  the  salvation  of  all  the  Church  of 
God.  If  it  is  ^'- a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,'''  1st  Tim. 
i.  15,  it  is  no  less  so  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave 
His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  shoidd 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  John  iii.  16.  The  Father 
cannot  be  separated  from  the  Son  in  the  whole  covenant  and 
completion  of  the  work  of  Redeeming  love,  nor  tlie  Holy  Ghost 
from  both.  The  revelation  of  that  love  in  the  glorious  person  and 
work  of  Immanuel,  is  the  revelation  of  the  Father's  character, 
government,  and  love  to  sinners  in  Jesus.  "  No  man  knoweth  the 
Father  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  tvill  reveal 
Him.'^  Mat.  xi.  27.  The  "  light  of  the  knowledge  of  his  glory'''' 
is  revealed  "  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Chr'istP  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  In  the 
great  work  of  salvation  it  may  be  affirmed  tjiat  the  unity  of  the 
divine  will  in  the  blessed  persons  of  the  Trinity  is  manifested 


22  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

through  all  the  Sacred  Volume,  in  the  salvation  of  all  His  Church. 
Our  Lord  saitli,  "  All  that  tlie  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to 
me  ;  and  him,  that  cometh  to  me,  I  ivill  in  no  wise  cast  oiit.^^ 
And  He  gives  as  the  reason,  "  Fo7'  I  came  doivn  from  Heaven^ 
not  to  do  mine  oicn  will  but  the  tvill  of  Him  that  sent  me,  and  this 
is  the  Father^s  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  He  has 
given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  hut  shoidd  raise  it  up  again  at 
the  last  day.  And  this  is  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me,  that 
every  one  which  seeth  the  Son  and  believeth  on  Him,  may  have 
everlasting  life,  and  I  tvill  raise  Him  up  at  the  last  day.  John 
vi.  37—40. 

It  is  manifest  from  these  words  of  our  Lord  that  all  His  Church 
are  the  gift  of  His  Father  to  Him,  they  shall  all  come  to  Him  and 
He  will  in  no  wise  cast  them  out.  Again,  the  love  by  which  they 
are  given  to  Him  by  tlie  Father,  and  received  by  Him,  is  immut- 
able ;  it  carries  them  on  to  the  end,  for  it  is  the  Father's  will  that 
"  of  all  which  He  hath  given  Him  He  should  lose  nothing,  but 
should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day  ;"  and  again  it  is  the  same 
will  which  causes  that  "  every  one  who  seeketh  the  Son  and 
believeth  on  Him,"  or,  as  our  Lord  saith  in  another  place,  "  who 
have  not  seen  and  yet  have  believed,"  "may  have  everlasting 
life."  "  The  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,^^  and  so  whosoever  hath  come  to  Christ  that  he  may  have 
life,  whosoever  has  been  drawn  to  Him  as  the  hope  and  refuge  of 
his  soul,  is  warranted  to  ascribe,  as  the  Apostle  does  here,  the 
blessing  of  all  their  mercies  to  "  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  We  see  the  Apostle  Peter  uses  the  same  language ; 
"  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
according  to  his  abundant  ?nercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a 
lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to 
an  inheritance  incorruptible,  c^'C-,  1  Pet.  i.  3,  and  so  the  song  of 
the  redeemed  before  the  throne  is  '■'■Blessing  and  honor  and  glory 
and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  Throne,  and  unto 
the  Lamb  forever  and  ever.''''  Rev.  v.  13.  We  perceive  here  for 
what  the  Apostle  ascribes  this  blessing  to  God.     "  Who  "  hath 

BLESSED    us     WITH     ALL     SPIRITUAL     BLESSINGS."       They    Were 

blessed  with  them,  all  things  were  theirs — Christ  is  all  and  in  all, 
and  they  were  Christ's — as  the  Apostle  says,  1  Cor.  iii.  21-23,  ^-All 
things  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's  and  Christ  is  God^sJ^ 
This  is  a  truth  of  which  believers,  alas  !  are  lamentably  ignorant, 
and  of  which  even  those  who  know  most,  know  but  very  little. 
How  little  are  our  hearts  and  hopes  lifted  up  above  their  natural 
state  !  how  heavily  we  drag  on  our  spiritual  life,  compared  with 
our  high  and  holy  privileges  ! 

The  Apostle,  in  the  second  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  enters  more 
fully  (as  we  shall  see,  if  it  pleases  God  to  spare  us,)  into  this  sub- 
ject. He  contrasts  the  position  of  sinners  in  their  natural  state 
with  that  of  sinners  in  their  spiritual  state — they  were  "  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,^^  "  children  of  wrath^'' — now  "  quickened 
together  with  Christ — raised  up  together  and  made  to  sit  together 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  23 

in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."  Chap.  ii.  1,  5,  6.  The  behever 
may  ask,  how  can  this  be  ? — how  can  I  feel  this  to  be  so ')  It  is 
not  proposed  to  you  as  an  object  of  feehng  but  of  faith — God 
speaks  it — Jehovah  declares  it  to  be  a  fact,  and  it  is  firm  as 
the  foundations  of  eternal  truth.  We  considered  this  subject  at 
length,  in  reading  the  Gtli  of  Romans,  and  it  will  come  more  at 
large  than  in  this  verse,  under  our  consideratin  in  the  2nd  chapter, 
but  you  recollect  what  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  in  the 
6th  of  Romans — '•  We  are  buried  with  hi?n  by  baptism  into 
death,  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by  the  glory 
of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  ivalk  in  newness  of  life" — 
again,  "  Reckon  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  verses,  4,  11, — ^again 
in  Colossians,  ii.  12,  "  Buried  with  him  in  baptism,  ivherein  also 
ye  are  risen  withkim  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God, 
who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead," — -again,  in  chap.  iii.  3, 4, 
"  ye  are  dead  and  your  life  is  hid  loith  Christ  in  God.  When 
Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear 
with  him  in  glory."  Their  actual  state  of  spiritual  life  and  union 
with  Christ  is  the  subject  not  of  sense  indeed,  but  of  faith.  The 
Lord  declares  it  to  them,  for  it  is  so  seen  in  his  eye,  "  according 
as  he  hath  chosen  them  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  V.  4.  God  views  all  his  own  mighty  works  in  progress  as  in 
completion.  The  architect  surveys  in  his  mind's  eye  the  building 
of  which  he  has  laid  but  the  foundation  stone,  as  a  complete  and 
perfect  structure,  according  to  the  plan  and  elevation  he  has  laid 
down  for  it, — the  shipwright  when  he  lays  the  first  beam  of  the 
keel  of  his  vessel  on  the  stocks,  views  it  as  complete  as  if  it  were 
sailing  on  the  bosom  of  the  deep,  with  every  sail  expanded  in  the 
breeze — and  if  architects  and  shipwrights  were  infallible  and  im- 
mortal, their  works  and  their  conceptions  and  plans  must  ever  cor- 
respond. But  how  often  do  we  see  that  they  who  lay  the  founda- 
tion may  never  live  to  raise  the  superstructure  !  how  often  do 
their  structures  vary  from  their  plans,  and  how  often  do  their 
resources  fail !  so  that  in  all  these  senses  we  may  say,  "  this  Tnan 
began  to  build  and  tvas  not  able  to  finish." 

But  God  is  the  omnipotent,  infallible,  eternal  architect.  When 
the  foundations  of  his  church  were  laid  before  the  foundations  of 
the  world,  it  stood  as  perfect  and  finished  in  His  view  as  it  shall 
appear  when  the  ^^  head  stone  shall  be  brought  forth  with  shout- 
ifigs  of  grace,  grace  unto  it."  Zech.  iv.  7. — And  the  mind  of 
Jehovah  shall  be  reversed — and  his  plans  be  changed — and  His 
resources  fail — -or.  He  Himself  shall  cease  to  exist,  before 
one  stone  shall  fall  and  perish  of  that  building  which  he 
viewed  as  complete  from  eternity.  Jesus  the  living  head  of  His 
church  is  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  His  Father,  every  member 
of  His  mystical  body  is  beheld  complete  and  safe  in  Him,  "  raised 
up  together  ivith  him,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  the  heavenlies 
in  him." — -not  one  of  them  shall  be  lost — his  sheep  shall  never 
perish,  John  x.  28.     It  is  as  true  of  His  mystical  as  of  His  natural 


24  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

body,  "  a  hone  of  him  shall  not  he  broken.''^  John  xix.  36.  Prom- 
ises and  means  are  given  us  liere,  but  it  is  the  privilege  of  every 
behever  in  resting  on  tliose  promises,  and  in  the  use  of  these  means, 
to  look  beyond  this  tabernacle,  to  rise  above  this  poor  world  of 
sorrow,  sin,  and  death,  and  to  enter  by  ftiith  into  those  mansions, 
of  which  his  Lord  spake  when  He  said,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  jilace 
for  you^  and  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  yon,  I  urill  come 
again  and  receive  you  unto  m>yself,  that  tvhere  I  am,  there  ye 
■may  he  also^  John  xiv.  2,  3.  He  is  made  unto  His  people, 
''  wisdom  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemption^ 
1  Cor.  i.  30. 

"  How  ain  I  to  feel  thus,"  some  poor  believer  will  say,  "  when  I 
feel  so  deserving  only  of  hell,  so  bowed  doAvn  beneath  this  body 
of  sin  and  death — -struggling  under  the  pressure  of  this  corrupt 
and  wicked  heart — constrained  continually  to  cry  out,  "  O 
wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  one  from  the  hody  of 
this  deatlt  f  Rom.  vii.  24.  Paul  was  constrained  to  cry  out  thus 
before  you — but  you  see  when  he  records  this  sad  experience  of 
his  own  evil  heart,  and  the  power  of  sin  in  his  members — even 
then  in  the  midst  of  his  complaint  of  sin  and  of  his  body  of  flesh, 
he  bursts  forth  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  and  while  groaning  he 
asks  the  question,  "  who  shall  deliver  tne  from  the  hody  of  this 
death  ?"  Faith  answers  in  the  same  breath,  "  I  thank  God  through 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Rom.  vii.  25.  It  is  our  privilege  and 
our  joy  to  rise  upon  the  wings  of  faitli  and  hope,  and  to  soar  up 
to  our  heavenly  home  above  the  strugglings  of  these  dying  bodies, 
how  often  do  we  see  the  believer  even  in  the  depths  of  sulfering, 
and  in  the  hoiu-  of  death  enjoying  this  blessed  privilege. 

I  had  a  dear  friend,*  a  physician,  who  died  very  lately  of  this 
disease  that  has  been  so  prevalent  and  so  fatal,  this  iniliienza ; 
and  there  was  another  dear  friend  of  his  and  mine,  who  had  the 
privilege  of  watching  by  his  bed  of  death ;  his  daughter  who 
would  else  have  occupied  that  post,  lay  dying  of  consumption  at 
the  same  time ;  indeed  it  was  to  a  devoted  attendance  on  her, 
humanly  speaking,  that  he  fell  a  sacrifice,  for  when  he  caught  the 
disease,  he  woidd  not  omit  his  late  and  early  watching,  nor  give 
up  till  he  was  beyond  the  reach  of  human  aid.  This  lady  who 
attended  him  told  me  some  circumstances  of  his  death,  which 
evince  how  a  believer  may  rise  above  his  earthly  tabernacle,  and 
look  down  on  it  as  it  were  while  he  sees  it  crumbling  into  dust 
before  his  eyes. 

The  day  before  his  death  he  requested  his  medical  attendant  to 
read  for  him  the  23d  Psalm  in  Buchanan's  Latin  translation  of 
the  Psalms ;  he  requested  him  afterwards  to  read  the  same  Psalm 
in  the  Bible — he  repeated  with  great  joy  the  4th  verse,  "yea, 
though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  I  will 
fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  com- 
fort me." — ^When  this  was  done  he  said,  "As  all  his  concerns 
were  arranged  for  eternity,  he  would  now  settle  his  affairs  for 
*  Dr.  Samuel  Ro'Dinson, — he  fell  asleep  in  Christ,  January  29th,  1837. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  25 

time,"'  accordingly  he  arranged  his  will  and  all  temporal  matters. 
That  night  about  eleven  o'clock,  a  violent  fit  of  coughing  came 
on,  he  said  to  his  dear  friend  who  was  sitting  beside  him,  in  meta- 
phorical language,  to  the  use  of  which  he  was  very  much  ad- 
dicted, "  That  was  a  heavy  blow  from  the  iron  mace  of  death— I 
thought  I  should  have  gone  off  about  twelve  o'clock  to-night,  but 
I  see  from  the  strength  of  that  cough  that  I  shall  last  three  or 
four  hours  longer" — this  was  precisely  the  case,  for  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning  he  fell  asleep.  Soon  after  he  had  spoken  thus  he 
added,  "  Now  my  dear  friend,  you  will  see  my  hands  and  my  feet 
swell,  and  then  they  wall  grow  cold  and  bluish  in  their  color,  and 
if  you  wnll  be  so  kind  when  you  see  this  to  roll  a  little  warm  flan- 
nel round  them,  it  will  alleviate  the  bodily  suffering, — ^you  see  my 
hands  are  swelling  already — then  you  will  see  the  cold  sweat  of 
death  breaking  out  on  juy  forehead,  and  just  wipe  it  off  with  a 
warm  cloth — I  shall  then  fall  into  a  sort  of  stupor,  but  I  shall  not 
be  dead  for  some  time,  and  let  them  not  touch  me  till  I  am 
dead." — He  spoke  this  and  gave  these  directions,  just  as  delibe- 
rately as  if  he  was  giving  them  for  another  dying  man,  and 
seemed  just  to  speak  of  his  body  as  of  that  of  another  person, 
then,  after  a  little  time  he  said  as  it  were  with  a  sort  of  playful 
triumph,  "  Who  would  have  thought  that  I  should  have  won  the 
race  from  Sophy  after  all  ?" — alluding  to  his  daughter,  who  was 
so  near  the  goal,  that  he  had  been  daily  expecting  the  termination 
of  her  race.     Soon  after  this,  he  fell  asleep. 

Thus,  is  it  the  privilege  of  a  believer  to  rise  above  his  earthly 
tabernacle,  and  while  he  sees  and  feels  it  sinking  into  the  dust  of 
death,  to  behold  with  the  eye  of  faith  his  immortal  spirit  risen 
with  Christ,  and  to  long  to  Isurst  the  fetters  which  bind  him  here 
below,  and  spring  at  once  to  the  realms  of  light.  It  is  his  privi- 
lege to  turn  his  eyes  away  from  the  shroud,  the  coffin,  the  clay, 
and  the  worm,  and  to  behold  the  glorious  company  of  his  brethren 
around  the  throne,  and  to  hear  the  song  of  the  redeemed  as  they 
cast  their  crowns  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Death  is  his  as  well  as 
life — his,  for  good  and  glory  too.  "  All  things  are  his,  lohether 
Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  ivorld,  or  life,  or  death,  or 
things  present,  or  things  to  come,  all  are  his,  and  he  is  Chrisfs, 
and  Christ  is  God's:'  1  Cor.  iii.  21,  22,  23. 

He  is  "  blessed  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  j)laces 
in  Christ"  Oh  !  consider  this,  believer — you  have  all  things — 
though  now  for  the  present  you  do  not  enjoy  all  things.  It  must 
be  so,  the  Holy  Ghost  assures  us,  that  the  premises  must  involve 
the  conclusion — ^the  reasoning  on  them  is  infallible,  "iJe  that 
spared  7iot  his  own  Son  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?"  Rom.  viii.  32. 
How  shall  he  not  ?  that  is  to  say,  it  is  impossible  but  that  he  must. 
Therefore  it  is  our  glorious  privilege  to  look  out  of  ourselves  in 
the  flesh,  and  to  behold  ourselves  by  faith  safe  in  our  blessed 
Lord — "  Surely  shall  one  say  in  the  Lord  I  have  righteousness 
and  strength."  Isaiah  xlv.  24 — in  ourselves  we  have  neither  one 


26  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

nor  the  other — all  weakness  and  all  sin — "  all  our  righteousnesses 
are  as  filthy  rags."  Isaiah  Ixiv.  6 ;  the  more  we  examine  the 
fact,  the  more  we  shall  feel  it  to  be  so.  Bring  filthy  rags  into  the 
light  of  the  sun  and  they  will  appear  ten  times  more  filthy  than 
before,  so  it  is  with  all  our  works — bring  them  into  the  light  even 
of  our  own  judgment,  we  must  condemn  them,  what  must  they 
be  in  the  light  of  God's  holy  law,  when  we  say  "  thou  hast  set  our 
misdeeds  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
nanceP  Psalm  xc.  8.  O  how  should  we  stand  if  he  were  to 
"  enter  into  judgment"  with  us  !  but  if  we  are  looking  out  of  sin 
and  self  to  the  covenant  promises  of  our  God  in  the  everlasting 
Gospel,  then  we  may  "  lift  iip  the  hands  that  hang  doivn  and  the 
feeble  knees.''''  Heb.  xii.  12, — then  we  may  say  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  as  I  fear  we  so  often  mutter  over  in  a  cold  heartless  form, 
"  O  come  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord,  let  us  heartily  rejoice  in  the 
strength  of  our  salvation.''''  Psalm  xcv.  1. 

O  what  would  become  of  us  without  the  Bible  ? — all  peace,  all 
joy,  all  consolation,  all  hope  forever  gone — it  would  be  like  blot- 
ting the  sun  from  the  firmament,  the  soul  would  be  in  outer  dark- 
ness. Let  us  think  of  that  testimony  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant, "  all  things  are  yours" — and  remember  this  is  spoken  of 
spiritual  not  of  earthly  blessings.  Poor  Lazarus  was  not  enjoy- 
ing earthly  blessings  when  he  was  laid  at  the  rich  man's  gate  full 
of  sores,  and  when  the  dogs  were  coming  and  licking  his  sores, 
and  when  he  was  longing  for  the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich 
man's  table — but  "  he  was  blessed  loith  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ" — as  one  of  his  members  "  all  things 
were  his" — all  his  very  trials  were  just  his  Father's  means  of  pre- 
paring his  soul  to  be  transported  in  a  little  time  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom.  Poor  Job  was  not  enjoying  earthly  blessings 
when  his  oxen  and  his  asses,  and  his  sheep  and  his  camels,  and 
his  servants,  and  his  sons,  and  his  daughters,  were  all  swept  away 
from  him  in  a  day,  when  Satan  was  let  loose  on  his  possessions, 
and  his  person ;  and  his  wife,  as  if  leagued  with  Satan,  bid  him 
"  curse  God  and  die."  Yet  read  the  whole  of  his  history,  and  mark 
the  Apostolic  comment  on  it,  ^' ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job, 
and  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful  and 
of  tender  mercy ;"  James  v.  11 — ye  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord,  ye 
have  seen  liow  all  things  were  working  together  for  his  own  good  and 
his  Master's  glory.  And  do  you  not  think  Job  knew  this  when  he 
saw  "  the  end  of  the  Lord"  himself?  So  shall  you  see,  0  behever, 
when  you  shall  see  his  end  in  all  dispensations  towards  yourself — you 
shall  see  all  trials  working  for  your  good.  Then  learn  to  ^^ glory  in 
tribulation"  with  Paul,  and  you  shall  feel  as  it  is  in  the  hymn. 

"  Since  all  that  I  meet 

Shall  work  for  my  good, 
The  bitter  is  sweet, 

The  medicine  is  food  ; 
Though  painful  at  present^ 

'Twill  cease  before  long, 
And  then,  O  how  pleasant 

The  conqueror's  song." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  27 

Remember  then,  it  is  the  privilege  of  faith  to  look  at  Provi- 
dences in  their  end,  to  "  look^  not  at  the  things  that  are  seen,  hut  at 
the  things  that  are  not  seenP  Yes,  believer,  it  is  your  privilege 
to  see  "  all  tilings  working  together  for  your  good^'' — "  all  things 
are  yours,"  whether  inward  or  outward  crosses,  all  afflictions,  all 
trials,  all  temptations,  all  difficulties,  all  bereavements,  all  your 
sorrows  whatever  they  be,  and  sooner  or  later  you  must  feel  sor- 
rows : — no  child  of  God  can  be  more  or  less  without  them — as  an 
old  writer  remarks,  "  God  had  one  iSon  on  earth  without  sin,  but 
he  never  had  one  tvithout  sorrow,^^ — but  these  very  sorrows  teach 
you  the  preciousness  of  a  "  brother  born  for  adversity,"  who  is  the 
man  of  sympathy,  and  the  God  of  love  and  power,  and  Avho  can 
speak  peace  to  the  winds  and  waves  in  the  heaviest  storm  of 
trouble,  and  cause  the  heaving  of  the  sinner's  bosom  to  sink  like 
the  sea  of  Galilee  into  a  great  calm, — He  can  give  peace  which 
all  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away — 

"  And  if  such  peace 
While  under  his  afflicting  hand  we  find, 
What  shall  it  be  to  see  him  as  he  is, 
And  past  the  reach  of  all  that  now  disturbs 
The  tranquil  soul's  repose,  to  contemplate 
In  retrospect  unclouded,  all  the  means. 
By  which  his  wisdom  has  prepared  his  saints, 
For  the  vast  weight  of  glory  that  remains. 
Come  then  affliction  if  my  Father  bids, 
And  be  my  frowning  friend — a  friend  that  frowns. 
Is  better  than  a  smiling  enemy." 

Yea,  even  your  very  sins  shall  be  made  to  Avork  together  for 
your  good — they  shall  "  humble  you,  and  prove  you,  and  make 
you  know  what  is  in  your  heart,"  and  they  shall  serve  to  develop 
and  to  enhance  '•  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

You  will  not  misunderstand  me  as  if  I  were  to  say  it  can  be 
good  for  you  to  sin,  God  forbid  !  but  I  mean  that  the  grace  and 
mercy  of  God  will  overrule  even  your  sin,  and  so  humble  you 
under  the  convictions  of  it,  as  to  make  Christ  more  precious  to  you, 
and  that  you  shall  learn  more  and  more  to  love  him,  and  to  hate 
your  sin,  and  hate  yourself,  for  as  it  is  sin  that  sets  forth  the 
grace  and  love  of  Christ  to  the  sinner,  so  it  is  the  love,  the  con- 
straining love  of  Christ  that  illustrates  the  evil,  and  aggravates 
the  bitterness,  and  increases  the  hatred  of  sin. 

Now  consider — dwell  on  these  two  points,  the  position  of  a  sinner 
by  nature,  and  the  position  of  a  believer  by  grace,  and  as  we  are 
all  without  exception  by  nature,  in  the  first,  O  may  we  be  found 
by  grace,  "  blessed  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ."     Amen. 


SECOND     LEG  TURE. 


Efhesians  I,  4 — 6. 


"  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that 
we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him,  in  love.  Having  predestinated  us 
unto  the  adoption  of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted 
in  the  Beloved." 

We  considered,  the  last  time  we  met,  the  position  which  tliose 
who  beheve  in  Jesus  occupy  by  grace,  and  the  privileges  they 
enjoy,  namely,  being  "  blessed  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heav- 
enly places,  in  Christ."  And  the  reason  of  this  is  stated  in  the 
4th  verse  with  which  we  commence  to-day — "  According  as  he 

HATH  CHOSEN  US    IN    HIM,    BEFORE    THE    FOUNDATION    OF    THE 
WORLD." 

God's  everlasting  love  is  the  source  of  all  that  believers  enjoy  in 
time,  or  shall  enjoy  in  eternity.  We  entered,  you  recollect,  at 
large  into  this  subject,  as  we  went  through  the  8th  and  9th  chapters 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  We  dwelt  on  the  uses  and  abuses  of 
the  doctrine  of  God's  predestinating  love,  which  forms  such  a  prom- 
inent subject  of  those  chapters  ;  and  considered  how  profitable  the 
practical  view  of  the  doctrine  is  to  the  believer  ;  and  how  vain  and 
unprofitable  the  speculative  controversies  to  which  it  so  often  gives 
rise.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  portion  of  that  '■^strong  meat  which  belongeth 
to  those  that  are  of  full  age,  even  those  ivho,  by  reason  of  use, 
have  their  senses  exercised  to  discern  both  good  and  evil.  Heb. 
V.  14.  Wlien  men  do  not  understand  tlie  fundamental  principles 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  every  effort  of  their  mind  to  comprehend 
the  doctrine  of  election  is  vain  ;  so  that,  to  reason  with  them  on 
the  subject,  is  like  reasoning  with  a  man  born  blind  on  colors,  or 
with  a  deaf  man  on  harmony ;  while,  to  the  practical  use  of  this,  the 
believer  owes  the  whole  of  his  hope  of  being  brought  to  eternal  life. 

If  wc  think  that  our  own  goodness,  or  our  good  intentions,  reso- 
lutions, prayers,  or  anything  tending  to  excellence  or  superiority  in 
us  over  our  fellow-sinners,  was  the  cause  why  God  looked  in  his 
mercy  upon  us,  we  cannot  believe  the  Gospel ;  we  cannot  really 
be  looking  to  Jesus,  under  a  consciousness  of  our  own  guilt  and 
vileness  as  lost  and  helpless  sinners. 

Again,  if  Ave  think  that  our  own  goodness,  or  faithfulness,  or 
profitable  use  of  means,  or  the  purity  of  our  intentions,  or  the  subjec- 
tion of  our  will,  or  anything  in  us  derived  from  ourselves,  or  our  own 
good  disposition,  is  to  be  the  cause  of  our  perseverance,  and  final 
salvation,  we  are  equally  far  from  the  knowledge  of  ourselves,  or  of 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  29 

the  Gospel.  We  cannot  be  really  looking  to  and  leaning  on  Jesus, 
as  lost  and  helpless  sinners — we  are  trustin'g  to  a  soiuxe  of  salvation 
as  uncertain  as  the  weathercock,  or  the  wind  that  blows  it  about. 
Look,  my  dear  friends,  not  merely  to  the  written  Word  of  God, 
bat  look  also  into  your  own  deceitful  hearts — ^look  at  the  working 
of  your  wayward  will,  not  only  before  you  knew  Christ  as  your 
refuge,  but  now.  Look  at  the  wandering  idolatrous  clinging  of 
your  earthly  affections  to  the  creature,  and  you  will  see  the  ne- 
cessity of  being  chosen  in  Christ ;  you  will  confess  that  it  is  all 
"  hy  grace  ye  are  saved^'' — not  as  righteous  in  yourselves,  Ijut  as 
rebels — and  this  merely — -"  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us 

IN  HIM  BEFORE  THE    FOUNDATION    OF    THE  WORLD."       Mail  waS 

seen  in  the  whole  detail  of  his  existence,  and  not  alone  in  the  ab- 
stract— ^therefore  all  cavilling  questions,  such  as.  Why  was  man 
allowed  to  fall? — Why  made  liable  to  sin?  (fcc,  resolve  themselves 
into  the  one  point ;  Why  was  evil  permitted  to  exist  ?  to  which 
we  can  give  but  One  answer — the  fact.  Look  around  you,  and 
look  within  you — if  you  are  taught  of  God,  the  whole  testimony  of 
your  conscience,  as  a  voluntary,  accountable,  rational  creature, 
will  correspond  Avith  your  Lord's  revealed  will.  And  if  not,  if  you 
cavil  at  it,  and  object,  then  I  know  no  other  answer  than  that  of 
the  apostle,  "  Who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  f  Rom. 
ix.  20.  Oh,  my  friends  when  we  come  to  appear  before  our  God, 
no  fallen  child  of  Adam  shall  be  able  to  throw  the  blame  of  his 
sin  on  his  Creator,  more  than  his  fallen  forefather  was.  Do  you 
think  that  Adam  convicted  his  Creator  of  wrong,  when  he  replied, 
'•'•  The  xootnmi  whom  thou  gavest  to  he  loith  ine^  she  gave  me  of 
the  tree.,  and  I  did  eaf  7 

Here  my  brethren,  is  the  one  simple  rule :  all  the  evil  that  we 
feel  within,  comes  from  ourselves  and  our  enemy ;  and  all  the 
good  that  we  can  ever  put  in  practice,  or  feel,  or  even  desire, 
comes  solely  from  the  free  gift  of  God.  Were  we  to  depend  on 
ourselves,  we  must  perish.  God  does  not  deal  with  us  as  a  cred- 
itor might  deal  with  a  broken  merchant,  to  whom  he  would  give 
a  capital  again,  to  trade  wnth,  and  to  try  to  retrieve  his  affairs,  by 
his  own  exertions  and  resources.  We  are  not  pardoned  by  a 
divine  decree,  as  it  were  to  a  certain  time,  and  then  left  again  to 
ourselves,  to  try  if  we  shall  walk  aright,  and  maintain  our  state 
of  salvation  ; — no,  blessed  be  our  God,  "  We  are  kept  hy  the  power 
of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation.''^  1  Pet.  i.  5.  Indeed  were 
it  possible  that  we  were  all  placed  in  a  state  of  innocence  like 
that  of  Adam,  like  him  we  should  individually  transgress  our 
Master's  law.  Oh  how  much  more  secure  the  salvation  of  those 
who  have  Christ  as  their  -Covenant  Head  and  Covenant  Hope, 
and  who  can  say,  "  Not  hy  works  of  righteousness  which  tve  have 
done,  hut  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  its,  hy  the  washing  of 
regeneration  and  renewing  of'  the  Holy  Ghost.^^  Tit.  iii.  5. 
Who  can  say,  '■'■Beliold  God  is  my  salvation,  I  to  ill  trust  and  not 
he  afraid,  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song  : 
he  also  is  becofne  my  salvationP     Isaiah  xii.  2. 


30  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Yes,  every  child  of  God — every  converted  soul,  must  know  that 
he  is  saved  indeed  by  free  and  sovereign  grace.  If  he  confesses 
Jesus  as  the  Saviour,  he  will  confess  him  too  as  the  seeker  of  his 
soul,  "  He  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  ivhich  was  losf^ — and 
having  gone  as  the  good  Shepherd  into  the  wilderness  after  the 
sheep,  and  found  it,  and  "  laid  it  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing,''^  he 
does  not  cast  it  down  again  to  perish ;  no,  he  brings  it  home  to 
his  friends  and  neighbors, — Luke  xv.  5,  6 — the  company  of  his 
redeemed,  "  having  loved  his  own  he  loveth  them  unto  the  end^'' 
John  xiii.  1.  Looking  unto  him  we  have  all  the  promises  secured, 
for  he  is  '■'■faithfid  and  true^'' — and  "  all  the  promises  of  God  in 
him,  are  yea,  and  in  him  amen.'''' 

But  observe  to  what  believers  are  chosen  in  Christ,  "  that  we 

SHOULD  BE  HOLY  AND  WITHOUT  BLAME  BEFORE  HIM  IN  LOVE, 
HAVING  PREDESTINATED  US  UNTO  THE  ADOPTION  OF  CHILDREN 
BY  JESUS  CHRIST  TO  HIMSELF,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  GOOD  PLEAS- 
URE OF  HIS  WILL."  They  are  chosen,  "  to  he  holif — chosen  to 
be  "  without  blame  before  him  in  love'^ — and  mark  the  source  of 

all,  "having  PREDESTINATED  US  TO  THE  ADOPTION  OF  CHIL- 
DREN ;"    "  ACCORDING    TO    THE    GOOD    PLEASURE    OF  HIS  WILL." 

They  are  chosen  to  be  holy,  as  He  also  is  holy — so  saith  the 
Apostle  Peter,  "  as  he  who  hath  called  yon  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy 
in  all  manner  of  conversation.''''  1  Pet.  i.  15. 

Here,  perhaps,  the  believer  will  say,  "  ah  !  that  is  the  very  thing 
I  feel  I  want ;  if  I  were  holy  I  should  be  happy — but  I  feel  my- 
self, alas !  unholy  and  unclean."  Now,  we  must  again  observe, 
on  this  point,  that  there  are  two  senses  in  which  the  term  holy  is 
to  be  considered. 

"  Holy''''  is  be  considered  in  an  absolute  and  relative  sense,  and 
I  believe  much  distress  of  conscience  arises  to  believers,  from  not 
having  a  clear  Scriptural  knowledge  of  this  subject.  Every 
believer  is,  and  is  considered  as  absolutely  holy  before  God.  Just 
as  the  vessels  of  the  temple  were  sanctified,  consecrated  and  set 
apart  to  the  service  of  God — so,  in  this  sense,  is  every  vessel  of 
the  spiritual  temple,  every  believer,  chosen  in  Christ,  sanctified, 
consecrated,  dedicated  to  the  Lord's  service ;  he  is  taken  from 
the  mass  of  the  world,  that  lieth  in  wickedness — his  guilt  is  can- 
celled— sin  blotted  out  forever  ;  he  stands  washed  in  the  precious 
blood,  and  clothed  in  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Immanuel, 
without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.  In  this  sense,  he  is 
absolutely  and  positively  holy ;  so  saith  the  Psalmist,  "  Preserve 
thou  my  soul,  for  I  am  holyP  Psalm  Ixxxvi. ;  though  in  the 
preceding  verse  he  cries,  '•'•Bow  down  thine  ear,  O  Lord,  hear  ine : 
for  I  am  'poor  and  needy ;"  he  mourns  his  sin  and  poverty  in 
the  same  breath  in  which  he  says,  "  /  am,  holy.^^  God  looks  not 
at  him  as  he  is  in  himself,  a  poor,  miserable  sinner ;  I  say,  in  this 
sense  God  looks  not  on  him  as  such,  l)ut  He  looks  on  him  as  a 
member  of  the  risen  body  of  his  risen  Lord  and  covenant  head, 
Christ  Jesus.  So  it  is  the  believer's  privilege  and  duty  to  contem- 
plate himself  also  as  the  Apostle  commands.  Rom.  vi.  "  Likeicise 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  31 

reckon  ye  also  yo^irselves  to  he  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  In  this  sense  the 
sanctification  of  the  behever  is  the  immediate  and  necessary  con- 
sequence of  his  justification.  As  soon  as  he  is  justified  from  all 
his  offences  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus— so  soon  is  he  considered 
in  the  eye  of  God  as  sanctified  in  Christ.  This  is  the  sense  in 
which  the  term  is  used  in  the  passages  before  quoted.  Acts  xxvi. 
18,  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  speaks  of  the  "  inheritance  atnong 
them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  which  is  in  him."  So  it  is  used 
in  Heb.  x.  10,  where  it  is  said,  "  By  the  which  vnll  we  are  saiicti- 
fied  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all" 
— and  in  the  14th  verse,  '■^For  by  one  offering  he  hath  j)erfected 
forever  them  that  are  sanctified ;"  and  again  the  same  effect  is 
ascribed  to  the  blood  of  Jesus,  Heb.  xiii.  12,  '•  Christ  also,  that  he 
might  sanctify  the  people  with  his  oivn  blood,  suffered  without  the 
gate  ;"  and  therefore  it  is,  that  the  Spirit,  by  the  Apostle  addresses 
all  believers  as  "  saints,"  or  persons  who  are  sanctified. 

I  will  not  apologize  for  again  quoting  these  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture and  calling  your  attention  again  to  this  subject ;  for  I  believe 
that  whenever  the  Lord  uses  words  in  the  Scripture,  it  is  our  prof- 
itable duty  again  and  again  to  consider  them ;  for  we  have  daily 
need  of  the  same  truths  to  be  applied  as  living  principles  to  our 
hearts. 

This  great  truth,  which  the  believer  ought  to  know  and  feel 
and  live  on  as  his  high  and  holy  privilege,  is  too  much  put  out  of 
sight,  and  is  perhaps  one  cause  why  the  Church  of  Christ  seems 
to  be  so  low  at  this  day. 

,  The  view  which  God  takes  of  His  Church  is  that  of  a  perfect 
building,  not  one  stone  wanting,  and  every  stone  perfect,  and  per- 
fectly fitted  in  its  place,  as  He  shall  behold  it  in  eternity,  so  He 
sees  it  in  time,  and  so  He  saw  it  before  time  began.  It  is  the 
privilege  of  believers  to  know  this,  that  they  may  abide  with  full 
confidence  and  joyful  hope  in  Christ  their  covenant  head — "  abide 
in  me  and  Tin  you,  as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  ex- 
cept it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye  unless  ye  abide  in  mjC." 
John  XV.  4.  If  the  branch  could  speak  it  would  say,  it  rejoiced 
that  it  was  not  independent  but  that  it  was  part  of  the  tree,  that 
all  its  life  and  fruit  were  from  the  sap  that  nourish  the  parent 
stem  from  which  it  grew :  so  all  the  joy  of  the  believer  should 
be,  that  he  is  nothing  and  has  nothing  in  himself,  but  that  all  he 
has  and  is,  is  derived  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  his  covenant  head, 
with  whom  he  is  united ;  "  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
of  God  is  made  mito  us  wisdom,  and  7'ighteoustiess,  and  sancti- 
fication, and  rede?nption,  that  according  as  it  is  written,  he  that 
glorieth  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord."  1  Cor.  i.  30,  31.  It  is  per- 
fectly clear  that  the  pure  and  positive  holiness  in  which  a  believer 
is  accounted  as  holy  before  God,  is  that  holiness  which  he  pos- 
sesses, as  being  sanctified  perfectly  in  Christ.  "  For  if  the  first 
fruit  be  holy  the  lump  is  also  holy,  and  if  the  root  be  holy  so  are 
the  branches."    Rom.  xi,  16.     Therefore  believers  are  all  in  the 


32  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

same  sense  called  holy,  "ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,"  1  Pet.  ii.  9 ;  there- 
fore this  is  one  of  the  grounds  on  which  they  are  exhorted  to 
practical  holiness,  "put  on  therefore  as  the  elect  of  God  holy  and 
beloved,  hoivels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meek- 
ness, longsuffering,"  Col.  iii.  12 ;  they  are  exhorted  to  holiness 
because  they  are  holy,  as  the  vessels  of  the  temple  ought  to  be 
used  in  the  Lord's  service,  because  they  were  consecrated  to  Him. 

How  difficult  is  it,  in  our  unbelief,  to  realize  these  truths  !  how 
difficult  for  a  poor  sinner  who  feels  the  burthen  of  his  own  sin 
within,  to  believe  that  he  is  accounted  holy  and  without  spot  before 
God  ! — When  we  take  the  holy  law  as  our  standard  and  Christ 
the  living  pattern  of  it  as  our  example,  how  deeply  must  we  feel 
as  we  frequently  confess,  that  "  there  is  no  health  in  us" — how 
must  we  feel  in  the  language  of  the  Apostle,  "  I  knou>  tJiat  in  me, 
that  is  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  Rom.  vii.  18. 
Therefore  what  need  have  we  continually  to  hear  the  apostolic 
admonition,  "  Put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  make  not 
provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof"  Rom.  xiii.  14  ; 
what  need  to  say  with  Paul,  (Oil  !  that  we  may  say  so  in  spirit 
and  in  truth  !)  "  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  fiesh,  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for 
me."  Gal.  ii.  20.  Yes,  it  is  in  Christ  alone  we  can  stand  in  the 
presence  of  our  God— it  is  in  the  Beloved  alone  we  are  accepted,  in 
Him  alone  complete,  in  Him  alone  presented  "  without  spot  or 
wrinkle  or  any  such  thing,''  Eph.  v.  27  ;  and  although  in  this 
body  of  sin  and  death  tlie  believer  must  ever  say  and  feel  when  he 
looks  into  himself,  that  he  is  blameable,  and  sinful  and  vile,  yet  as 
surely  as  he  is  looking  unto  Jesus,  so  surely  is  he  seen  in  Him,  and 
chosen  in  Him,  as  "  holy  and  without  blame  before  God  in  love." 

But  in  the  other  sense,  the  believer  is  not  only  positively  holy, 
but  he  is  relatively  holy  too,  and  although  if  you  are  believers  you 
are  always  sensible  how  infinitely  short  you  fall  of  the  perfect 
standard  of  God's  holy  law,  yet  you  are  holy  not  only  positively, 
as  has  been  explained  in  Christ,  but  you  are  relatively  holy  too, 
that  is,  you  are  holy  compared  with  yourselves  before  your  conver- 
sion, and  holy  compared  with  all  others  who  are  not  brought  to  Christ 
— "  if  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  neiv  creature,"  2  Cor.  v.  17  ; 
that  which  you  once  hated  you  now  love,  and  tha  t  which  once  you 
loved  you  now  hate — the  holy  principles,  the  holy  word,  the  holy 
conduct,  the  holy  companions,  the  holy  law,  which  once  you  hated, 
you  noAV  love,  the  holy  God  against  whom  your  hearts  were  en- 
mit}^,  you  now  adore  as  your  reconciled  God  and  Father.  Christ 
is  precious  to  you,  you  love  His  cause,  his  honor,  and  his  people, 
and  though  you  feel  you  do  nothing,  and  desire  nothing,  and  love 
nothing  of  all,  as  you  ought  to  do,  yet  you  will  and  desire  to  love 
and  act  as  in  your  unconverted  state  you  never  did, — the  sins,  the 
pursuits,  the  pleasures,  the  companions  in  which  you  once  de- 
lighted have  not  only  lost  their  charms,  but  would  make  you  mis- 
erable, and  even  now  as  they  recur  to  your  mind^  or  as  your  carnal 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  33 

nature  would  desire  them,  they  bring  guilt  and  pain  on  your  con- 
science, and  the  sense  of  your  continual  sin  makes  you  constantly 
learn  more  that  Christ  is  precious  as  )^our  Redeemer  and  your 
Refuge.  It  is  true  you  cannot  always  feel  that  there  is  this 
change  in  your  own  character,  the  power  of  sin  and  unbelief  often 
makes  you  doubt  whether  you  can  be  indeed  children  of  God — - 
and  therefore  I  would  not  refer  you  to  evidences  in  yourselves  for 
peace — I  neither  think  it  safe  nor  scriptural  to  do  so ;  but  it  is  very 
important  to  refer  you  to  them  for  self-examination,  for  humilia- 
tion, to  stir  you  up  to  watch  and  pray,  that  you  may  learn  to  look 
unto  Jesus,  to  live  on  Him  for  your  peace  and  your  salvation,  and 
to  Him  for  his  praise  and  glory,  that  you  may  learn  more  and  more 
to  "  mortify  your  memhers^''  "  to  crucify  the  flesh  inith  its  affec- 
tions and  lusts"  because  God  hath  chosen  you  in  Christ,  that,  in 
every  sense,  "  you  should  be  holy,  and  icithout  blame  before  him 
in  loveJ^ 

Yes,  dear  friends,  we  are  indeed  vile  and  miserable  sinners  in 
our  best  estate  ;  and  if  left  to  ourselves,  must  assuredly  perish ; 
but  though  condemned  in  ourselves,  yet  we  are  delivered  from  con- 
demnation in  Christ — vmclean,  yet  clean— defiled,  yet  without 
spot — -"  black,  but  comely" — lost,  but  saved.  Oh,  what  wondrous 
parodoxes  are  these  for  the  poor  believer.  While  he  feels  that  he 
deserves  to  be  cast  into  hell,  yei "  he  is  raised  up  and  made  to  sit 
in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesns,"  as  we  shall  see  in  the  next 
chapter.  God  looks  not  on  him  as  the  judge  looks  on  the  criminal, 
but  as  the  tender  father  looks  on  the  beloved  child,  so  that  his  very 
trials  are  to  be  received  as  tokens  of  love — therefore  the  apostle 
saith — "  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you  as  loith 
sons  ;  for  what  son  is  he  whom  the  Father  chasteneth  not  1  but 
if  ye  be  without  chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are 
ye  bastards,  and  not  sons.''  Heb.  xii.  7,  8.  If  we  are  "  predes- 
tinated TO  THE  ADOPTION  OP  CHILDREN"  trials  must  be  the 
portion,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  of  every  child  of  God — they  must 
pass  under  the  rod  of  the  outward  cross,  pains,  sufferings  of  many 
kinds,  disappointments,  difficulties,  temporal  losses,  bereavements 
of  those  dear  to  them,  various  afflictions ;  or  they  must  suffer  under 
the  pressure  of  the  inward  cross — -doubts,  darkness,  unbelief,  being 
left  to  themselves  to  feel  their  own  weakness,  to  mourn  under  their 
own  corruptions,  to  suffer  under  temptations,  like  Paul  under  the 
buffetings  of  Satan. — But  mark  the  end,  the  object  of  their  suffer- 
ing under  the  rod — ■"  that  they  m,ay  be  partakers  of  his  holi- 
ness^  Therefore,  as  this  is  the  object  for  which  the  rod  is  sent, 
so  it  is  the  motive  given  of  our  submission  to  it — ■"■  We  have  had 
fathers  of  our  fles/i,  which  corrected  ns,  and  we  gave  them  rever- 
ence ;  shall  loe  not  tnuch  rather  be  in  subjection  unto  the  father  of 
spirits,  and  live  7  for  they  verily  for  a  few  days  chastened  us 
after  their  pleasure,  but  he  for  our  profit,  that  loe  might  be  par- 
takers of  his  holiness.'''  Heb.  xii.  9,  10.  He  hath  predestinated  his 
children  to  be  holy,  and  therefore  he  will  surely  make  them  so — the 
beginning  is  love — the  end  is  love — so  all  the  intermediate  means 


34  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

are  love.  Therefore  if  we  are  indeed  his  children  we  are  called  to 
be  holy — "  as  obedient  children,  not  fashioning  yourselves  ac- 
cording to  the  former  lusts,  in  your  ignorance,  hut  as  he  who  hath 
called  you  is  holy,  so  he  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ; 
because  it  is  written,  be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy.^''  1  Pet.  i.  14, 
15,  16.  You  are  graciously  adopted  as  children,  and  lovingly 
hastened  because  you  are  s  uch — and  why  ?  He  tells  us,  it  is 
•'•for  our  j)rofit  that  we  should  be  partakers  of  his  holiness^ — 
Heb.  xii.  10. 

Let  us  suppose  a  man  of  property  to  adopt  the  child  of  a  beg- 
gar— to  make  him  his  heir — to  bring  him  up  as  his  own — to  pro- 
vide for  all  his  wants — to  educate,  to  discipline,  and  to  fit  him  for 
the  sphere  in  which  he  was  to  move,  and  the  inheritance  he  was 
destined  to  enjoy — we  should  consider  this  an  act  of  great  kind- 
ness to  that  child — men  would  say,  what  a  fortunate  and  happy 
child  he  was,  and  how  thankfully  he  ought  to  receive  the  instruc- 
tions, and  submit  to  all  the  necessary  discipline  of  his  benefactor. 
But  if  this  were  kind  from  one  fellow-sinner  to  another,  what  shall 
we  say  of  the  love  of  that  God,  who  has  called  and  adopted  rebel- 
hous  worms  like  us — who  has  pardoned  us,  kept  us,  watches  over 
us,  disciplines,  instructs,  corrects  us,  and  gives  us  the  joyful  hope 
of  an  "  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth 
not  awayT     1  Pet.  i.  4. 

" BehoUV,''  saith  the  apostle,  " behold^''  as  if  he  were  pointing  to 
some  remarkable  oljject,  "  behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father 
hath  bestowed  on  us,  that  we  should  he  called  the  sons  of  God." 
1  John  iii.  1.     "  He  hath  predestinated  us  to  the  adoption 

OF  CHILDREN  BY  JeSUS  ChRIST  TO  HIMSELF  ACCORDING  TO  THE 

GOOD  PLEASURE  OF  HIS  WILL."  Herein  are  all  blessings — all  the 
blessings  of  paternal  love  and  paternal  power — included.  If  the 
Lord  of  glory  has  predestinated  us  to  be  adopted  as  His  own  chil- 
dren, then  He  has  involved  in  this  all  the  blessings  necessary  to  fit 
us  for  our  inheritance — all  that  wisdom,  love,  and  power  can  plan, 
can  wish  and  execute,  must  belong  to  those  who  are  adopted  as 
the  children  of  God.  His  own  glory  is  involved  in  the  salvation 
of  those  whom  He  adopts.     It  is  all  "  to  the  praise  of  the 

GLORY  OF  HIS  GRACE  WHEREIN  HE    HATH    MADE    US  ACCEPTED 

IN  THE  BELOVED."  The  manifestation  of  God's  glorious  attri- 
butes is  the  legitimate  end  and  scope  of  His  dealings  with  man. 
To  manifest  supreme  good  is  the  righteous  object  of  supreme  good- 
ness, and  all  the  dealings  of  God  with  His  redeemed  servants,  are 
now  and  shall  be  finally  exhibited  to  be  "  to  the  praise  of  the 
GLORY  of  his  GRACE."  The  fact  stated  in  the  beginning  of  the 
4th  verse,  namely,  that  He  had  "  chosen  them  in  Christ,  before 
the  fo) nidation  of  ivorld,"  is  a  proof  that  their  salvation  proceeded 
from  the  sovereign  grace  of  God,  and  these  words  "  according  to 
the  good  pleasure  of  His  will,"  are  but  an  illustration  of  the  prin- 
ciple on  which  they  were  chosen  in  Christ.  They  prove  that  it 
was  not  from  any  good  foreseen  in  them,  or  any  other  cause,  but 
purely  the  good  pleasure  of  His  will,  as  we  have  in  Rom.  ix.  15, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  55 

16.  "  He  hath  mercy  on  ivhom  he  ivill  have  mercy ^  and  He  hath 
compassion  on  whom  he  will  have  comipassion^  so  then  it  is  7iot 
of  him  that  ivilleth,  or  of  him  that  runneth,  hut  of  God  that 
•ihoweth  m^ercyP  And  therefore  it  must  be  "  to  the  praise  of 
THE  GLORY  OF  HIS  GRACE  :"  becausB  if  it  be,  as  indeed  it  is,  the 
mere  gratuitous  act  of  His  own  sovereign  will,  it  cannot  be  from 
any  source,  but  His  own  gracious  and  unmerited  bounty  by  which 
he  ^^  passed  hy  them  while  they  were  yet  in  their  blood  and  said 
unto  them,  Live,"  Ezek.  xvi.  6.  Yea,  they  were  chosen  in  Jesus 
before  the  world  began — therefore  His  grace  must  be  the  theme 
of  their  everlasting  praise,  because  it  is  in  truth  the  whole  cause 
of  their  being  called  and  saved  in  Christ ;  and  surely  there  is  not 
one  amongst  us,  whose  eyes  have  been  open  to  know  the  hope  of 
the  Gospel,  who  must  not  confess  that  Grace  is  the  only  source  of 
that  mercy.  "  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  and  what 
hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive .?"  The  first  stone  of  the 
temple  is  laid  by  Sovereign  Grace,  and  the  last  that  shall  be  laid 
on  the  summit,  shall  be  laid  with  shouts  of  "  Grace — Grace  unto 
it."  The  effects  of  this  grace  are  manifested  to  the  souls  of  all 
men,  in  the  fact  that  they  are  "  accepted  in  the  beloved.'^  You  see 
"  He  hath  made  us  accepted^  It  is  a  finished  work  for  the  be- 
liever— Jesus  and  his  work  are  accepted  with  the  Father,  and  all 
his  people  are  accepted  in  Him.  This  the  Apostle  adduces  as  the 
glorious  exhibition  of  grace  to  sinners.  2  Cor.  vi.  1.  "  We  he- 
seech  you"  saith  he,  "  that  you  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in 
vain  :  for  he  saith,  I  have  heard  thee"  (?'.  e.  Christ)  ^^  in  a  time 
accepted  and  in  the  day  of  salvation  have  I  succored  thee  ;  he- 
hold  71010  is  the  accepted  time,  behold  now  is  the  day  of  salva- 
tion"— that  is,  now  is  the  promised  time  come — now  is  Immanuel 
and  his  glorious  work  accepted  with  the  Father — now,  the  day  of 
salvation  proclaimed  to  sinners ;  and  now,  saith  the  Apostle  here 

"  HE    HATH    MADE    US    ACCEPTED    IN    THE    BELOVEd" We     WerC 

"  PREDESTINATED    TO    THE  ADOPTION    OF    CHILDREN,"  therefore 

now  are  adopted  as  children — accepted  in  the  Beloved  as  children  ! 
so  that  to  all  who  believe  in  Jesus,  as  the  hope  and  refuge  of  their 
souls,  this  is  the  language  of  inspired  truth,  "  Behold  what  manner 
of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  ive  should  he  called 
the  sons  of  God,  beloved  noio  are  tee  the  sons  of  God."  Hear 
then,  these  words,  let  as  behold  what  manner  of  love  it  is ;  how 
great — how  full — how  free — how  unchangeable  !  '■'•I have  loved, 
thee  with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  with  loving  kindness  have 
I  drawn  thee."  Jer.  xxxi.  3.  This  is  His  language.  '•  Where- 
fore, lift  up  the  hands  that  hang  down,"  O  believer  !  Let  us  pray 
for  a  more  enlarged  view  of  this  love  of  our  heavenly  Father — a 
more  simple  confidence  in  Him — -that  we  may  have  our  heart's 
affections  drawn  forth  to  him,  in  filial  gratitude  and  love ;  that  we 
may  be  enabled  to  feel  the  force  of  the  love,  and  the  power  of  the 
appeal  when  we  shall  come  to  the  passage,  if  we  are  spared  to  do 
so,  in  this  Epistle,  Chap.  .5,  "  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God, 
as  dear  children  ;  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  alw  hath  laved  us, 


36  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  hath  given  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God, 
for  a  sweet  smelling  savorT  O  !  may  our  hearts  feel  all  the 
blessed  confidence  of  the  relationship  of  children,  and  all  tlie  power 
of  filial,  holy  love  ;  that  '-we  vnay  shoiv  forth  the  j^raises  of  Hit?i 
v)ho  hath  called  us  out  of  darkness  unto  his  tnarvellons  lights 
1  Pet.  ii.  9.  "  Not  only  with  our  lips  but  in  our  lives,  by  giving 
up  ourselves  to  His  service,  and  by  walking  before  Him  in  holi- 
ness and  righteous  all  the  days  of  our  life." — Amen,  Amen. 


THIRD    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 7,  8. 


"  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according 
to  the  riches  of  his  grace.  Wherein  he  hath  abounded  toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and 
prudence." 

In  our  last  Lecture  we  traced  the  spiritual  blessings  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God  to  the  source  from  which  they  are  all  declared,  in  His 
eternal  Word,  to  spring,  that  is,  to  his  eternal  purpose.  His  ever- 
lasting love,  "  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  Him,,  before  the 
fou7idation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  he  holy  and  unthout 
blame  before  Him,  in  love,  having  predestinated  us  to  the  adop- 
tion of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  Himself,  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  His  willJ^ 

In  tracing  this,  we  found  the  entire  glory  of  our  salvation,  from 
first  to  last,  ascribed  to  the  Creator,  and  no  part  of  it  to  the  crea- 
ture. Man's  glory  had  been  his  obedience,  had  he  been  faithful ; 
but  he  is  a  fallen  rebel,  and  God's  glory  is  his  salvation.  Nothing 
of  merit  in  it  belongs  to  man,  or  God  would  be  robbed  of  His 
glory  ;  and  if  we  are  indeed  His  children  by  adoption,  we  shall  be 
brought  to  see  this. 

Can  a  child  adopt  its  parents  ?  or  can  it  adopt  those  who  stand 
towards  it  in  the  room  of  parents  ?  Surely  not !  neither  then  can  a 
sinner  be  truly  called  the  adopted  child  of  God,  and  adopt  his  Heav- 
enly Father  ;  the  spiritual  child  of  God  is  not  born  of  himself  any 
more  than  the  child  of  an  earthly  parent.  He  is  "  born  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.'' 
John  i.  13.  So  saith  our  blessed  Lord,  John,  xv.  16,  '•  Ye  have  not 
chosefi  m,e,  but  I  have  chosen  you.""  Consider  this,  God's  people 
are  called  by  sovereign  grace  to  be  a  peculiar  people — to  be  His — to 
"  be  holy  and  ^vithout  blame  before  Him,  in  love.''  Now,  instead 
of  puzzling  ourselves  with  the  theological  difficulties  whicli  man's 
presumption  is  continually  suggesting  on  this  subject,  let  us  oc- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  37 

cupy  our  hearts  with  humbly  meditating  on  the  revealed  fact ; 
and  we  shall  find,  both  as  it  regards  the  world  and  ourselves,  that, 
as  all  things  come  from  God,  and  are  ordered  by  God,  that  are 
good  ;  so  even  those  things  that  are  evil  shall  all  be  finally  over- 
ruled for  His  glory.  Yea,  the  very  sins  of  this  fallen  guilty  world 
shall  be  ultimately  made  subservient  to  that  great  end — the 
sins  of  the  sinner,  when  he  is  cast  into  outer  darkness,  shall  re- 
dound to  the  glory  of  His  eternal  justice,  as  those  of  the  redeemed 
who  have  "  ivashed  their  7'obes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,^^  Rev.  vii.  14,  shall  redound  to  the  everlasting  glory 
of  His  grace,  who  bore  their  sms  "  in  His  own  body  on  the  treeP 
1st  Peter,  ii.  24.  The  Apostle  here  reduces  this  to  the  simplicity 
of  the  Gospel,  and  shows  the  grandeur  of  it  to  be  commensurate 
with  the  attributes  and  character  of  God. 

If  there  be  any  here,  any  soul  in  this  assembly,  ignorant  of  the 
Gospel,  all  the  peace  of  such  an  one,  hollow  as  it  is,  and  all  his 
hope,  vain  as  it  is,  depends  on  something  he  has  done,  or  expects 
to  do  for  himself,  instead  of  on  the  redemption  which  is  in  Jesus, 
"  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood."  And 
here  we  are  taught  in  what  this  redemption  consists,  "  the  for- 
giveness of  sins."  The  measure  of  this  redemption  too,  we  see 
— it  is  "  according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace,"  as  the 
Psalmist  says,  •'  with  Him  is  plenteous  redemption.''^  Ps.  cxxx.  7 ; 
how  plenteous  must  that  be  which  is  commensurate  with  the  riches 
of  the  grace  of  God  !  Redemption — ^that  is,  the  purchasing  sin- 
ners back  from  the  bondage  of  sin,  death,  and  hell,  unto  eternal 
life, — bestowing  on  them  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  blessing  them 
"  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.'''' 

You  perceive — ^it  is  not  said,  in  whom  we  have  had  redemption, 
or,  in  whom  we  shall  have  redemption,  but,  "  in  whom  we  have 
redemption,"  this  is  all  we  want  to  know  and  rest  on  to  obtain 
solid  peace,  for  "  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God^ 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.^^  Rom.  v.  1. 

We  are  called  here  to  consider  the  person  of  Him  "  in  whom 
WE  have  redemption."  Who  is  this  Being,  this  Redeemer  ? 
He  is  Jehovah,  "  God  over  all,  blessed  forever,^''  and  he  is  the 
*'  man  Christ  Jesus"  He  is  the  "  child  born  unto  us"  the  "  son 
given  unto  us"  of  whom  saith  the  Prophet,  "  His  name  shall  be 
called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace."  Isaiah,  ix.  6.  He,  of  whom  it  is 
written,  "  He  is  before  all  things,  and  by  Hirn  all  things  consist," 
Col.  i.  17.  He  who  was  "  tnade  of  a  looman,  made  under  the  law, 
to  redeem  thetn  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the 
adoption  of  sons."  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  In  this  is  the  "  great  m,ystery 
of  godliness,  God  tvas  m,anifest  in  the  flesh"  1st  Tim.  iii.  16. 

It  is  evident  that  if  it  were  not  so,  the  Gospel  scheme  of  salva- 
tion must  necessarily  involve  idolatry.  The  Being  who  brings 
full  redemption  and  forgiveness  of  sins  to  the  soul — relief  to  the 
distressed  conscience — peace  and  balm  to  the  wounded  heart,  of 
which  He  is  the  Comfort,  the  Refuge,  the  Resting-place,  the  Sal- 


38  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

vation,  and  this  too,  at  the  expense  of  his  own  most  precious 
blood  ;  to  Him  must  the  affections  of  that  heart  be  drawn  out,  in 
Him  must  they  be  centered.  In  vain  had  the  command  been 
given,  '•  Thou  shalt  have  none  other  Gods  but  'me,'-  if  He  who 
saith  *••  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  lade)i,  and 
I loill  give  yon  rest"  (Mat.  xi.  28,)  were  not  that  God  liimself. 

In  tliis  consists  the  blasphemy  of  Socinianism,  which,  if  it  admit 
of  anything  it  calls  atonement,  robs  the  Being  who  made  it  of  His 
Godhead,  and  therein  makes  him  an  object  of  idolatry.  In  this 
also  consists,  in  part,  the  idolatry  of  the  church  of  Rome.  It  ap- 
plies to  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  to  the  saints,  the  titles  which  belong 
to  Christ  alone,  and  so  it  proves  thereby  the  idolatry  which  it  in- 
culcates in  the  sinner's  heart.  When  it  addresses,  as  in  its  books 
of  devotion  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  titles  that  belong  to  Christ ; 
as  for  example  in  the  Rosary  of  the  Virgin  :  "  Refuge  of  Sinners, 
pray  for  us."  "  Comfort  of  the  afflicted,  pray  for  us."  And  as 
the  Pope,  in  his  encyclical  letter  of  the  year  1832,  calls  her,  "  The 
whole  foundation  of  our  hope^  It  is  perfectly  clear  that  that  on 
which  the  heart  leans  as  its  hope,  and  to  which  it  flies  as  its  comfort 
and  its  refuge,  is  the  object  on  which  its  affections  must  be  cen- 
tered. Therefore  that  apostate  church  gives  His  glory  to  another. 
But  of  Jesus  we  say  :  "  Behold  God  is  my  salvation  ;  I  ivill  trust 
and  not  he  afraid,  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and 
77iy  song,  He  also  is  become  my  salvation."  Isai.  xii.  2.  Of  Him 
we  say  :  "  Be  thou  my  strong  habitation,  wliereunto  I  may  con- 
tinually resort"  Ps.  Ixxi.  3.  Of  Him,  " In  God  is  my  salvation 
and  tny  glory,  tlie  Rock  of  my  strength  and  my  refuge  is  in 
God.  Trust  in  Him  at  all  times  ye  jjeople,  pour  out  your  hearts 
before  him,  God  is  a  Refuge  for  us."  Psalm  Ixii.  7,  8. 

But  the  manhood  of  our  blessed  Lord  is  no  less  to  be  borne  in 
our  minds.  He  who  knew  our  nature,  who  "  knew  what  was  in 
man,"  saw  that  we  needed  a  "  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest :" 
"  iSuch  an  High  Priest  became  us,  ivho  is  holy,  harmless,  unde- 
fded,  separate  from  sin?iers,  and  made  higher  than  the  heavens." 
Heb.  vii.  26.  Yet  such  an  one  too  who  is  ^'■touched  with  the  feel- 
ing of  our  infirmities  ;  who  ivas  in  all  p>oints  tempted  like  as  tve 
are,  yet  without  sin."  Heb.  iv.  15.  So  that  if  the  nature  of  God's 
moral  government,  and  the  work  of  Christ  as  surety  for  sinners 
and  fulfiller  of  the  law  in  ovu"  stead,  had  not  required  it,  yet  even 
in  compassion  to  our  necessities  "  such  an  High  Priest  became  us." 
So  that  when  we  can  say  to  the  Father  of  our  spirits,  speaking  of 
the  Son,  "  Let  thy  hand  be  upon  the  man  of  thy  right  hand,  even 
the  son  of  man  whom  thou  madest  strong  for  thyself"  Ps.  Ixxx. 
17.  We  can  say  with  Thomas  to  that  blessed  Son  of  Man,  thougli 
we  have  not  seen  Him,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God"  How  we  need, 
then,  continually  to  have  the  peison  of  Him  who  hath  wrought 
our  redemption  ever  present  with  us,  so  St.  Paul  saith  :  "  Where- 
fore, holy  bretliren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling,  consider 
the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus." 
Heb.  iii.  1. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  39 

Then  consider  what  he  has  Avrought — Redemption — pause  and 
think  of  the  fact — we  require  to  bear  this  in  our  hearts  every  hour. 
It  is  not  a  vain,  but  a  hfe-giving  truth,  wliich  should  be  present  in 
all  its  fulness  in  our  souls  continually.  It  is  that  truth  which 
tunes,  and  shall  tune,  to  all  eternity,  the  harps  of  the  redeemed 
before  the  Throne,  "  Tliey  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lanib^  therefore  are  they  before  the 
Throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  tenipleP 
Rev.  vii,  14,  15.  Therefore  they  cry  "  ivith  a  loud  voice,  saying, 
'  Salvation  to  our  God,  which  sitteth  upon  the  Throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb.''  "  Rev.  vii,  10.  Then  observe  "  We  have  re- 
demption THROUGH  HIS  BLOOD,"  the  blessiug  is  spoken  of  in  the 
present  time,  "in  whom  we  have  redemption,"  we  have  it  this 
day,  now,  this  moment,  present  salvation  for  present  necessities, 
for  present  sins. 

Consider,  since  last  we  met,  how  often  in  thought,  word,  and 
deed,  have  we  sinned  !  how  often  have  we  needed  this  redemp- 
tion !  O  then  !  what  it  is,  if  we  can  look  unto  Jesus  and  take  up 
this  language  of  faith,  and  say,  "  In  avhom  we  have  redemp- 
tion THROUGH  HIS  BLOOD."  If  there  be  any  here  ignorant  of 
their  lost  condition,  trusting  to  some  outward  form,  saying,  "-^  Lord, 
Lord',''  while  they  do  not  his  will,  " drawing  near  with  their  lips, 
ivhile  their  hearts  are  far  from  him  J'  Mat.  xv.  8,  who  instead  of 
enjoying  present  redemption,  are  resting  in  some  vain  system  of 
their  own,  or  of  man's  invention,  thinkmg  they  cannot  be  author- 
ized to  look  to  Him,  until  they  change  their  lives,  and  reform  their 
habits,  and  who  are  thus  trying  by  their  vain  and  weary  efforts 
to  recommend  themselves  to  the  favor  and  mercy  of  God.  I 
would  say  to  such,  alas !  my  poor  friend  and  fellow  sinner,  all 
your  religion  consists  in  resolves  never  to  be  executed,  and  inten- 
tions never  to  be  performed,  and  which,  if  even  carried  into  effect 
would  profit  you  nothing,  and  never  can  even  help  to  make  your 
peace  with  God.  "  Can  the  Eth'iojnan  change  his  skin,  or  can 
the  leopard  change  his  spots,  so  soon  may  you  do  good  that  are 
accustomed  to  do  evilP  Jer.  xiii.  23.  this  is  the  testimony  of  God 
concerning  such  persons,  as  those  who  try  to  make  themselves 
clean  in  his  sight.  But  O !  the  good  news  of  the  Gospel  is  present 
salvation  to  sinners,  a  proclamation  of  present  pardon  and  forgive- 
ness through  the  blood  of  Jesus.  Mark  these  words,  "  In  whom 
we  have  redemption  through  HIS  BLOOD."  What  is  that? 
he  tells  us  what  he  means,  "  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ac- 
cording TO  the  riches  of  his  grace." 

Have  you  been  all  your  life  far  from  God  ?  Then  hear  at  this 
moment  pardon  is  proclaimed  to  you  through  the  blood  of  Jesus. 
Are  you  farther  than  the  thief  on  the  cross  ?  when  at  the  first  in 
conjunction  with  his  fellow-thief  as  two  evangelists  inform  us,  re- 
proach and  blasphemy  hung  upon  his  lip,  yet,  when  through 
grace  touching  his  heart,  and  opening  his  eyes,  he  turned  to  Jesus 
for  pardon,  to  him  was  given  present  redemption  and  salvation, 
"  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  ParadiseJ^     Luke  xxiii.  43. 


40  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Although  salvation  is  given  to  us  according  to  our  several  cir- 
cumstances, yet  it  is  the  same  salvation  to  all,  for  though  all  are 
in  different  states  of  sin,  all  are  alike  sinners.  You  may  be  a 
Pharisaical  sinner,  perhaps,  high  in  reputation,  not  only  for  moral- 
ity, but  for  religion,  and  yet  be  only  a  whited  sepulchre ;  the  devil 
can  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  and  so  does  he  often 
clothe  his  servants  in  the  same  livery.  Saul  was  high  in  reputa- 
tion, and  "  after  the  most  straitest  sect  of  his  religion^  he  lived  a 
Pharisee,^^  at  the  time  when  he  was  "  breathing-  out  threatenings 
and  slaughters  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,^^  Acts,  ix.  I. 
when  by  his  subsequent  inspired  testimony  he  was  "  a  persecutor 
and  hlaspJiemer,  and  injiiriousP  1  Tim.  i.  13.  When  the  Lord 
smote  him  to  the  earth,  when  trembling  and  astonished  he  cried 
out,  "  Lord  ichat  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do^''  and  when  the  Lord 
ordered  him  to  go  to  Damascus,  the  message  which  He  sent  to 
him  there  by  Ananias,  was  a  message  of  present  pardon  and  sal- 
vation, "  Arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins.^^ 
Acts,  xxii.  16. 

The  Philippian  jailer,  a  sinner  of  a  different  character,  was  a  per- 
secutor, and  a  cruel  one  in  his  trade,  up  to  the  very  moment  when 
the  songs  of  praise  of  Paul  and  Silas  from  the  stocks,  where  he 
had  fastened  them — the  earthquake — the  falling  off  of  the  chains 
from  the  prisoners,  and  the  bursting  open  of  the  prison  doors, 
startled  him  from  his  slumber,  when  he  was  about  to  commit  the 
most  awful  murder  man  can  perpetrate,  self-murder — when  his 
sword,  all  but  steeped  in  his  own  blood  was  flung  down,  and  he 
cried  out  trembling  at  the  feet  of  Paul  and  Silas,  "  Sirs,  what 
tnnst  I  do  to  be  saved,"  What  was  the  answer  ?  present  salvation 
through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  thou  shall  be  saved."  What  w^as  the  result  ?  he  embraced 
with  gratitude  and  joy  the  present  remedy — that  same  hour  of 
the  night  "  he  rejoiced,  believing  in  God."  Acts  xvi.  31.  34. 

Now  you  are  not  worse  tlian  he,  nor  are  you  better.  Does  not 
your  own  conscience  tell  you  that  by  nature  and  practice  you  are 
a  guilty  sinner.  Hear  then  the  glad  tidings,  salvation  is  pro- 
claimed to  you  through  the  l)lood  of  Jesus.  "  Be  it  knoion  unto 
you  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached  nnto  you 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified, 
from  all  things,  from,  which  you  could  not  be  justified  by  the  lata 
of  Moses."  Acts,  xiii.  38,  39,  that  is  ])y  your  own  efforts,  by  any- 
thing that  you  can  do,  by  laws,  by  ceremonies,  by  forms,  ordi- 
nances or  morals.  O  !  then  embrace  this  salvation,  trust  in  it — 
rejoice  in  it.  It  is  not  a  half  redemption,  it  is  not  a  sort  of  condi- 
tional redemption,  that  places  you  in  a  condition  to  struggle  as  it 
were  for  your  soul's  deliverance,  and  leaves  you  to  complete  the 
half  done  work  of  your  salvation.  O  no  !  It  is  full,  free,  finished, 
and  complete  redemption  just  suited  to  your  wants,  and  suited  to 
them  at  this  moment. 

Perhaps  there  may  be  several  here,  too,  who  would  be  much 
offended  if  I  were  to  ask  them,  "  do  they  know  the  meaning  of  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  41 

word  redemption  ?"  who  would  say,  '•'  we  have  known  it  all  our 
lives."  Yet  it  is  an  important  question,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  the 
word  is  but  too  little  understood. — ^Let  us  consider  it. 

Suppose  any  article  pledged  for  a  certain  sum,  and  that  it  was 
redeemed  ;  would  it  not  revert  to  its  owner  again,  and  be  his  own, 
and  be  free  ?  Suppose  a  man  a  prisoner,  and  ransomed,  or  re- 
deemed by  having  a  ransom  paid  for  him.  '  If  the  ransom  were 
sufficient  and  accepted,  would  he  not  be  free  ?  Suppose  an  estate 
inortgaged  and  redeemed  from  its  mortgage,  would  it  not  be  free  1 
Does  not  redemption  in  all  these  cases  mean  a  complete  and  per- 
fect deliverance,  so  that  if  there  be  not  deliverance,  then  the  term 
redemption  cannot  be  applied  ;  for  the  person  or  the  thing  is  really 
not  redeemed.  Hear,  then,  O  sinner,  the  good  news  of  the  Gospel. 
Here  is  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ.  It  is  full,  free,  complete 
redemption.  Nothing  remains  to  be  paid.  The  prison  doors  are 
burst  open,  and  the  captive  is  free ;  pardon,  liberty,  and  life  are  in 
the  word,  O  !    think  of  it,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption 

THROUGH  HIS  BLOOD." 

Again,  consider  the  means  of  its  accomplishment.  Consider  the 
price.  '•  Through  his  blood."  Consider  if  any  other  means  had 
been  sufficient,  is  it  possible,  think  you,  that  Christ  would  have 
died  ?  Would  the  precious  blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God  have  been 
poured  out  if  any  price  less  costly  had  been  sufficient  I  If  you 
could  save  your  children  from  destruction  by  any  other  means 
than  the  peril  of  your  life,  would  you  risk  that  life  unnecessarily  ? 
And  surely  the  Father  had  not  sent  his  beloved  Son  to  die  upon 
the  cross,  if  other  ransom  could  have  been  found  for  guilty  man. 
"  If  righteousness  come  hy  tJte  lati)^''  (that  is,  by  anything  that 
man  can  do,)  "  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain^  Gal.  ii.  21.  But 
O  !  what  can  be  added  of  weight  or  value  to  the  blood  of  Jesus  ? 
His  blood  is  an  all-sufficient  ransom.  "  It  '^  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin.''''  1  .Tohn  i.  7.  He  has  purchased  sinners  with  His  own  blood, 
and  that  is  price  enough  for  their  redemption. 

Tliis  is  the  whole  ground  of  our  forgiveness,  so  observe  how  dif- 
ferent this  is  from  the  natural  expectation  of  the  heart.  How  dif- 
ferent from  the  miserable  hope  that  men  derive  from  the  thought 
that  they  are  not  so  bad  as  others.  How  different  from  the  mis- 
erable hope  they  derive  from  the  idea  that  they  have  amended 
their  lives  and  reformed  their  habits,  and  are  better  than  their 
former  selves,  and  therefore  trust  that  they  are  on  this  ground 
more  acceptable  to  God.  How  different  from  any  such  miserable 
hope — if  hope  it  can  be  called,  which  must  ever  be  clouded  by  the 
consciousness  of  sin,  by  the  feeling  that,  however  imperfect  and 
false  the  standard  of  attainment  be  which  we  have  raised,  we 
must  fall  short  of  our  own  standard,  and  sink  beneath  its  level, 
when  measured  even  by  our  own  conscience.  True  it  is  indeed, 
that  if  a  sinner  believes  the  Gospel,  his  life  will  be  totally  changed  ; 
he  will  be  different  from  those  who  believe  it  not,  and  different 
from  what  he  was  himself  as  an  unbeliever,  "  If  any  tnan  he  hi 
Christ  he  is  a  new  creature^''  2  Cor.  v,  17,  but  this  is  the  effect 


42  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

not  the  cause  of  his  salvation  ;  he  is  changed  not  to  be  saved,  but 
because  he  is  saved.  Salvation  by  grace  and  salvation  by  works, 
are  not  only  distinct  from,  but  opposed  to  each  other,  light  and 
darkness,  are  not  more  opposite.  They  cannot  be  combined,  they 
cannot  be  dove-tailed  together.  The  Scripture  declares  they  are 
excluded  from  each  other  by  a  universal  negative,  "  If  hy  grace 
it  is  no  more  of  ivorks,  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace,  hut  if  it 
be  of  works,  it  is  no  more  of  grace,  othenvise  work  is  no  m,ore 
work."  Rom.  xi.  4.  It  is  impossible  they  can  co-exist  as  conjoint 
causes  of  salvation,  and  consequently  as  conjoint  grounds  of  hope. 
The  Word  of  God  is,  "  Redemption  through  His  blood,  the 

FORGIVENESS     OF     SINS,    ACCORDING     TO     THE     RICHES     OF    HiS 

GRACE."  "  Where  is  boasting  then  7  It  is  excluded.  By  what 
law  7  of  works  7  Nay:  but  by  the  law  of  faith."  Rom.  iii.  27. 
If  salvation  were  in  any  degree  of  works,  then  indeed,  were  there 
soine  room  for  boasting  in  man  ,  the  man  who  had  attained  it  by 
his  performance,  could  boast  over  him  who  had  lost  it  by  his  fail- 
ure. But  no  boaster  shall  ever  enter  into  eternal  life,  except  those 
who  boast  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  it  is  written,  "  He  that  glorieth  let 
hiffi  glory  in  the  Lord."  1  Cor.  i.  31. 

What  encouragement  then  is  here  for"  the  heavy  laden  heart  and 
conscience  ?  What  a  blessing  to  be  called  by  the  glorious  Gospel 
to  look  out  of  itself  to  Jesus  ?  to  look  from  the  depths  of  its  own 
distress,  to  the  glory  and  the  fulness  of  that  redemption,  which  is 

"  ACCORDING  TO  THE  RICHES  OF  HiS  GRACE."       O  !    llOW  glCat  is 

this  redemption  ?  well  might  the  Psalmist  say,  "  with  the  Lord  is 
mercy,  with  Him  is  j)lenteous  redemption."  It  is  a  redemption 
commensurate,  not  only  with  our  sins,  but  with  the  riches  of  the 
grace  of  Jehovah.  Hence  He  saith,  Psalm,  ciii.  11,  12,  "as  the 
Heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great  is  His  mercy  toward 
them  that  fear  Him,  as  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far 
hath  He  removed  our  transgressions  from  us."  Heaven  and 
earth,  east  and  west,  must  meet  together,  before  the  sins  of  His 
people  shall  be  brought  against  them  before  Him.  Yea,  they  are 
not  only  blotted  from  the  face  of  heaven  like  a  cloud,  but,  they  are 
said  to  be  blotted  even  from  the  remembrance  of  the  Most  High, 
"  their  sins  and  iniquities  ivill  I  remember  no  more."  Heb.  x.  17. 
This  is  the  redemption,  the  forgiveness,  we  need,  and  this  is  the 
redemption  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  "wherein  He  hath 
ABOUNDED  TOWARD  US,"  or,  as  ill  Roiuaiis,  '■'■ivhere  siti  abounded, 
grace  did  mnch  more  abound."  Rom.  v.  20. 

Does  this  then  (as  men  say  who  believe  not  the  Gospel) 
afford  encouragement  to  sin  ?  We  can  only  answer  with  the 
Apostle,  Avhen  he  proposes  the  same  question,  "  What  shall  toe  say 
then  7  Shall  ive  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  7  God 
forbid."  Rom.  vi.  1,  2. 

Suppose  you  had  been  injured  deeply  by  some  dependent,  that 
he  were  doomed  by  the  law  to  forfeit  his  liberty  or  his  life  for  his 
offence,  and  that,  at  a  great  personal  loss  and  sacrifice,  you  were 
content  to  pardon,  and  to  procure  his  deliverance,  and  receive  him 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  43 

again  into  your  family — ^could  you  ever  suppose  him  to  under- 
stand, from  your  clemency  and  kindness,  that  he  might  therefore 
take  license  to  repeat  his  oiTence  1  No — you  would  consider,  and 
justly,  that  you  had  an  everlasting  claim  on  his  gratitude  and  his 
affection,  you  would  consider  it  as  the  most  atrocious  aggravation 
of  his  crime,  that  he  should  ever  again  abuse  your  mercy.  If  we 
would  say  and  think  thus  of  our  fellow-man,  in  reference  to  our- 
selves, how  much  more  should  the  principle  apply  to  a  sinner  in 
reference  to  his  Redeemer  !  surely  it  were  the  worst  state  to 
Vv'hich  a  fallen-creature  could  be  reduced — the  deepest  mark  of  per- 
dition that  could  be  branded  on  his  brow — that  he  should  use  the 
means  of  deliverance  from  his  sins,  which  the  grace  of  God  pro- 
claims to  him,  as  an  incentive  or  excuse  for  continuing  to  rebel 
against  that  God.  '  No !  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel,  on  the  con- 
trary, is  the  only  means  whereby  we  can  be  delivered  from  the 
love  and  power  of  sin,  as  well  as  from  its  condemnation  ;  all  human 
inventions  ever  have  failed,  and  must  fail,  to  take  away  the  love 
of  sin  from  the  heart,  or  plant  the  love  of  God  within  it.  Vain  are 
all  the  penances,  the  austerities,  the  mortifications  imposed  by  su- 
perstition to  undermine  the  power  of  sin  and  to  attain  salvation. 
Self-exaltation,  seif-deliverance,  self-redemption  is  the  virtual  scope 
of  all  such  religion,  and  genuine  holiness  is  therefore  not  only 
unattained,  but  unapproached,  yea,  unknown  even  in  its  prin- 
ciple, by  those  who  practise  them  ;  the  motive,  the  only  allowed 
and  acceptable  motive,  of  moral  action,  cannot  have  a  place  within 
them — and  that  is  love  to  God. 

Let  me  suppose  that  a  parent  saw  a  child  or  a  servant  perform- 
ing some  labored  acts  of  obedience,  but  that  he  had  means  of  as- 
certaining that  these  acts  were  performed  to  attain  some  interested 
and  selfish  end,  could  he  give  him  credit  for  these  performances  ? 
— would  he  not  rather  consider  them  a  subject  of  reproof  than  of 
reward  ? — must  he  not  condemn  this  conduct  as  hypocrisy,  when 
the  motive  which  it  seemed  to  affect  had  no  place  in  the  heart ') 

Such  exactly  is  the  same  selfish  feeling  that  dictates  the  seem- 
ing obedience  of  the  man  who  expects  in  any  degree  salvation 
from  his  works — the  acknowledged  scope  of  his  conduct  is  to  serve 
himself — to  save  his  soul— and  therefore,  on  his  own  principle,  not 
to  serve  or  glorify  God. 

But  how  can  we  ever  sufficiently  appreciate  the  language  of  the 
Spirit  by  the  Apostle  here  in  this  amplification,  if  I  may  so  speak 
of  this  redemption.  Speaking  of  it  in  reference  to  God,  as  com- 
ing from  him,  it  is  "  according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace." 
It  is  the  mercy,  the  love,  the  grace,  not  of  a  king,  but  of  the  King 
of  kings.  It  is  exhilnted  in  the  fact  that  "we  have  redemption 
BY  His  blood," — what  "  riches  of  grace"  in  God  the  Father, 
to  give  His  Son.  The  Apostle  John  does  not  attempt  to  describe 
this  love,  but  leaves  it  as  it  is,  beyond  description — "  God  SO 
loved  the  tvorld  that  He  gave  his  only  hegotteii  iSon  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  Him  should  not  per  isli^  hut  have  everlasting  life." 
John  iii.  16. 


44  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

He  "  SO  lovecl,^'  but  how  much,  who  can  calculate  ! 
What  "  RICHES  OF  grace"  in  God  the  Son,  to  pour  out  that 
blood  for  our  redemption.  "  Greater  love'"  He  saith  ^^  hath  no 
man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends.''^ 
John  XV.  13.  This  is  the  utmost  extent  to  which  human  love  can 
go.  But  what  were  "  the  riches  of  his  grace,"  who  laid  down 
His  life  for  His  enemies  !  "  God  coinmendeth  his  love  toicards  us, 
in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners.  Christ  died  for  us.''''  Rom.  v.  8. 
How  horrible  must  be  that  sin,  which  cost  such  a  price  for  the  re- 
demption of  those  who  were  sold  under  it !  How  unsearchable 
"  THE  riches  op  THAT  grace"  that  paid  the  price  ! — how  ines- 
timable the  value  of  that  blood  that  "  cleanseth  from  all  sin  .'" 
The  riches  of  this  Grace  shall  be  the  Hallelujah  chorus  of  the 
saints  in  glory  forever,  "  U?ito  Him  that  hath  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His  Father,  to  Him  he  glory 
and  dominion  forever  and  ever.     Amen.^''     Rev.  i.  5,  6. 

Then,  considered  in  reference  to  His  saints,  the  Apostle  says 
"  wherein  he  hath  abounded  towards  us,"  "the  riches  of 
His  grace,"  are  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the  King  of  kings,  and 
He  hath  not  only  given  us  of  them,  but  He  "  hath  abounded  in 
THEM  TOWARDS  US."  It  is  uot  otily  grace  but  "  the  riches  of 
His  grace,"  and  then,  not  in  a  scanty  measure,  but  in  the  very 
abounding  of  God  to  our  sovds.  The  table  of  the  wedding  feast  is  no 
niggard  banquet  to  which  He  invites  "  the  poor,  and  the  maimed, 
and  the  halt,  and  the  blind."  His  language  is  "  Eat,  O  friends 
— drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  beloved."  Cant.  v.  1.  So  by 
the  Prophet — "  Hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that 
which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness,  incline 
your  ear  and  com,e  unto  me ;  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live." 
Isai.  Iv.  2,  3.  So  the  response  of  the  soul  that  feeds  on  the  ban- 
quet of  His  love,  is  that  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Because  thy  loving 
kindness  is  better  than  life,  my  lips  shall  praise  thee.  Thus 
will  I  bless  thee  while  I  live;  I  will  lift  up  my  hands  hi  thy 
name.  My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marroiv  and  fatness  ; 
and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips."  Psalm  Ixiii. 
3,  4,  5. 

This  is  alas  !  foolishness  to  the  world — to  those  who  know  not 
Christ  and  the  blessed  redemption  in  his  blood,  but  how  different 
is  it,  in  its  real  nature  and  value  as  it  comes  from  God.  The 
Apostle  saith,  that  in  this  grace  "  He  hath  abounded  towards 
us  IN  ALL  WISDOM  AND  PRUDENCE."  "  All  wisdom"  ill  the  plan 
of  such  amazing  redemption — all  "prudence"  in  the  execution 
and  communication  of  it.  This  is  full  of  force  and  power  as  ad- 
dressed to  the  Ephesians.  Wisdom  was  professedly  their  great 
object.  "  The  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom."  1st  Cor.  i.  22.  "  Phi- 
losophy, falsely  so  called,"  was  one  of  the  many  idols  of  Greece, 
but  the  Apostle  as  if  to  show  them  where  alone  true  wisdom  was 
to  be  found,  places  it  as  it  were  all  here.  Here  are  the  abounding 
riches  of  God's  grace.     Here  is  that  which  your  p]iilosopher>  h.avc 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  45 

been  seeking;  in  vain,  here  is  "  all  wisdom."  So  he  saith  to  the 
Corinthians.  "  The  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the  Greeks  seek 
after  wisdom,  bat  we  preach  Clirist  crucified,  to  the  Jems  a  stum- 
bling block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness,  but  unto  them  which 
are  called  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and 
the  wisdom  of  God."  1st  Cor.  i.  22-24.  As  if  He  had  said,  all 
wisdom  is  in  Christ ;  as  he  does  to  the  Colossians,  "  In  whom  are 
hid  all  the  treasures  of  ivisdom  and  knowledge,"  Col.  ii.  3.  To 
attain  knowledge  is  accounted  wisdom  ;  to  attain  wealth,  rank, 
glory,  which  men  call  happiness,  in  even  the  little  scanty  measure 
in  which  such  blessings  are  attainable  in  this  passing  world,  these 
are  accounted  as  the  attainments  of  wisdom,  though  all  these 
'■'■perish  in  the  using."  But  what  must  that  wisdom  be  which 
secures  all  these,  and  secures  them  for  eternity !  To  know 
Christ  is  to  attain  that  wisdom.  If  we  know  Him,  it  is  of  small 
moment  that  we  should  be  ignorant  of  other  things  here,  because 
those  who  know  Him  shall  surely  be  with  Him  forever,  and  then 
shall  their  knowledge  of  all,  things  be  adequate  to  their  glorified 
capacity;  "  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known"  1st  Cor. 
xiii.  12.  The  wisest  man  in  all  other  knowledge,  who  is  igno- 
rant of  Christ,  knows  nothing,  nothing  worthy  of  an  immortal 
being,  soon  shall  "  all  his  thoughts  perish  ;"  and  the  man  who 
knows  Christ  though  ignorant  of  all  things  else  on  earth,  knows 
that  which  shall  make  him  wise  and  happy  through  eternity.* 
If  therefore,  in  reference  to  God,  He  "  aboundeth  towards  us  in  all 
wisdom  and  prudence"  in  giving  us  Christ ;  our  highest  wisdom 
and  prudence  must  consist  in  receiving  this  "  unspeakable  gift ;" 
in  endeavoring  to  understand  and  appreciate  its  value  ;  this  is  the 
treasure  hid  in  the  field,  which  when  a  man  hath  found,  he  selleth 
all  he  hath  to  purchase  it.  O  !  may  our  souls  enjoy  the  blessings 
of  this  redemption,  rejoice  in  the  riches  of  the  grace  that  hath 
wrought  it,  and  instructed  by  the  wisdom  wherein  God  hath 
abounded  in  it  to  our  souls.  May  we  be  made  "  wise  unto  sal- 
vation through  faith  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."     Amen. 


FOURTH     LEG  TURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 9,  10. 


' '  Having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of  His  will,  according  to  His  good 
pleasure  which  He  hath  purposed  in  Himself:  That  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness 
of  times  He  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven, 
and  which  are  on  earth ;  even  in  Him." 

The  Apostle  having  expressed  among  the  causes  of  blessing 
and  praise  to  God,  (verse  3,)  for  himself  and  his  brethren  at  Ephe- 

*  "  Si  Christum  discis  nihil  est  quod  altera  nescis. 

Si  Christum  nescis,  nihil  est  quod  altera  discis." — Hooker. 


46  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

sus,  that  they  were  accepted  and  redeemed  by  the  Lord  Jesus. 
"  He  hath  made  iis  accepted  in  the  beloved,  in  whom  we  have  re- 
demption through  His  Mood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to 
the  riches  of  His  grace,"  proceeds  to  show  in  these  verses  how 
they  had  been  made  partakers  of  this  redemption — what  a  glo- 
rious mystery  it  is — and  what  shall  be  its  glorious  consummation. 

You  will  perceive,  on  reflection,  the  vast  importance  of  this,  for 
this  is  one  great  point,  on  which  all  unenlightened  men,  profess- 
ing Christianity,  are  ignorant ;  all  such,  whatsoever  their  shades 
of  opinion  may  be,  are  included  within  the  scope  of  two  classes. 

One  class,  (if  we  can  call  them  Christians,  they  profess  to  call 
themselves  so,)  expect  to  be  saved  by  their  own  virtues,  without 
any  reference  to  Christ,  except,  perhaps,  they  might  admit  that 
He  was  an  exemplar  of  morals.  But  Christ  does  not  come  into 
their  contemplation  as  the  hope  of  their  salvation. 

There  is  another  class,  (and  this  is  by  far  the  more  numerous)  who 
believe,  that  there  is  no  salvation  without  Christ.  They  will  say, 
"  we  believe  there  is  no  salvation  without  the  death  of  Christ;  we 
believe  it  is  impossible  for  man  to  be  saved  without  his  atonement." 
These  persons  will  insist  on  redemption  by  Christ,  as  they  call  it, 
but  they  deceive  themselves  when  they  think  that  they  believe  in 
Him — and  that  they  believe  the  Gospel.  They  believe  that  Christ 
has  brought  salvation  within  their  reach,  that  is,  put  them  into  a 
condition  or  capacity  to  save  themselves,  but  then,  they  say, 
"  We  must  labor  to  make  ourselves  Avorthy  of  this  salvation,  we 
must  labor  to  gain  it,  we  must  labor  to  recommend  om-selves  to 
the  favor  of  Christ — we  must  labor,  (as  is  their  common  phrase,) 
to  perform  the  conditions  of  the  Gospel  Covenant  which  are 
required  on  our  part  in  order  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  we 
must  be  rigliteous  before  we  can  hope  in  Christ."  Now,  to  save 
ourselves,  without  Christ,  and  to  save  ourselves  in  this  manner 
by  Christ  are  two  very  different  principles,  but  they  are  both 
equally  false,  they  both  deny  Jesus  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  One 
of  them  sets  up  a  false  Christ,  that  is,  a  Christ  who  helps  sinners 
to  save  themselves ;  the  other  denies  Christ,  and  shuts  him  out  of 
their  scheme  altogether. 

To  this  latter  class  who  deny  Christ,  may  be  reduced  Deists, 
Arians,  Socinians,  a  great  multitude  of  those  who  call  themselves, 
as  is  the  fashion  in  these  days,  "  Liberals"  in  religion.  The 
other  class  embrace  all  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  all  the  Protes- 
tants who  hold  the  principles  of  popery,  (and  we  all  hold  the  prin- 
ciples of  popery  by  nature — a  modification  of  popery  is  the  natural 
religion  of  the  heart,)  and  this  class  emliraces  all  such  Protestants, 
and  most  especially,  those  individuals  of  the  Church  of  England, 
those  false  teachers  of  the  present  day,  who  are  setting  up  a  sys- 
tem of  popery  within  her  pale. 

Now,  let  me  entreat  you  to  consider  these  questions  which  I 
propose — 

Is  salvation  altogether  by  ourselves  without  Christ  ? 

Or  is  salvation  partly  by  Christ,  and  partly  by  ourselves? 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  47 

Or  is  salvation  by  Christ  alone  ? 

The  scheme  of  salvation  must  be  included  within  these  three. 
You  must  consider — you  must  understand  the  answers  to  these, 
if  your  souls  are  to  be  saved. 

Now,  salvation  is  not  by  ourselves  alone,  otherwise  Christ 
cannot  be  a  Saviour,  we  cannot  have- "  redemption  through  His 
blood." 

Salvation  is  not  by  ourselves  and  by  Christ,  He  performing  one 
part,  and  we  another ;  otherwise  Christ  is  but  half  a  Saviour — a 
helper  to  salvation — -a  helper  to  redemption. 

Salvation  is  by  Christ  alone,  and  Christ  is  an  all-sufficient  Sav- 
iour, "  in  whom  we  have  redemption  through  His  bloody  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  according  to  the  riches  of  His  graced 

Men  who  are  ignorant  of  this,  may,  notwithstanding,  have  very 
strict  principles  of  religion,  they  may  be  very  pious,  very  devoted 
men,  they  may  labor  very  hard  for  tlieir  salvation,  as  many  do,  as 
the  Israelites  ^f  whom  the  Apostle  testifies,  "  they  have  a  zeal  of 
God  but  not  according  to  knoicledge.  For  they,  being  ignorant 
of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  oivn 
righteousness,  have  not  submitted  themselves  unto  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness 
to  every  one  that  believethP  Rom.  x.  2,  3,  4.  All  false  religion, 
and  all  false  morality,  that  is,  morality  based  on  false  principles, 
may  be  reduced  to  this.  So  these  persons  who  are  striving  to  save 
themselves,  and  yet,  who  are  lost  through  their  ignorance  and  re- 
jection of  the  Gospel,  are  described  in  Ecclesiastes,  x.  15,  "  The 
labor  of  the  foolish  loearieth  every  one  of  them,  because  he  knoiv- 
eth  7iot  how  to  go  to  the  city."  If  you  wish  to  see  the  spiritual 
meaning  of  this,  you  may  find  it  in  Romans,  ix.  31,  "  Israel  which 
followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to  the 
law  of  righteousness.  Is  not  that  marvellous  ?  is  it  not  a  wonderful 
thing  that  the  man  who  follows  after  the  law  of  righteousness 
cannot  attain  to  it  ?  Do  you  think  if  you  follow  after  it  you  must 
attain  to  it  ?  You  see  it  is  not  so.  Here  were  men  who  followed 
after  it,  "  Israel,  who  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath 
fiot  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness."  Now,  "  wherefore  .^" 
what  is  the  reason  1  "  because  they  sought  it  7iot  by  faith,  but,  as 
it  were,  by  the  works  of  the  law,  for  they  stumbled  at  that  stum- 
bling stone."  They  stumbled  at  Christ.  Take  care  lest  he  be  a 
stone  of  stumbling  to  you — ^beware !  O  beware  !  Remember,  the 
Lord's  words.  Mat.  xxi.  44. 

Now,  in  opposition  to  this,  stands  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  as 

you  have  it  in  St.  John's  Gospel,  xvii.  3,  "  This  is  life  eternal, 

that  they  might  knoio  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 

^  who7n  thou  hast  sent."     To  know  the  Father  and  Christ  is  life 

eternal. 

This  brings  us  then  to  consider  the  meaning  of  these  verses. 
You  will  observe  in  this  passage — • 

First,  they  had  received  redemption,  "  we  have  redetnption 
through  His  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins."     Then,  you  see  the 


48  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

means  whereby  they  attained  to  this,  namely,  God  having  made 
it  known  to  them — God  having  revealed  to  them,  the  glorious 
mystery  of  redemption  by  Jesus.  Look  at  the  connection  of  the 
7th  and  8th  verses,  "  In  whom  uie  have  redemption  through  His 
blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace, 
roherein,  He  hath  abonnded  towards  us  in  all  wisdom  and  jtrii- 
dence,  having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of  His 

WILL,  ACCORDING    TO    HiS    GOOD    PLEASURE    WHICH    He     HATH 

PURPOSED  IN  HIMSELF."  God  made  it  known  to  them,  therefore, 
they  had  received  it.  We  have  also  the  reason  why  God  made 
it  known  to  them  "according  to  His  good  pleasure 
WHICH  He  purposed  in  Himself."  We  have  more — We  have 
the  end,  the  consummation  of  the  mystery  which  He  did  make 
known  to  them,  namely,  "  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
fulness    of    times.   He    might    gather  together  in  one 

ALL  THINGS  IN  ChRIST,  BOTH  WHICH  ARE  IN  HEAVEN,  AND 
WHICH  ARE  ON  EARTH,  EVEN  IN  HiM."  , 

Now,  then,  let  us  consider  here,  the  means  whereby  God  brought 
redemption,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  to  this  people — the  means 
whereby  they  were  made  partakers  of  it,  and  whereby,  alone,  we 
can  be  made  partakers  of  it.  Let  me  entreat  your  attention  to 
this,  because  this  is  a  point  on  which  so  many  individuals  are 
ignorant,  and  so  many  constantly  full  of  doubts. 

Persons  frequently  say,  "  I  know  there  is  redemption  for  sinners 
in  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  how  am  I  to  be  made  partaker  of  this 
redemption  1 — how  am  I  to  be  redeemed  ?"  Here  is  the  answer — 
God  making  known  unto  you  His  truth,  by  His  word,  and  His 
Spirit  teaching  you  to  understand  and  to  believe  that  word — to  em- 
brace the  truth  it  reveals  as  the  hope  of  your  salvation.  This  is 
the  means  whereby  God  conveys  his  salvation  to  sinners.  No  man, 
by  his  natural  reason,  can  know  or  understand  Christ,  as  revealed 
in  the  Scriptures — no — not  had  he  even  seen  Him  and  His  mira- 
cles, except  by  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  our  Lord  saith 
to  St.  Peter,  in  St.  Matthew's  Gospel,  xvi.  17,  on  St.  Peter  confess- 
ing Jesus  to  be  the  Christ,  "  Blessed  art  thou  Simon  Bar-Jona, 
for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father 
which  is  in  heavenP  So,  you  perceive,  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks 
exactly  in  the  same  language,  1st  Cor.  ii.  9,  10,  11,  "  But  as  it  is 
written,  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered 
into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
them  that  love  him.  But  God  hath  revealed  them,  unto  us  by 
His  Spirit ;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep 
things  of  God.  For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,, 
save  the  spirit  of  m,an  that  is  in  him  ? — eveit  so,  the  things  of 
God  knoweth  no  man  but  the  Spirit  of  God.''^  God  must  reveal 
His  truth  to  the  sinner's  heart,  before  the  sinner  can  understand 
or  receive  it.  So  you  have  it  set  forth  in  the  14th  verse, — "  77ie 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned.^'     So  our  blessed  Lord,  himself,  ex- 


LECTtJRES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  49 

pressly  promises  to  His  Apostles,  in  St.  John,  xvi.  13,  "  When  He, 
the  Spirit  of  tmth,  is  come,  He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth  ;  for 
He  shall  not  sjyeak  of  Himself,  hut  whatsoever  He  shall  hear,  that 
shall  he  speak.  And  He  will  shoiv  you  things  to  come.''''  The 
Apostles,  though  hearing  the  word  of  our  Lord  Himself,  were  only 
guided  into  truth  b}^  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Spirit  that  taught  them, 
alone  can  teach  any  sinner  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  So  our 
Lord  says  in  verse  14, — ''  He  shall  glorify  me :  for  he  shall  receive 
of  m,ine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you.''''  And  lest  you  should  sup- 
pose that  our  blessed  Lord  speaks  here,  merely  of  the  inspiration 
of  the  Apostles,  which  was  no  doubt  included  in  it,  but  lest  you 
should  suppose,  that  it  is  not  equally  necessary  that  all  His  people 
should  be  partakers  of  the  divine  instruction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
to  His  own  person,  work,  and  offices,  you  will  find  in  1st  Cor.  xii. 
3, — "  No  m,an  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  You  may  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  you  may  set  up 
in  your  own  imagination,  a  being  born  of  the  Virgin,  who  has  per- 
formed such  and  such  works,  who  lived  and  died,  and  rose  again, 
to  whom  you  may  apply  the  name  of  Christ,  but  the  Christ  that  is 
revealed  in  the  Bible,  as  the  Saviour  of  guilty  sinners,  and  the  work 
of  that  Christ,  you  know  not,  and  cannot  know,  till  Christ  teaches 
you,  by  His  Spirit,  to  receive  as  little  children,  the  revelation  of  His 
holy  word. 

Many,  in  these  days,  call  this  enthusiasm  or  fanaticism,  but  wide 
is  the  difference  between  enthusiasm  or  fanaticism,  and  the  true 
scriptural  expectation  of  the  teaching  and  guidance  of  the  blessed 
Spirit.  Enthusiasts  speak  of  sensible  or  visible  impulses  and  reve- 
lations of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  are  not  found  in,  and  will  not 
stand  the  test  of,  God's  eternal  word.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  discerni- 
ble in  His  effects,  and  not  in  His  operations — thus  our  Lord  teack^ 
es,  "  The  ivind  bloweth  loJiere  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  iv  hit  her  it  goeth : 
so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  John  iii.  8.  It  is  not 
the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  new  revelations — it  is  enthusi- 
asm— fanaticism,  to  expect  them.  But  it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  teach  the  sinner's  heart  to  understand,  to  receive,  to  be- 
lieve, and  walk  in  the  revelations  that  God  has  given  in  this  blessed 
book.  Hence  God's  word  is  the  guide  of  those  who  are  taught  by 
the  Spirit.  Therefore,  true  religion  studies  the  Bible,  true  religion 
prizes  and  throws  open  the  Biljle,  true  religion  calls  on  man  to  hear 
our  Divine  Master,  and  to  "  search  the  Scriptures."  Falsehood 
shrinks  from  the  Bible,  shuts  up  the  Bible  from  the  instruction  of 
mankind,  and  deprecates  the  study  and  diffusion  of  the  Bible.  I 
say  then,  the  means  that  are  here  stated  to  have  been  used  by 
God,  towards  the  Ephesian  church,  to  bring  them  to  this  blessed 
state  of  redemption,  were  His  "  having  made  known  unto  them 
THE  mystery  op  Hi.s  WILL,"  wliicli  He  did  by  His  word  preached 
by  the  Apostle  and  His  Holy  Spirit. 

Again  we  have  here,  secondly,  the  reason  why  God  made  it 
known  to  them.     "  According  to  His  good  pleasure,  which 

4 


50  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

He  hath  purposed  in  Himself."  This  part  of  the  subject  is 
very  plain  in  its  expression,  but  I  shall  not  enter  into  it  in  this 
verse,  because  it  will  come  under  our  consideration,  in  verse  11,  if 
it  please  God,  and  I  shall  refer  to  it  on  that  occasion. 

We  shall  consider  now,  the  glorious  consummation  of  that  mys- 
tery, which  according  to  His  good  pleasure,  God  had  revealed  unto 
them,  it  is  this, — ''  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness 
OF  times,  he  might  gather  together,  in  one,  all  things 
IN  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  even 
IN  Him."  The  Apostle  here  takes  a  most  comprehensive  view  of 
the  subject  of  divine  revelation,  in  which  he  had  instructed  the 
church  at  Ephesus.  He  had  sojourned  with  that  church  for  more 
than  two  years,  as  you  may  recollect,  Acts  xix.,  and  in  that  time, 
the  whole  scope  of  his  apostolic  teaching,  had  been  brought  fully 
before  them,  as  he  tells  the  elders  of  Ephesus,  Acts  xx.  27,  "  I  have 
not  shunned  to  declare  unto  yon  all  the  cotmsel  of  God.^' 

He  embraces  then  in  this  verse,  not  merely  one,  but  many  sub- 
jects, and  for  the  sake  of  perspicuity,  I  shall  divide  them.  He  says, 
"In  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times."  Observe, 
he  does  not  say,  the  fulness  of  a  time,  speaking  merely  of  one 
period,  you  will  find  him  speaking  of  this  in  Galatians  iv.  4.  There 
he  speaks  of  one  epoch  in  the  dispensations  of  God,  that  is,  the  first 
coming  of  Christ,  '■  tvhen  the  fulness  of  the  time  ivas  come,  God 
sent  forth  his  iSon,  tnade  of  a  woman,  c^'c."  But  here  he  speaks 
of  a  "  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times,"  and  that  in  this, 
"he  might  gather  together  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
WHICH  are  in  Heaven  and  on  earth,  even  in  Him."  Now 
this  is  a  part  of  the  mystery  of  his  will,  as  you  will  find  on  consider- 
ing it ;  and  it  involves  several  parts,  each  of  which  is  a  mystery  in 
itself,  as  the  whole  is  a  mystery. 

The  first  mystery  which  God  makes  known  to  them  is,  the  mani- 
festation OF  Christ  to  sinners,  and  sinners  gathered 
IN  Christ.  This  is  a  mystery,  as  you  will  find  in  1  Tim.  iii. 
16,  "  Great  is  the  mystery  of  Godliness :  God  was  manifest  in 
the  flesh.'"'  This  was  one  mystery,  which,  "  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fulness  of  times, ^^  God  made  known.  And,  oh  !  what  a  mys- 
tery !  that  He  whom  the  Heaven  of  Heavens  cannot  contain, 
should  take  upon  him  our  flesh  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin — that  He 
should  be  born  into  this  world,  and  live  and  die  for  us,  and  send 
his  ministers  to  proclaim  this  Gospel — this  good  news,  to  every 
creature — as,  in  his  most  blessed  name,  I  proclaim  to  you  as  sin- 
ners this  day,  pardon  of  your  sins,  through  the  blood  of  "  God 
manifest  in  thefleshP  Oh,  what  a  mystery  !  that  the  holy  God, 
who  sees  each  of  us — such  vile  sinners — who  measures  and  fathoms 
Av^hat  we  cannot  ourselves — the  depths  of  iniquity  in  our  hearts — 
tlaat  that  God  should  proclaim  to  us  pardon  through  the  blood  of 
his  Son — that  He  should  "  so  love  the  world  as  to  give  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish 
hilt  have  everlasting  lifeP  Here  is  a  mystery  ;  that  such  sinners 
as  we  are  should  be  gathered — if,  indeed,  we  shall  be  gathered — 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  51 

out  of  a  world  of  guilt  and  sin,  snatched  from  hell — plucked,  like 
brands  from  the  burning,  and  brought  to  God,  through  Christ  Je- 
sus !  Oh,  it  is  a  mystery — an  amazing  mystery  !  No  wonder 
the  Apostle  Peter  says,  "  the  angels  desire  to  look  into  these  things.''^ 
It  is  this  mystery  of  salvation  into  which  they  desire  to  look  ;  for, 
when  he  says  that  the  prophets  who  foretold  this  salvation  diligent- 
ly sought  what  it  was,  that  the  Spirit  within  them  signified ;  he 
adds,  "  imto  whom  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves,  hut 
unto  us  they  did  minister  the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto 
you  by  them  that  have  yreached  the  gospel  unto  you,  ivith  the 
Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  Heaven  :  which  things  the  angels 
desire  to  look  into" — 1  Peter  i.  12. 

The  manifestation  of  God  in  the  flesh,  and  this,  that  he  might 
die  for  guilty  sinners,  and  send  the  Holy  Ghost  from  Heaven  to 
teach  them  "  the  unsearchable  riches"  of  His  love  ;  what  wonder, 
these  were  mysteries  of  divine  and  amazing  grace,  into  which  "  the 
angels  desire  to  look." 

But  there  is  yet  another  mystery  Avhicli  forms  a  part  of  that 
gathering  in  of  all  in  Christ,  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks  in  this 
verse.  That  is  : — The  close  and  intimate  union  that  sub- 
sists BETWEEN  OUR  BLESSED  SaVIOUR,  AND  THOSE  WHO  BE- 
LIEVE IN  His  blessed  name,  and  look  to  Him  as  the  Refuge 
OF  THEIR  souls.  Tliis  is  set  forth  as  another  part  of  the  mystery, 
as  you  see  in  this  Epistle,  v.  32.  St.  Paul  in  that  chapter  is  speak- 
ing of  the  union  between  husband  and  wife — lie  is  speaking  of  the 
devoted  attachment  of  the  husband  to  the  wife,  and  the  dutiful  sub- 
jection and  affection  of  the  wife  to  the  husband  ;  and  having  dwelt 
on  this  practically,  with  regard  to  husbands  and  wives,  he  says, 
"  this  is  a  great  mystery  ;  hut  I  speak  conceryiing  Christ  and  the 
Church.''^  Oh,  how  wonderful  the  union  between  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  those  who  believe  on  his  name  ! — As  a  husband  is  re- 
sponsible for  all  the  debts  of  his  wife,  Jesus  is  responsible  for  the 
sins  of  his  people,  and  pays  the  mighty  debt  of  every  poor  sinner 
that  depends  upon  him — As  the  wife  is  lifted  up,  and  taken  even 
from  the  meanest  rank  in  the  world,  and  if  the  husband  is  on  a 
throne,  she  is  lifted  up  to  the  rank  of  her  husband — if  he  is  a  king, 
she  is  a  queen — so  the  blessed  Jesus  takes  the  poor  sinner  out  of 
the  depths  of  guilt  and  sin,  clothes  him  with  his  own  righteous- 
ness, washes  him  in  his  own  blood,  gathers  him  in  his  arms,  car- 
ries him  in  his  bosom,  and  will  never  leave  him  nor  forsake  him, 
until  he  raises  him  up  to  sit  upon  his  own  throne.  "  He  raiseth 
up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  the  needy  out  of  the  dung- 
hill, that  he  may  set  hi?n  with  princes,  even  ivith  the  princes  of 
his  people." — Psal.  cxiii.  7,  8.  This  is  an  exhaustless  mystery — 
but  this  is  a  mystery  Avhich  God  had  taught  the  Ephesian  church, 
and  thus  enabled  them  more  to  rejoice  in  that  blessed  hope,  that 
they  ^^had  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace." 

But  there  was  another  part  of  the  mystery  comprehended  in  that 
of  gathering  in  all  in  Christ,  m  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 


52  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

times,  and  that  was — The  bringing  in  of  the  Gentiles. 
These  had  been  hving  without  God,  worshipping  stocks  and  stones, 
and  various  idols,  yet  now  were  called  into  the  church  of  Christ. 
You  know  that  the  Apostles  did  not  for  some  time  believe  that  the 
Gospel  should  be  preaclied  to  the  Gentiles.  You  know  that  it  was 
by  a  vision  from  heaven  (as  you  find  in  Actsx.)  that  St.  Peter  was 
induced  to  go  and  obey  the  invitation  sent  to  him  by  a  Gentile,  to 
come  and  declare  to  him  the  way  of  salvation.  In  this  Epistle, 
the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  as  a  hidden  myste- 
ry now  revealed.  You  see  the  passage  at  length,  chap.  iii.  from 
1st  to  11th  verses.  And,  in  the  3d  and  4th  verses,  he  expressly 
calls  it  "  the  mystery ^^^  and  "  the  mystery  of  Christ,  which  in  other 
ages  was  not  made  known  imto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  noio  re- 
vealed unto  his  holy  Apostles  and  Prophets  by  the  Spirit,  that 
the  Gentiles  should  he  fellow  heirs,  and.  of  the  same  body,  and 
partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel."  Ch.  iii.  5,  6. 
That  mystery,  you  perceive,  the  Apostle  says,  was  now  revealed ; 
and  how  mysterious  it  was  that  God  should,  for  so  many  centuries, 
have  separated  to  himself  a  people  from  the  whole  world — should 
have  given  to  that  people  ordinances  and  laws,  by  which  they  were 
kept  distinct  in  their  government,  their  religion,  their  habits,  their 
customs,  their  manners,  from  all  the  nations  of  the  earth — that  He 
should  have  promised  to  them  the  Messiah  in  their  family,  and 
should  promise,  as  He  did,  the  amazing  blessings  that  are  predict- 
ed to  the  Jews  hereafter — that  then  the  Lord  should  command, 
that  all  the  barriers  between  them  and  the  other  nations  of  the 
earth,  should  be  broken  down  and  levelled  at  once,  and  that  the 
same  salvation  which  was  proclaimed  to  the  Jews,  should  be 
proclaimed  to  the  Gentiles  throughout  the  whole  world — that  the 
same  salvation  proclaimed  to  those  who  had  had  the  "  adoption, 
and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  laiv,  and 
the  service  of  God,  and  the  pro?7iises" — Rom.  ix.  4 ;  should  be 
sent  to  those  who  were  worshipping  "  the  image  that"  they  said 
''^fell  down  from  Jupiter,"  and  shouting  out  in  the  ears  of  the 
Apostles,  who  had  been  preaching  the  Gospel  to  them,  ^'- great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians !"  How  marvellous,  that  God  should 
send  his  Gospel  to  them,  and  to  us  ! 

Go  through  the  fields  in  this  very  countiy,  look  at  that  massive 
stone,  supported  on  those  rude  pillars,  and  ask  your  antiquarians 
— what  was  that?  They  will  tell  you  that  was  an  altar  where 
human  victims  were  otTered,  in  this  land,  as  a  sacrifice  to  idols. 
And  now,  is  it  not  a  marvellous  and  mysterious  blessing,  that,  to 
the  descendants  of  those,  whose  hands  have  reeked  with  the  blood 
of  human  victims,  the  Gospel  should  be  proclaimed  as  it  is  pro- 
claimed now,  that  we  should  be  blest  as  we  are  with  the  oracles  of 
God,  and  that  our  children  should  be  taught  in  the  way  of  ever- 
lasting life  !  "  Great  indeed  is  the  mystery  of  godliness!"  and 
that  this  very  thing  is  part  of  that  mystery,  is  stated  in  that  same 
verse,  "  Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness,  God  vms  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  Angels,  j^re ached  unto  the 


^.ECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  53 

Gentiles^  received  up  into  glory ^"^  1st  Tim.  iii.  18— this  is  a  mar- 
vellous mystery,  the  preaching  of  salvation,  pardon  of  sin,  to  a  lost 
and  guilty  world,  through  a  crucified  and  risen  Saviour. 

But  there  is  another  mystery  still,  which  is  the  consummation 
of  that  here  spoken  of.  The  "  gathering  together  of  all 
THINGS  IN  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  on 
EARTH."  This  you  know  is  not  as  yet  fulfilled,  but  this  includes 
that  mystery  of  w4iich  the  Apostle  speaks  in  1st  Cor.  xv.  51,  52. 

The  MYSTERY  op  the  resurrection.  ^^  Behold  Ishoiv  you 
a  mystery^  we  shall  not  all  sleep/^  (that  is,  all  believers  in  Christ 
shall  not  be  asleep  when  Christ  comes,)  '•  bnt  we  shall  all  be 
changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  ttoinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
tramp,  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised 
incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For  this  corruptible 
must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  invmor- 
talityP  1st  Cor.  xv.  51,  52,  53.  This  is  a  part  of  the  mystery  of 
which  the  Apostle  speaks,  as  having  been  revealed  to  them,  for 
this  was  given  as  the  hope  of  the  Church  from  that  day  to  this 
present.  But  the  mode  in  which  "  ALL  THINGS  IN  HEAVEN," 
things  being  put  for  persons,  that  is  those  who  have  fallen  asleep, 
and  are  departed  to  be  with  Christ,  and  "THINGS  ON  EARTH," 
that  is  the  whole  Church  on  the  earth  at  His  coming,  whom  He 
calls  collectively,  chap.  iii.  15,  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth^''  the  mode  in  which  they  shall  be  gathered  together,  com- 
pletes the  mystery  he  speaks  of,  and  this  is  fully  set  forth  by  the 
Apostle  in  1st  Thess.  iv.,  where  he  says,  speaking  of  those  who 
had  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus,  14th  verse,  "  if  we  believe  that  Jesus 
died,  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  ivhich  sleep  in  Jesus,  will 
God  bring  with  Him.  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  u'ord  of 
the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming 
of  the  Lord,  shall  not  j^revent  them  which  are  asleep^''  we  shall 
not  be  beforehand  with  them,  a  man's  being  alive  on  the  earth 
when  Christ  comes,  shall  not  give  him  precedence  of  those  who 
have  died  in  the  faith,  of  one  twinkling  of  an  eye  in  eternal  life,  or 
in  resurrection  glory,  it  shall  not  give  him  the  precedence  of  all  the 
dead  that  have  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,  from  Adam  to  that  moment, 
"  For  the  Lord  Himself  shall  descend  from  heaven,  with  a  shout, 
with  the  voice  of  the  Archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God,  and, 
the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first.  Then  we  which  are  alive  and 
remain  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.'''' 
1st  Thess.  iv.  14-17.  In  the  same  twinkling  of  an  eye  that  he 
who  is  alive  is  changed,  and  fashioned  like  to  the  glorious  body 
of  Christ,  in  that  same  twinkling  of  an  eye  the  dead  shall  be  raised 
incorruptible,  when  he  shall  appear  who  said,  "  let  there  be  light 
and  there  was  light.''''  And  as  the  dew-drops  spangle  the  ground, 
ere  they  are  exhaled,  when  the  sun  bursts  in  his  glory  from  the 
morning  sky  ;  so  shall  his  people  aAvake  from  their  graves,  and 
stand  in  regenerated  life  and  glory,  as  they  rise  to  meet  their 
Lord  in  the  air.     This  i#the  consummation  of  that  great  mystery. 


54  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"  the  gathering  together  of  all  things  in  Christ/'  of  which  the 
Apostle  speaks  ;  then  shall  we  behold  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  all  the  saints  of  old,  all  the  Old  Testament  Church, 
and  the  New  Testament  Church,  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth^''  then  shall  we  behold  them  all  "  gathered  together  in 
Christ." 

And  you,  if  you  be  indeed  His  disciples,  if  you  be  indeed  washed 
in  his  precious  blood,  you  shall  be  of  that  blessed  number,  who 
shall  arise  in  glory  to  meet  your  God.  This  is  that  "  dispensa- 
tion OF  THE  FULNESS  OF  TIMES,"  whcii  all  sliall  be  "gathered 

TOGETHER  IN  CHRIST,  BOTH  WHICH  ARE  IN  HEAVEN,  AND 
WHICH   ARE  ON  EARTH,   EVEN  IN  HiM." 

Great  is  this  mystery  then,  in  all  its  course  and  its  consum- 
mation. 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  Godliness,  that  "  God  loas  manifest  in 
the  flesh.''  1st  Tim.  iii.  16. 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  this  Salvation,  that  he  should  be 
"  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities, 
that  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  by  his 
stripes  we  are  healed.'"  Isai.  liii.  5,  and  that  we  should  '"have  re- 
demption through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  accord- 
ing to  the  riches  of  His  grace.'' 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  that  union,  that  exists  between  Christ 
and  his  redeemed  people,  that  "  tve  are  members  of  his  body,  of 
his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones."  Eph.  v.  30. 

Great  is  the  mystery  that  the  times  of  the  Jewish  Dispensation 
should  be  completed,  and  that  it  should  be  revealed,  "  that  the 
Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and  par- 
takers of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel."  Eph.  iii.  6. 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  the  mighty  renovation  that  is  to  pass  on 
us  in  that  day  of  resurrection  glory,  "  When  we  shall  all  be 
changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump  ;  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound ;  and  the  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed."  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52. 

And  when  "  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  shall  be  fulfilled" — and 
the  promised  day  shall  come,  when  all  these  dispensations  shall 
be  past — great  is  that  mystery,  when  "  He  shall  send  His  angels^ 
and  shcdl  gather  together  his  elect,  from  the  four  n-inds,  from 
the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth,  to  the  uttermost  part  of  heaven," 

that  "  IN    THE   DISPENSATION  OF  THE  FULNESS  OF    TIMES    HE 

MIGHT  GATHER  TOGETHER  IN  ONE  ALL  THINGS  IN  CHRIST, 
BOTH  WHICH  ARE  IN  HEAVEN,  AND  WHICH  ARE  ON  EARTH,  EVEN 
IN  HIM." 

And  now,  O  friends,  and  brethren  beloved,  shall  we  be  gathered 
in  Christ  in  that  day  ?  Is  this  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh"  our 
life  and  our  salvation  ?  Have  we  indeed  "  Redemption  through 
his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to  the  riches  of 
his  grace  7" 

Do  Ave  know  the  value  of  that  mysti<ip,l  union  between  Christ 
and  His  church,  that  oneness  of  Head  and  members,  by  which  we 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  56 

are  called,  as  we  had  it  in  the  6th  of  Romans,  to  reckon  ourselves 
dead  with  Christ,  and  risen  with  Him  :  "  dead  indeed  unto  sin, 
but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  LordP  Rom. 
vi.  11. 

Is  the  Gospel  of  our  salvation  precious  to  us  sinners  of  the  Gen- 
tiles ?  shall  this  dispensation  of  grace  to  the  Gentiles  be  unto  us, 
"  a  savor  of  life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death  ?"  Are  our 
privileges,  our  ordinances,  our  churches,  our  Bibles,  all  our  bless- 
ings, are  they  all  the  means  of  leading  us  to  Jesus — keeping  us 
looking  unto  Jesus — strengthening  us  and  building  us  up  in  our 
most  holy  faith,  upon  the  Rock  of  ages  ?  or  had  it  been  better  for 
us  to  have  perished,  like  our  pagan  forefathers,  without  the  aggra- 
vated curse,  of  Christ  professed  in  name,  but  in  heart  despised,  re- 
jected, and  trodden  under  foot  by  us,  in  guilt,  hypocrisy,  ungodli- 
ness, and  unbelief? 

Is  the  glorious  hope  of  resurrection  in  Christ  our  comfort  in  all 
our  conflicts  in  these  bodies  of  sin  and  death  7  Shall  it  be  true  or 
false  of  us,  as  the  solemn  words  are  spoken  over  our  sleeping  dust, 
that  we  are  committed  to  the  ground,*  "  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to 
ashes,  dust  to  dust,  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  the  resurrection  to 
eternal  life,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  "  loho  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue 
all  things  unto  himself  J^  Phil.  iii.  21.  O,  brethren  !  when  the 
trumpet  shall  sound,  shall  we  be  among  those  "  Blessed  and  holy, 
who  have  part  in  the  first  resurrection"  ?  Rev.  xx.  6.  And,  "  IN 
THE  DISPENSATION  OF  THE  FULNESS  OF  TIMES," 
shall  we  be  among  those  of  earth  or  heaven  that  are  "  GATH- 
ERED TOGETHER  IN  CHRIST,"  by  grace,  to  glory  1 


FIFTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 11,  12. 


"  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to 
the  purpose  of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will:  that  we 
should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ." 

This  world  were  indeed  a  weary  pilgrimage  to  the  believer,  if 
he  were  not  cheered  in  all  his  trials  and  sorrows  by  the  way,  with 
the  blessed  hope  of  eternal  rest,  in  that  which  is  to  come.  '■'■  If  in 
this  life  only^''  saith  the  Apostle,  "  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are 

*  Service  for  the  Burial  of  the  Dead. 


56  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

of  all  men  most  miserable^ — 1  Cor.  xv.  19.  Even  here,  the  pros- 
pect of  any  future  good,  if  it  be  reasonably  well  founded,  liable,  as 
it  is,  to  ten  thousand  contingencies,  still  cheers  and  supports  the 
heart  through  many  intervening  years  of  anxious  expectation — as 
we  are  told,  "  Jacob  served  seven  years  for  Rachael ;  and  they 
seemed  unto  him  hut  a  few  days,  for  the  love  he  had  to  herP — 
Gen.  xxix.  20.  And  if  that  be  so  with  respect  to  this  Avorld,  in 
reference  to  the  future  hopes  of  time,  how  much  more,  when  the 
heart  is  enabled  to  repose  with  a  solid  assurance  of  hope  upon  that 
blessed  "  resf''  which  "  retnaineth  for  the  j^eople  of  God."  This 
supports  the  believer  under  all  trials,  yea,  in  the  most  afflictive  of 
them — "  Deep  calleth  nnto  deep  at  the  noise  of  thy  ivaterspouts^ 
all  thy  waves  and  thy  billoivs  are  gone  over  ?;?e,"  saith  the  Psalm- 
ist ;  but  in  the  midst  of  these  deep  waters,  faith  looks  up  and  cries 
— "  Why  art  thou  cast  doivn,  O  tny  soul  ?  and  why  art  thou  dis- 
quieted within  me  ?  hope  thou  in  God ;  for  I  shall  yet  praise 
him,,  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  GodP — Ps. 
xlii.  7,  11.  Therefore,  we  see,  that  the  Apostles,  inspired  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  continually  cherish  and  strengthen  the  hope  of  the 
believer  in  his  blessed  Lord ;  for  in  direct  proportion  to  our  faith  in 
the  promises  of  God,  and,  therefore,  to  our  hope  of  attaining  the 
blessings  which  those  promises  hold  out  to  us,  so  shall  we  be  lifted 
up  alcove  the  things  of  time  and  sense,  and  Idc  enabled  to  realize 
and  live  for  that  eternal  world  of  glory,  where  we  look  for  an  in- 
corruptible inheritance.  With  this  view,  the  Apostles,  you  per- 
ceive, confidently  dwelt  on  God's  eternal  covenant  promises — as, 
for  instance,  in  Hebrews  vi.,  where  the  Apostle,  speaking  of  the 
covenant  and  oath  of  God,  says,  "  that  by  two  immutable  things^'' 
(namely,  God's  covenant  and  oath)  "  in  ivhich  it  tvas  impossible  for 
God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation  who  have  fled  for 
refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us,  which  hope  we  have, 
as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast." — Heb.  vi.  18, 
19.  So  he  prays  for  his  brethren,  Rom.  xv.  13 — "  Now  the  God 
of  hope  f  II  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may 
abound  in  hope  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  So,  he 
exhorts  the  Ephesians,  that  they  may  be  enabled  to  lift  up  their 
head  in  all  their  difficvilties,  to  "  take  the  helmet  of  salvation." — 
Eph.  vi.  17  ;  and  he  explains  this  in  1  Thessalonians,  v.  8 — ''  put- 
tifig  on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love,  and  for  an  helmet,  the 
hope  of  salvation." 

There  could  be  no  confidence  of  hope  without  a  security  of  the 
inheritance  for  which  we  hope.  Therefore,  the  glorious  covenant 
of  salvation  gives  that  inheritance,  makes  it  over,  with  everlasting 
security,  to  all  the  elect  people  of  God.  This  hope  must  be  built 
alone  on  Jesus.  When  men  know  not  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  they 
cannot  understand — they  oppose — they  hate  the  doctrine  of  any 
assurance  of  hope ;  therefore,  this  doctrine  is  opposed  by  all  the 
principles  of  the  Papacy  :  there  is  no  such  thing  as  assurance  of 
hope  within  the  pale  of  Rome.  How  can  there  be,  when,  in  the 
darkness  of  Papal  error,  man's  salvation  is  made  to  depend  on  his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  57 

own  works  ?  Well,  indeed,  may  such  a  system  of  ignorance  as 
that,  shut  out  the  security  and  joy  of  hope  from  the  soul.  So,  in 
the  same  )nanner,  this  grand  fundamental  doctrine  of  consolation, 
is  also  shut  out  from  that  similar  system,  on  which,  I  am  sorry  to 
have  occasion  to  remark,  but  which  it  is  necessary  that  the  faith- 
ful minister  of  Christ  should  notice  in  these  days — that  heresy  in 
our  own  church,  which  is  another  form  of  Popery,  setting  up  tlie 
works  of  man,  and  the  sacraments,  as  the  ground  of  his  trust,  in- 
stead of  Christ,  or  what  is  virtually  the  same,  in  conjunction  with 
Christ.  TJiere  can  be  no  such  thing  as  assurance  of  hope  in  such 
a  system — impossible  !  it  opposes  and  denies  the  Gospel.  The 
Gospel  of  Christ  alone — Jesus,  his  precious  blood  poured  out  for 
the  guilty,  his  finished  righteousness,  wrought  out  for  man,  in 
which  Jehovah  declares,  he  is  "  well  pleased,"  that,  and  that  alone, 
affords  security  and  joyful  hope  to  the  fallen  sinner. 

Now,  the  security  of  the  believer's  inheritance  in  Christ,  depends 
upon  the  electing  love  of  his  God  and  Father,  as  is  set  forth  in  the 
passage  which  I  have  read  to  you.     Observe  : — 

''In  WHOM   ALSO  WE    HAVE    OBTAINED    AN    INHERITANCE." 

How? 

"Being  predestinated  according  to  the  purpose  op 
Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  op  his 
OWN  will."  Being  so  "predestinated,"  "we  have  obtained  an 
inheritance." 

Here  you  will  perceive,  first — -they  have  obtained  an  inheritance 
— "  Li  whom  ive  have  obtained  an  inheritance.^^ 

Secondly — the  cause  of  their  having  obtained  it — ■"  being  pre- 
destinated according  to  the  jmrpose  of  him  loho  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  willJ^ 

And,  thirdly — you  see  the  end  of  their  election — ^"  that  ice  should 
be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory  who  first  trusted  in  Christ"  Now 
let  us  consider  these  things. 

I.  "  We  have  obtained  an  inheritance."  This  is  the 
necessary  result  of  their  being  the  children  of  God.  All  believers 
are  the  children  of  God.  So  you  see  in  St.  John's  Gospel  i.  12,  13, 
"  As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name;  which  were  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  tvill  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  God."  So  you  have  in  Galatians,  iii.  26,  "  Ye  are  all  the  chil- 
dren of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus."  So  you  perceive  in  Ro- 
mans viii.  17,  the  result,  "  if  children  then  heirs ;  heirs  of  God, 
and  joint-heirs  with  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  we  sufl'er  with  him,  that 
we  may  be  also  glorified  together."  Jehovah  has  no  paupers  in 
his  family.  They  may  be,  indeed,  and  they  often  are,  in  this 
world,  poor.  "  God  has  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world,"  we  are  told 
— ^but  then,  they  are  "  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  his  kingdom," — 
the  children  of  the  King  inherit  the  kingdom.  So,  in  this  first 
chapter  of  Ephesians,  (read  from  3d  verse)  you  see,  the  Apostle 
shows,  that  believers  are  God's  children,  and  predestinated  to  that 
— "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 


58  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ivho  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ ;  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before 
the  foundation  of  the  ivorld,  that  ive  should  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  him  in  love ;  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adop- 
tion of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  ivill,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  where- 
in he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved^  Therefore,  I  say,  if 
they  be  children  of  God,  they  must  be  heirs  of  the  Lord's  kingdom. 
They  have  their  inheritance  indeed,  not  in  possession,  but  they 
have  it  in  reversion ;  and  it  is  not  hke  an  earthly  inheritance — 
here  is  no  flaw  to  be  found  in  the  title  deeds — here  no  error  in 
the  settlements — here  no  fear  of  cutting  off  the  entail — here  no 
doubt  whatever  as  to  the  certainty  of  the  possession — there  are  no 
contingent  remainders,  as  they  call  them,  in  God's  testamentary 
dispensation  to  his  people.  No,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,^^  saith  the  Apostle  Peter,  1st  Pet.  i.  3, 
"  which,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  lis  again 
■unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
dead^^  mark  to  what  he  hath  begotten  them — verse  4,  5,  "  to  an 
inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  a?id  that  fadeth  not  away, 
reserved  iit  heaven  for  you,  ivho  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation.^'  They  are  begotten  to  this  inheri- 
tance— this  inlieritance  is  reserved  by  God,  in  heaven  for  them, 
and  they  are  kept,  by  God's  power,  on  earth  for  it.  The  mansions 
of  Jehovah's  house  must  be  overthrown,  the  power  of  Jehovah's 
arm  must  be  paralyzed,  before  their  inheritance  in  these  mansions 
can  be  taken  from  them,  or  before  they,  in  this  wilderness  can  be 
debarred  from  it.  So  saith  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  St.  John's 
Gospel  X.  27,  28,  29,  30,  ^^  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me :  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life  ; 
and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of 
iny  hand.  My  father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all: 
and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  m,y  Fathefs  hand.  I  and 
my  Father  are  oney  Therefore  are  they  "  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation^^ — therefore  have  they  "  ob- 
tained AN  INHERITANCE,  BEING  PREDESTINATED,  ACCORDING 
TO  THE  PURPOSE  OF  HIM,  WHO  WORKETH  ALL  THINGS  AFTER 
THE  COUNSEL  OF  HIS  OWN  WILL. 

n.  The  cause  of  their  having  obtained  it,  "  being  predesti- 
nated." 

Now,  we  come  to  consider  this  subject,  which  I  said  we  should 
consider  in  the  9th  verse.  There  is  no  doctrine  which  is  more 
misrepresented  or  more  cavilled  at.  But  there  is  not  one  more 
clearly  laid  down  in  the  Bible,  than  the  doctrine  of  God's  predesti- 
nating grace  and  love  ;  it  is  inseparably  interwoven  with  the  whole 
of  the  Gospel  dispensation. 

One  man  may  say  "  I  do  not  understand  it" — another  may  say 
"I  do  not  believe  it" — another  may  say  "  I  do  not  like  it,  or,  I  hate 
it" — but  I  confess,  I  do  not  see  how  any  honest  man  can  say,  it 
is  not  plainly  written  in  God's  eternal  word  ;  and  if  it  be  plainly 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  59 

written  there,  and  that  you  know  that  it  is  God's  truth,  then  let 
me  entreat  you  to  pause  and  consider,  with  cahn  sobriety,  that 
solemn  truth  before  you  speak,  in  the  manner  that  too  many  pre- 
sume to  speak  on  the  subject. 

It  is  peculiarly  hateful  to  the  natural  heart  of  man,  because  it 
levels  all  his  pride  and  self-righteousness  to  the  dust,  it  leaves  him 
a  helpless,  hopeless  sinner  at  the  feet  of  his  God,  depending  solely, 
as  we  must  all  be,  on  his  free  mercy. 

I  well  remember,  myself,  the  difficulty  I  had  in  my  own  mind 
on  the  subject.  I  well  remember  how  I  fought  against  the  truth, 
I  well  remember  all  my  own  cavillings  and  arguments,  and  there- 
fore, I  desire  to  deal  tenderly  and  gently  while  I  deal  faithfully 
with  others. 

It  is  not  possible,  before  we  clearly  know  and  believe  that  we  are 
justified  alone  by  Christ,  scripturally  to  understand  this  subject. 
It  is  the  strong  rneat  of  the  Gospel,  it  is  utterly  unintelligible  in  its 
true  scriptural  sense  to  those  who  know  not,  and  understand  not, 
the  simple  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus — they  cannot  comprehend  any- 
thing about  it ;  therefore,  salvation  by  Christ  is  the  first  thing  for 
the  mind  of  man  to  be  applied  to.  Whosoever  feels  his  heart  op- 
posed to  the  doctrine  of  God's  election,  depend  upon  it,  he  does  not 
know,  with  perfect  scriptural  clearness,  the  foundation  on  which 
his  own  soul  is  to  be  saved  ;  therefore  let  me  entreat  you  to  con- 
sider carefully  the  point. 

I  do  not  know  any  human  composition  in  which  the  subject  is 
more  clearly,  simply,  compendiously,  and  scripturally  laid  down 
than  in  the  17th  Article  of  our  church.  I  pray  you  to  attend 
to  it : — 

"  Predestination  to  life,  is  the  everlasting  purpose  of  God,  whereby  (before  the  foun- 
dations of  the  world  were  laid)  he  hath  constantly  decreed  by  his  counsel,  secret  to 
us,  to  deliver  from  curse  and  damnation,  those  whom  he  hath  chosen  in  Christ  out  of 
mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by  Christ  to  everlasting  salvation,  as  vessels  made  to 
honor.  Wherefore,  they  which  be  endued  with  so  excellent  a  benefit  of  God,  be 
called  according  to  God's  purpose  by  his  Spirit  working  in  due  season  ;  they  through 
grace  obey  the  calling  ;  they  be  justified  freely ;  they  be  made  sons  of  God  by  adoption  ; 
they  be  made  like  the  image  of  his  oqly  begotten  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  they  walk  relig- 
iously in  good  works,  and  at  length,  by  God's  mercy,  they  atteiin  to  everlasting  felicity." 

This  is,  in  plain  terms,  the  scriptural  truth  on  the  subject.  It 
cannot  be  more  literally  expressed  than  in  these  words.  But,  mark 
— the  Article  goes  farther  : — 

"As  the  godly  consideration  of  predestination,  and  our  election  in  Christ  is  full  of 
sweet,  pleasant,  and  unspeakable  comfort  to  godly  persons,  and  such  as  feel  in  them- 
selves the  working  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  mortifying  the  works  of  the  flesh,  and  their 
earthly  members,  and  drawing  up  their  mind  to  high  and  heavenly  things;  as  well 
because  it  doth  greatly  establish  and  confirm  their  faith  of  eternal  salvation,  to  be  en- 
joyed through  Christ,  as  because  it  doth  fervently  kindle  their  love  towards  God;  so, 
for  curious  and  carnal  persons,  lacking  the  spirit  of  Christ,  to  have  continually  before 
their  eyes  the  sentence  of  God's  predestination  is  a  most  dangerous  downfall,  whereby 
the  devil  doth  thrust  them  either  into  desperation,  or  into  wretchedness  of  most  unclean 
living,  no  less  perilous  than  desperation. 

"  Furthermore,  we  must  receive  God's  promises  in  such  wise,  as  they  be  generally 
set  forth  to  us  in  holy  Scripture :  And  in  our  doings  that  will  of  God  is  to  be  followed, 
which  we  have  expressly  declared  unto  us  in  the  Word  of  God." 


60  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Now,  let  me  recommend  you  to  study  that  Article,  if  you  have 
not  studied  it  before,  and  if  you  read  it,  as  a  commentary  on  pas- 
sages, where  the  subject  is  treated  of  in  the  Scriptures,  you  will 
find  how  truly  scriptural  it  is. 

The  Article,  you  see,  declares  : — First,  what  the  doctrine  of 
God's  word  on  the  subject  is. 

Secondly,  what  the  use  of  that  doctrine  is  to  the  Lord's  children, 
to  those  who  believe  the  Gospel. 

Then,  thirdly  it  sets  forth  a  most  dangerous  and  awful  abuse  of 
the  doctrine. 

And  lastly,  it  tells  us  how  men  are  to  receive  God's  promises, 
and  to  do  His  will,  and  that  is  plainly  and  simply,  as  God  hath  writ- 
ten and  revealed  them. 

Now,  I  shall  touch,  briefly,  on  both  these  views  of  the  case,  on 
the  use  and  abuse  of  the  doctrine.  I  shall  speak,  first,  of  the 
abuse  of  it.  It  is  very  necessary  to  consider  this,  because,  I  have 
myself  known  persons  who  have  strangely  abused  it ;  and  I  tell 
you  where  that  abuse  is  sometimes  to  be  found.  It  is  sometimes 
to  be  found  among  young  people,  in  pious  families.  Their  father 
and  mother,  perhaps,  have  endeavored  to  bring  them  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord — they  have  heard  the  doc- 
trines of  grace  repeatedly  set  forth  and  dwelt  upon,  in  conversations, 
expositions  of  Scripture,  sermons,  or  books.  Being  in  themselves 
unregenerated,  unconverted,  as  all  must  be  until  the  grace  of  God 
converts  them,  they  try,  from  this,  to  satisfy  themselves  in  their  own 
course  of  sin  and  folly.  And  let  my  young  friends,  or  any  others, 
whose  minds  may  be  perverted  or  ignorant  on  this  subject,  con- 
sider their  language. 

"  We  are  told,"  say  they,  (adopting  another  of  our  Articles,) 
*'  that  man  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself,  by  his  own  natural 
strength  and  good  works  to  faith,  and  calling  upon  God,  where- 
fore, we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works  pleasant  and  acceptable 
to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ,  preventing  us,  that 
we  may  have  a  good  will,"  (that  is,  beginning  the  work  in  our 
heart,  and  giving  to  us  a  good  will,)  "  and  working  with  us  when 
we  have  that  good  will." — Art.  x.  "  Now,  since  none  are  to  be 
converted  except  by  God's  grace,  if  I  am  to  be  saved,  I  must  be 
saved,  and  if  I  am  to  be  lost,  I  must  be  lost — if  I  am  to  be  saved, 
I  cannot  destroy  myself,  and  if  I  am  to  be  lost,  I  cannot  save  my- 
self, so  I  will  go  on  in  my  present  course,  and  God,  in  His  good 
time,  will  save  me,  if  I  am  to  be  saved,  and  if  not,  I  can,  I  know, 
do  nothing  of  myself." 

I  have  heard  that  argument  used — I  have  known  persons  pro- 
fess to  act  on  that  principle.  Therefore,  you  see,  how  wisely  the 
17th  Article  lays  down  the  awful  falsehood  of  such  an  abuse  of 
the  doctrine  as  this. 

Let  us,  therefore,  consider  this  view  of  the  subject. — The  omnisci- 
ence of  God  the  Almighty  Creator,  may  be  said,  in  one  sense,  neces- 
sarily to  determine  the  whole  course  of  all  created  beings,  and  all 
created  things :  I  mean  it  predetermines  it  in  this  sense,— that,  as 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  61 

they  appear  to  Him — as  they  are  seen  in  his  omniscient  eye  through- 
out the  course  of  time  and  eternity,  so  they  must  remain  forever  un- 
changeable. This  you  must  admit,  unless  you  deny  such  a  thmg 
as  omniscience  in  the  Deity.  The  mechanist  will  make  a  machine, 
whether  it  be  a  clock,  a  locomotive  engine,  or  anything  else  you 
please,  and  when  he  puts  it  out  of  his  hands,  he  knows  not  what 
may  become  of  that  machine  ;  he  knows  not  to  what  use  it  may 
be  turned,  to  what  end  it  may  be  applied,  nor  does  he  know  what 
part  will  stand,  nor  what  part  will  fail,  or  anything  more  as  to 
its  fate  or  destination,  after  it  is  delivered  from  his  hands.  But  do 
you  imagine  that  the  eternal  Creator  has  thus  formed  us  in  this 
world  that  we  inhabit  ?  We  are  not  indeed  machines,  but  ra- 
tional, voluntary,  responsible  moral  agents — formed  so — conscious 
that  we  are  so— and  treated  so  accordingly  by  God.  But  do 
you  think  He  has  been  ignorant  of  all  the  results  that  should 
follow  from  all  the  works  of  his  own  mighty  hand  ?  When  He 
endued  the  beings  and  the  things  He  formed  with  reproductive 
and  vegetative  power,  do  you  believe  that  he  was  ignorant  of  all 
the  consequences  that  were  to  follow  from  the  exercise  of  all  the 
powers  with  which  He  endued  them  ?  Nay,  there  is  not  a  single 
leaflet  that  ever  burst  from  a  tree  in  the  forest,  from  the  creation 
to  this  hour — there  is  not  a  single  blade  of  grass  that  ever  grew — 
there  is  not  a  single  grain  of  sand  upon  the  shore — there  is  not 
a  single  insect  vmdiscovered  or  undiscoverable  by  the  human 
eye,  or  by  the  microscopic  power  of  human  instruments — there 
is  not  a  drop  of  water  in  the  ocean — not  a  single  atom  of  dust 
in  the  world,  or  anything  connected  with  them  all,  that  was 
not  known  as  well  in  the  mind  of  the  Eternal  God,  as  any 
single  fact  is  known  to  Him  at  this  moment.  And  you  must 
admit  this  to  be  the  case,  unless  you  deny  that  it  is  He  that 
"  clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field,"  unless  you  deny  that  there  is  not 
a  single  sparrow  that  falls  to  the  ground  unmarked  by  His  all-see- 
ing eye,  unless  you  deny  that  He  numbers  the  hairs  of  your  head, 
unless  you  deny  what  seems  more  difficult  than  all  the  rest,  that 
He  will  bring  the  secret  thoughts  of  every  sinner's  heart  into  judg- 
ment, and  that  all  are  noted  in  His  eternal  book.  Therefore,  it  is 
wholly  impossible  that  anything  different  could  occur  from  that 
which  was  present  to  His  omniscient  mind  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  But  now  mark !  there  is  no  predestination  connected 
with  man,  irrespective  of  man's  full  accountability  to  God,  as  a 
voluntary,  rational,  responsible,  agent.  And  this  is  just  as  true  in 
temporal,  as  in  spiritual  things. 

Let  me  illustrate  this. — Whether  your  immortal  souls  or  mine 
shall  be  saved  or  lost  is  as  certain  in  the  mind  of  God  as  any  other 
act  that  ever  shall  oCcur.  But,  again, — your  life,  your  bodily  life, 
its  continuance,  its  close,  the  place,  the  mode,  the  moment  of  its 
termination,  everything  connected  with  your  life  and  death  is  as 
fixed  in  the  counsel  of  the  living  God  as  anything  concerning 
your  immortal  souls, — and  you  must  admit  this,  unless  you  sup- 
pose that  some  contingency  can  arise  connected  with  you  which  ia 


62  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

unknown  to  Almighty  God.  But  you  know  that  such  an  idea  is 
incompatible  with  His  divine  attributes  ;  there  is  no  use  in  argu- 
ing about  it,  it  is  absurd.  I  suppose  you  to  admit  this,  for  I  cannot 
imagine  you  to  deny  it. 

Now,  I  suppose  you  tell  me  you  are  tired  of  life  :  I  shall  place 
before  you  a  cup  of  wine  and  a  cup  of  poison  ;  which  will  you 
drink,  that  wine  or  that  poison  ?  It  is  just  as  fixed  and  as  certain 
before  you  were  born  in  the  eye  of  God,  as  it  shall  be  after  it  is 
done,  which  you  will  take.  But  will  you  dare  to  say,  will  you  pre- 
tend to  think,  that  you  have  not  the  power,  the  freedom,  as  a  vol- 
untary, rational,  accountable  being,  of  taking  the  one  or  the  other  ? 
Do  you  pretend  that  you  act  under  any  irresistible  constraint  ? 
Do  you  mean  to  say,  that  if  you  drink  that  cup  of  poison,  you  are 
not,  guilty  of  the  crime  of  self-murder,  and  that  you  shall  not  be 
justly  accountable  at  the  tribunal  of  the  holy  God  ? 

Again,  let  me  suppose  an  assassin, — he  has  his  dagger  in  his 
hand — he  is  watching  for  his  victim.  Now,  whether  that  victim 
is  to  fall,  by  the  dagger  of  that  assassin,  or  not,  is  as  clearly  settled 
in  the  counsels  of  God,  that  is  to  say,  it  is  as  clearly  known  to 
Him  as  it  is  to  you,  if  the  deed  be  done.  But,  if  that  murderer 
plunges  his  dagger  into  the  victim's  heart,  will  you  say  that  he  is  not 
accountable  as  a  moral  rational  agent  for  his  crime  to  God  ?  Will 
you  sit  on  his  jury,  and  when  the  fact  is  proved  before  you,  give  in 
your  verdict  before  God,  that  you  think  he  is  not  fit  to  live  in 
human  society,  but  that  he  should  fall  a  sacrifice  to  public  justice, 
and  will  you  venture  to  say,  that  the  Judge  of  earth  and  heaven 
is  not  to  pronounce  sentence  on  him,  as  you  and  the  judge  on 
the  bench  will  do  ?  Will  you  be  an  assassin,  and  Avill  you  pre- 
sume to  lay  your  guilt  on  your  God  ?  You  know  you  dare  not  do 
so.  Conscience — Conscience  answers  your  cavils  against  the  pre- 
science of  the  Omniscient  God. 

We  will  go  farther — I  suppose  you  are  afflicted  with  a  disease, 
— your  physician  says,  your  disease  is  certainly  mortal  unless  you 
take  a  certain  remedy.  He  says  to  you,  "  here  is  a  specific,  take 
this."  Will  you  say,  "  Oh,  if  I  am  to  die,  I  must  die  ;  and  if 
I  am  to  live,  I  must  live  ;  and  therefore,  there  is  no  use  in 
taking  any  remedy,  I  will  not  take  it — my  fate  is  fixed"  ?  Nay, 
verily,  you  would  seize  the  cup,  and  drink  it  with  an  earnest,  anx- 
ious, trembling  hand,  and  invoke  a  prayer,  I  hope,  for  the  blessing 
of  God  on  the  means  you  use. — And  then — when  your  immortal 
soul  is  infected  with  a  fatal  distemper — When  God  tells  you  so — 
when  the  Physician  of  souls  holds  out  to  you  a  cup  of  mercy — a 
cup  of  his  own  precious  blood — a  cup  of  healing,  life-giving  power, 
— will  you  dash  it  away,  and  say,  "  if  my  soul  is  to  be  saved,  it 
shall  be  saved  ;  and  if  it  is  to  perish  eternally,  it  must  die"  ? 
Surely,  if  you  dare  to  reason  thus, — if  God  be  in  heaven,  and  you 
on  earth,  and  if  you  are  a  rational  being,  your  blood  sliall  be  upon 
your  own  head. — And  when  the  Lord  shall  bring  you  into  judg- 
ment, and  when  he  shall  lay  the  cavils  of  your  guilty  heart  open 
to  the  eye  of  man, — the  whole  world  must  shout  "  Amen,"  when 


LECTURES    OiV    THE    EPHESIANS.  63 

He  says,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels." 

Now,  let  me  go  farther  still.  I  said,  there  was  not  a  blade  of 
grass  that  ever  sprang  from  the  field,  without  the  prescience  and 
power  of  God.  It  was  but  last  Sunday  that  we  returned  thanks 
to  God,  as  indeed  we  ought  to  thank  and  bless  him,  for  the  gra- 
cious harvest  he  has  l^een  pleased  to  send  us.  Now,  let  us  take  a 
field  of  wheat,  and  I  propose  this  question  to  you, — 

"  Do  you  think  did  that  productive  crop  of  wheat  spring  up  by 
accident,  or  was  it  the  gracious  gift  of  God  ?  Do  you  believe,  that 
the  harvest  in  this  field  arose  as  a  contingency,  or  do  you  believe, 
that  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  gracious  produce  given 
by  God  this  year,  was  as  clearly  in  the  all-seeing  eye  and  mind  of 
that  God,  as  it  was  when  he  sent  the  rain  upon  it,  and  commanded 
His  sun  to  shine  upon  it  this  summer  ?  Now,  let  me  suppose  the 
owner  of  that  ground  to  have  said : — - 

"  Oh,  here  is  my  field  to  be  sure — -but,  if  it  pleases  God  to  give 
me  a  good  crop  He  will  give  it  to  me — and  if  He  does  not  please 
to  do  so,  He  will  not — so  I  may  sit  down  idle — I  will  neither  till, 
nor  sow,  or  do  anything." 

Do  you  think  would  not  this  sluggard,  this  idler,  this  daring 
speculator  on  God's  providence,  be  justly  left  to  starve  in  his  indo- 
lent audacious  presumption  ?     Yea,  you  know  he  would. 

Again,  whether  you  be  engaged  in  Ijusiness,  or  trade,  or  farming, 
or  in  a  profession,  I  hope  you  look  unto  God — I  hope  you  know 
and  feel,  that  if  you  are  prosperous,  it  is  God  that  prospers  you — 
that  it  is  He  who  sends  orders  into  your  counting  houses,  and  cus- 
tomers into  your  shops,  grants  you  the  increase  of  your  ground,  or 
prosperity  in  your  profession,  and  supplies  you  with  daily  food  and 
everything  that  you  enjoy. 

Now  give  me  leave  to  ask,  will  you  say,  "  Oil  well,  if  God  sends 
me  orders,  I  shall  have  them — or  if  he  sends  me  customers,  I  shall 
have  them — ^or  if  he  sends  me  produce  in  my  farm,  or  prosperity 
in  my  profession,  I  shall  have  them — there  is  no  use  in  my  doing 
anything  ;  I  shall  have  them,  if  I  am  to  have  them — and  I  shall 
not  have  them,  if  I  am  not  to  have  them — therefore  I  will  do 
nothing"? 

Will  you  thus  reason  ?  Will  you  presume  to  give  utterance  to 
such  sentiments  ?  Will  you  pretend  to  think  so  ?  Nay,  you  know 
well,  that  if  you  did  so,  you  should  be  left  justly  to  starve.  You 
know  well,  that  if  you  are  not  diligent  in  your  business,  if  you  do 
not  take  care  of  your  counting  houses — of  your  shops — of  your  farm 
— if  you  are  not  diligent  and  laborious  in  your  profession  or  calling 
whatever  it  be,  you  know  full  well,  you  neither  could  or  ought  to 
expect  a  blessing  from  God  on  your  own  indolence,  your  neglect, 
your  presumption,  your  audacious  tempting  of  His  mighty  power ; 
you  know  this  is  true.  Now  you  will  admit,  I  suppose,  that  your 
temporal  and  spiritual  affairs  are  alike  in  the  hand  of  God.  Will 
you  then  venture  to  reason  respecting  your  immortal  souls,  as  you 
would  not  reason  respecting  the  smallest  trifle  in  all  your  tempo- 


64  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ral  concerns?  Will  you  presume  to  say,  when  you  neglect  the 
means  that  God  has  been  pleased  to  give  to  you  in  His  holy  word, 
that  you  are  to  expect  any  blessing  for  your  souls,  or  any  salvation 
fiom  your  God  ?  And  will  you  dare  to  charge  your  own  neglect, 
your  own  unbelief,  your  own  rejection  of  the  use  of  means,  will 
you  dare  to  charge  them  on  him?  Surely,  conscience  must  con- 
vict you.  Your  own  conscience  must  make  a  liar  of  you,  if  you 
dare  to  charge  your  own  crime  on  your  Creator !  You  are  moral 
agents,  voluntary  agents,  you  are  responsible  agents,  you  have  to 
deal  with  a  righteous,  just,  and  holy  God,  and  if  you  are  to  rebel 
against  your  Maker,  in  speculating  as  to  your  immortal  souls,  as 
you  would  not  attempt  to  speculate  in  any  temporal  concern, — 
again,  I  say,  your  blood  be  upon  your  own  head.* 

Remember,  it  is  with  respect  to  spiritual  things,  as  it  is  with  re- 
spect to  temporal  things  ;  that  as  far  as  man's  knowledge,  as  far 
as  man's  view,  as  far  as  man's  salvation  is  concerned,  there  is  no 
predestination  irrespective  of  his  responsibility  and  conduct  as  a 
moral  agent.  Remember,  that  no  impenitent  unbeliever,  continu- 
ing in  impenitence  and  unbelief,  is  predestinated  to  enter  into 
eternal  life.  No  believer  is  predestinated  to  perish.  Your  busi- 
ness is  to  repent,  and  believe  the  Gospel,  while  it  is  called  to-day. 
"  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  His  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts.^^  Heb. 
iii.  7,  8. 

You  say,  "  We  can  do  no  good  of  ourselves.  The  doctrine  of 
election,  as  it  is  written  in  Scripture,  plainly  shows  that  man  has 
it  not  in  his  power  to  do  any  good  to  his  own  soul."  Most  true. 
But,  while  it  tells  you  your  own  impotence,  it  tells  you  where  to  go 
for  strength  and  assistance,  "  Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you,  seek 
and  ye  shall  find,  knock,  and  it  shall  he  opened  unto  you  ;  for 

*  Without  attempting  to  enter  into  any  abstruse  or  metaphysical  discussion  on  the 
subject,  the  author  would  venture  to  suggest  that,  much  difficulty  seems  to  have  arisen 
from  those  who  vindicate  this  doctrine  of  Scripture  by  speaking  or  vyriting  against 
what  they  call  the  freedom  of  the  will.  This  appears  to  be  at  least  an  unscriptural 
mode  of  treating  the  subject,  and  gives  ample  ground  to  those  who  oppose  it,  to  array 
against  them  the  whole  body  of  the  Word  of  God,  which  deals  with  man,  as  it  con- 
fessedly does,  as  a  voluntary  responsible  agent,  as  he  certainly  is. 

It  is  the  corruption  of  the  will,  the  depravity  and  wickedness  of  the  heart,  which 
aggravates,  instead  of  excusing,  the  guilt  of  a  moral  agent,  that  appears  to  be  charged 
on  man  throughout  the  scriptures,  and  which  makes  his  impotence  to  do  good  rather 
an  enhancement  than  a  palliation  of  his  iniquity ;  and  this  appears  to  be  not  only  a 
Scriptural  truth,  but  a  truth  constantly  admitted  and  applied  to  moral  evil  in  our  ordi- 
nary parlance  and  our  common  dealing  with  our  fellow-creatures.  We  say,  speaking 
of  them,  "  That  man  cannot  speak  a  word  of  truth, — That  man  cannot  keep  his  hands 
from  pilfering, — That  man  cannot  keep  himself  sober, — That  fellow  cannot  speak  a 
civil  word  to  you,  or  cannot  speak  without  blaspheming, — That  child  cannot  treat  its 
parents  with  common  respect  or  decency." — These,  and  similar  phrases  which  we  ha- 
bitually use,  and  justly  apply,  never  are  considered  by  us.  to  imply  either  a  want  of 
freedom  of  will  in  these  persons  to  do  right,  in  any  sense  which  afi'ects  their  moral 
accountability,  or  any  impotence  to  discharge  their  duty,  which  could  induce  us  either 
to  excuse  or  extenuate  their  guilt;  on  the  contrary,  we  use  the  expression  •' cannot"  in 
a  sense  that  implies  an  aggravation  of  their  crime  and  an  indurated  impenitence  of 
character  which  makes  them  subjects  of  severer  judgment.  When  we  thus  deal  with 
our  fellow-creatures  in  their  several  relations  of  accountability  to  us,  we  surely  vindi- 
cate the  ways  of  God  in  all  his  various  judgments  and  dealing  with  us.  And  the 
man  who  denies  original  sin,  and  the  man  who  traces  all  practical  evil  to  that  source, 
alike  refuse  it  as  a  plea  against  accountability  of  their  fellow-creatures  to  themselves. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  65 

every  one  that  asketh  recelxeth.  and  he  that  seeketh  Jindeth^  and 
to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  he  openedP  Luke,  xi.  9,  10.  If  it  is 
written,  "  No  man  can  come  to  we,  except  my  Father  which  hath 
sent  me  draw  h'un^''  John,  vi.  44,  it  is  also  written,  " him  that 
Cometh  to  wie,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.''''  John,  vi.  37.  He  who 
saith  this,  invites  sinners  to  come  to  Him,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye 
that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden  and  I  will  give  you  restP  Mat. 
xi.  28. 

He  complains  of  their  refusal,  "  ye  ivill  not  come  to  m,e  that  ye 
may  have  lifeP  John,  v.  40.  Ye  do  not  choose  to  come  to  me. 
In  willingly  doing  what  conscience  testifies  we  can  do ;  there  is 
always  strength  vouchsafed  to  those  who  seek  it,  to  do  what  the 
Bible  tells  us  Ave  cannot  do. 

"  Stretch  forth  thine  hand^''  saith  Jesus.     Mat.  xii.  13. 

The  man  does  not  say,  "  It  is  withered  and  I  cannot."  No — 
"  he  stretched  it  forth  and  it  was  restored  whole  as  the  other P 
Depend  on  it  when  the  Judge  of  heaven  and  earth  shall  come,  there 
shall  be  neither  metaphysics  nor  casuistry  heard  at  His  tribunal. 

Therefore,  let  rae  address  all  in  their  respective  circimistances. 
Those  that  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"^If  you  s^^jeak  to 
me  on  the  doctrine  of  election,  and  say,  "  Alas  !  I  am  perfectly 
dead,  perfectly  insensible,  I  have  no  regard  for  my  soul,  I  am  liv- 
ing recklessly  in  sin,  and  you  cannot  say  I  am  among  the  elect  of 
God."  Indeed  I  cannot,  nor  is  it  my  province  to  pronounce.  You 
certainly  give  no  evidence  of  being  one  of  God's  people.  You  are 
as  the  Apostle  speaks  of  himself,  and  of  this  very  church  in  their 
iinregenerate  state — ^"  Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversa- 
tion in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires 
of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath,  eveii  as  others." — Ephes.  ii.  3.  But,  neither  can  I  say,  that 
you  are  not  among  the  elect  of  God.  When  the  two  thieves  were 
hung  on  the  cross  and  when  they  joined  the  mob  in  reviling  Christ, 
if  any  had  asked,  "  Are  these  God's  elect  people  ?" — the  answer 
must  have  been,  "  Alas,  no,  they  evince  that  they  are  the  children 
of  Satan."  Nevertheless,  God's  sovereign  grace  touched  the  heart 
of  one  of  these  poor  sinners,  and  he  turned  to  Jesus,  and  said, 
"  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom."  You 
know  the  answer ! 

Now,  though  you  may  have  been  a  hardened  rebel  against  God 
to  this  very  day,  man  can  neither  pronounce  nor  know  whether 
or  not  you  are  one  of  God's  elect.  But  it  is  my  office  to  address 
you,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  listen,  as  you  are — a  guilty  sinner ;  it 
is  my  office  to  proclaim  to  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  pardon  and 
free  salvation  from  your  God.  I  know,  if  you  hear  me,  it  is  God's 
sovereign  grace,  overcoming  your  naturally  hard  heart,  and  in- 
clining your  ear  to  listen,  opening  your  heart  to  attend  to  the 
things  that  are  spoken,  as  he  opened  the  heart  of  Lydia,  "  to  attend: 
unto  the  things  that  were  spoken  of  Paul,"  Acts,  xvi.  14,  and  as; 
the  Apostle  in  the  passage  which  I  have  quoted,  (Eph.  ii.  3.)  shows 
of  himself  and  the  Ephesians.  that  they  had  been  delivered  from  their 

5 


66  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

guilt,  "  But  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy  fo7' his  great  love  wherewith 
he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ,  {hy  grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised 
us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  jjlaces  in 
Christ  Jesus."  Epb.  ii.  4,  5,  6.  And  perhaps  this  very  subject,  per- 
liaps  these  very  words  spoken  this  day,  may  be  God's  blessed  means 
of  bringing  the  truth  to  your  heart  and  conscience,  and  of  leading 
you  to  say,  "  Since  free  salvation  is  proclaimed  in  Christ,  though  I 
cannot  repent  or  l^elieve  myself,  yet  God's  grace  is  mighty  to  save. 
O  let  me  pray  that  God  may  bring  a  sinner,  such  as  I  am,  to  the 
feet  of  Jesus.'"'  May  the  Lord  luring  this  truth  to  your  hearts  !  and 
though  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  to  this  hour,  yet  God  can 
give  you  light  and  life,  and  salvation,  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  Lord. 

Now,  let  mc  address  those  who  are  very  weak,  and  who  are 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  own  inability.  A  person  who  is 
'^  dead  in  trespasses  and  ^m^,"  feels  no  spiritual  life,  nor  is  he  con- 
scious of  spiritual  death,  any  more  than  a  dead  body.  But  sinners 
who  are  awakened,  begin  to  feel  their  inability  to  do  good,  they 
feel  they  are  not  able  to  will  or  to  do.  they  mourn  over  their  own 
sin  and  corruption,  and  eacli  is  ready  to  cry  out,  "  Alas,  I  must  be 
lost,  I  cannot  be  one  of  God's  people,  or  I  could  not  be  such  a  guilty 
sinner  as  I  am."  Nay,  my  dear  friend,  let  us  rather  trust,  that 
this  is  '•  the  day  of  small  things''^  with  you.  God  saith,  "  n-ho  has 
despised  the  day  of  small  things  T  Zech.  iv.  10.  As  much  as  to 
say,  "  Surely  not  I."  No,  he  does  not.  "  A  hrnised  reed  shall  he 
not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax  shcdl  he  not  quench."  Isa.  xlii.  3. 
And  if  indeed  you  are  awakened  to  see,  and  feel  your  own  helpless- 
ness, it  is  not  you  \\\\o  have  awakened  yourselves,  nor  is  it  the 
enemy  of  your  soul,  who  has  awakened  you.  Oh,  no  surely,  if 
you  are  awakened,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  "  For  hy  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith,  and  that,  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of 
God,  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  shonld  boast."  Ephes.  ii.  8,  9. 
Therefore,  take  courage,  the  sight  of  your  own  disease,  should  lead 
you  to  prize  the  blessing  of  the  Great  Physician,  and  Oh,  remem- 
ber, that  you  cannot  be  so  guilty,  but  that  Jesus  is  more  mighty  to 
pardon  and  to  save. 

Then,  again,  you  who  are  enlightened,  who  are  strong  in  the 
;faith,  I  need  not  say  to  you  what  the  blessedness  of  the  doctrine 
of  God's  sovereign  electing  grace  is. 

Ignorant  persons  imagine,  and  speak  of  those  who  hold  this  doc- 
tiine  thus: — (it  is  riglit  to  mention  this  error,)  "Oh,  these  persons 
say,  they  are  the  elect  of  God  !  they  are  the  good  !  they  are  the 
Jioly !  they  are  the  excellent  people  of  the  earth  !  but  for  us,  poor, 
guilty  creatures,  we  are  lost,  we  have  not  any  lot  or  part  in  the 
matter,  these  men  say  to  us,  ^  come  not  near  to  me,  for  I  am  holier 
than  thouJ"  Isai.  Ixv.  5.  Oh,  my  dear  friends,  it  is  not  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  goodness,  but  it  is  a  knowledge  of  his  deep  guilt  and 
misery,  that  makes  a  believer  prize  the  doctrine  of  God's  electing 
grace.  It  is  not  because  there  is  anything  good  in  him,  but  be- 
cause he  feels  himself  so  full  of  sin,  that  if  he  could  not  look  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  67 

God's  sovereign  grace  and  mercy  to  take  him,  and  bring  him  to 
Zion,  he  knows,  he  would  not  come, — he  knows,  that  nothing  but 
God's  grace  could  overcome  his  wicked  will  at  first,  or  carry  on  any 
plans  of  love  and  mercy  to  his  soul.  And  therefore,  I  say,  you  who 
are  strong  in  the  faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  your  sin  has 
taught  you  the  blessing  of  the  doctrine  of  election. 

But  again,  it  is  said,  "  Oh  !  then,  you  may  go  on  in  sin,  and  if 
you  are  elected,  you  may  presume  on  the  grace  of  God.  If  God 
has  given  us  his  grace,  we  may  go  on  and  live  in  sin."  Remem- 
ber, Oh !  sinner,  that  God's  promises  of  election  are  always  insepara- 
bly connected  both  with  the  use  of  means,*  and  with  an  appropri- 
ate faith  and  character,  so  the  Apostle  saith,  "  We  are  his  ivork- 
manship  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  ivorks,  inhich  God 
hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  the??i,  chap.  ii.  10, 
Again,  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  7ione  of 
hisj'^  again,  "  As  many  as  are  led  hy  the  spirit  of  God,  they  are 
the  sons  of  God."  Rom.  viii.  7,  14.  Again,  while  the  Lord  testi- 
fies, "  J.5  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in 
the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  m^eP  So  He  adds 
the  proof  of  the  fact,  "  He  that  ahideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,,  the 
same  bringeth  forth  m^uch  fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do 
nothing^  John,  xv.  4,  5. 

So  here  you  see  in  the  text,  the  end  of  their  election,  "  that  we 

SHOULD  BE  to  THE   PRAISE  OF  HIS  GLORY,  WHO  FIRST  TRUSTED 

IN  CHRIST."  That  we  who  have  been  brought,  as  it  were,  the 
first-fruits  of  his  grace  from  Jews  and  Gentiles, — I,  a  blind,  self- 
righteous  persecutor  from  amongst  the  Pharisees — you,  blind  idola- 
ters from  the  worshippers  in  the  temple  of  Diana,  that  "  we  should 
BE  TO  the  praise  OF  HIS  glory" — monuiiients,  as  we  are,  of 
His  sovereign  grace,  that  we  should  remember  "we  are  not  our 
own,  but  bought  with  a  price,  and  should  therefore  glorify  God 
ivith  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are  God^s."  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20. 
That  "?('e  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called 
us  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."  1  Peter  ii.  9.  That 
we  should  ^^  present  our  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  and  accepta- 
ble unto  God,  which  is  our  reasonable  service."  Rom.  xii.  1. 
That  we  should  "  let  our  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may 
see  our  good  works,  and  glorify  our  Father  lohich  is  in  heaven." 
Mat.  V.  16. 

Yes,  if  men  are  chosen  out  of  the  world  l^y  the  grace  of  God,  it 
must  be  for  the  service  of  God.  There  could  be  no  election  to 
serve  the  devil,  for  that  is  the  natural  course  of  all.     If  men  are 

*  The  belief  in  God's  purposes  and  promises,  as  connected  with  the  use  of  means, 
is  remarkably  illustrated  by  the  conduct  of  St.  Paul  in  the  stonn,  Acts,  xxvii.  God 
had  promised  him  that  "  there  should  be  no  loss  of  any  mans  life"  on  board,  verse  22 ; 
so  he  confidently  asserted  to  the  crew,  to  cheer  their  hearts.  Yet  though  God  had 
promised,  and  though  he  had  asserted  it  on  God's  authority,  still  when  the  sailors 
were  about  to  make  their  escape  out  of  the  vessel,  '•  Paul  said  to  the  centurion,  and  to 
the  soldiers,  Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved,"  verse  31 ;  to  profess  to 
trust  in  anv  promise  of  God,  and  to  despise  the  use  of  the  appointed  njeans,  is  nqt 
Scriptural  faith,  but  unscriptural  presumption. 


68  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

elected  from  this  service,  tiie  only  proof  that  can  Ijc  given  of  it  is, 
that  they  are  called  to  the  service  of  God.  As  St.  Peter  says, 
"  elect^  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.''^   1  Pet.  i.  2. 

Believers  know  and  feel  too  deeply  the  bitterness  of  sin — the 
burthen  of  the  heavy  conflict — the  anguish  of  that  lusting  of  the 
flesh  against  the  spirit,  so  feelingly  described  by  the  Apostle,  Rom. 
vii.  14-24,  not  to  know  and  feel  that  their  calling  is  an  holy  calling 
— they  feel  that  hohness  and  happiness  are  essentially  connected 
together.  Sin  is  the  pleasure  of  the  unregenerate  heart,  it  is  the 
grief  and  cross  of  the  believer — ■'•'■  loe  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do 
groan,  being  burthenedP  2  Cor.  v.  14.  Alas !  how  often,  O  be- 
liever !  has  your  sinful  corrupt  heart  experienced  as  a  bitter  evil 
what  the  ignorant  world  imputes  to  you  as  a  principle — how  often 
has  your  sinful  heart  presumed  on  the  Lord's  grace  ! — how  often 
have  you  provoked  and  grieved  your  Master !  Yet,  let  me  ask, 
did  you  ever  do  so  in  your  life  that  you  were  not  made  to  feel  it 
bitterly  ? — did  you  ever  soiv  to  the  flesh,  that  you.  did  not  reap 
corruption  ?  Gal.  vi.  8, — did  you  ever  sow  the  wind,  that  you 
did  not  reap  the  whirlivind  ?  Hos.  viii.  7.  No ;  if  you  be  a  be- 
liever, you  have  felt  what  the  evil  of  sin  is,  you  feel  it  continuall3^ 
and  you  know  you  are  not  elected  to  go  to  eternal  life  by  living  in 
your  sins, — you  know  that  you  are  elected  to  eternal  life,  if  you  are 
indeed  one  of  God's  people,  to  serve  and  to  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  But  when  you  feel  your  inward  corruption, 
when  you  feel  the  struggling  of  sin  in  your  soul — the  power  of 
those  temptations  that  would  hurry  your  natural  heart  away,  and 
draw  it  on  into  the  vortex  of  ruin — Oh,  then  you  know  what  it  is 
to  bless  God  that  you  have  a  mighty  hand  to  hold  you,  and  to 
keep  you  safe  in  Jesus,  that  he  will  not  leave  you  to  perish.  You 
know  how  sweet  are  these  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises 
and  truths — "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  knoiv  them,  and 
they  folloiv  me,  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall 
never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My 
Father  who  gave  them  to  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able 
to  pluck  them  out  of  m,y  Fathefs  hand.  I  and  my  Father  are 
one."  John  x.  27,  28,  29.  Again  '•'  This  is  the  Father's  loill,  which 
hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  give?!  me,  I , •should  lose 
nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.''  John  vi. 
39.  You  know  the  consolation  of  that  blessed  promise — "  He  hath 
said,  I  tiiill  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee."  Heb.  xiii.  5.  You 
love  the  doctrine  of  election,  not  because  you  think  yourself  good, 
but  because  you  feel  what  a  guilty  sinner  you  are,  and  that  if  God 
did  not  keep  you,  you  could  never  keep  yourself;  therefore  you 
prize  that  glorious  truth  of  His  word,  that  His  people  "  are  kepi  by 
the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation."  1  Peter  i.  5. 

And  now,  beloved  friends,  pray  over  these  things,  pray,  that 
God  may  instruct  you.  Oh  !  beware  how  you  tempt  God.  Be- 
ware how  you  deal  with  God  in  spiritual  things,  as  your  own 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  69 

natural  thoughts  and  feelings — your  own  carnal  interests  and  ob- 
jects make  you  know  and  feel,  you  would  not  dare  to  deal  with 
Him  in  temporal  things. — Beware  of  this  ! 

And  O  !  prize  the  day  of  small  things.  Cherish  every  feeling 
of  conviction,  every  emotion  of  spiritual  sensibility,  every  whisper 
of  an  awakened  conscience  in  your  hearts,  cherish  every  gleam  of 
hope  ill  Jesus — if  it  be  genuine,  it  comes  from  the  Lord  God,  and 
it  shall  "  shijie  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  dayP  Prov.  iv.  18. 
Remember  our  Lord's  words,  "  watch  and  pray^  that  ye  enter  not 
into  temptationP  Mat.  xxvi.  41. 

And  ye  who  are  strong  in  faith,  pray,  that  your  strength  may 
be  renewed  day  by  day.  True  Faith  builds  no  storehouses  for 
"  the  Bread  that  cometh  down  from  heaven,"  but  lives  daily  on 
the  fresh  supplies  it  gathers  from  the  hand  of  God.  Pray  that  you 
may  be  enabled  to  '■'■glorify  God  in  your  bodies  and  spirits lohich 
are  His,^^  1  Cor.  vi.  20,  and  "  as  he  who  has  called  yon  is  holy,  so  be 
ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ;  because  it  is  written,  Be 
ye  holy  for  I  am  holy.  1  Pet.  i.  14,  15.  Let  every  promise  be 
turned  into  prayer,  that  it  may  be  fulfilled,  and  every  precept,  that 
it  may  be  observed.  Pray  thcut,  during  all  your  course  you  may  be 
enabled  not  to  "  yield  your  members  as  instruments  of  unright- 
eousness unto  sin^^  but  to  "  yield  yourselves  unto  God  as  t/iose 
who  are  alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  metnbers  as  instruments 
of  righteousness  unto  GodP  Thus  shall  you  glorify  your  Father, 
and  LIVE  TO  the  praise  of  His  glory. 


SIXTH    LEG  TURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 13,  14. 


'•  In  whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your 
salvation,  in  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance,  until  the  redemption  of  the  pur- 
chased possession,  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory." 

Having  considered  how  God's  sovereign,  predestinating  grace, 
of  which  we  read  in  the  last  passage,  no  more  interferes  with 
man's  responsibility  as  a  voluntary,  moral  agent,  or  supersedes  the 
right  use  of  means,  or  the  legitimate  operation  of  second  causes 
in  spiritual  things,  than  the  predeterminate  order  and  succession 
of  all  things  on  earth,  supersedes  them  in  man's  temporal  concerns 
— having  shown  its  use  and  consolation  to  His  elect  people — and 
that  those  who  are  called  by  his  sovereign  mercy  and  power,  are 
called  to  glorify  Him,  as  monuments  of  grace,  "  to  the  praise  of 
his  glory P     Let  us  observe,  how  the  operations  of  divine  grace 


70  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

are  manifested  in  those  who  are  the  objects  of  it, — that  is,  how 
those  who  are  the  objects  of  divine  grace  are  to  be  known.  How 
does  it  appear  that  men  "  have  obtained  this  inheritance  ?"  how 
that  they  are  "  predesti?iated  according-  to  the  purpose  of  him 
who  iDorketh  all  tilings  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will  f  This 
is  evidently  exhibited  in  the  words  which  I  have  read  to  you,  "in 

WHOM  YE  ALSO  TRUSTED,  AFTER  THAT  YE  HEARD  THE  WORD  OF 
TRUTH,  THE  GOSPEL  OF  YOUR  SALVATION  ;  IN  WHOM  ALSO, 
AFTER  THAT  YE  BELIEVED,  YE  WERE  SEALED  WITH  THAT  HOLY 
SPIRIT  OF  PROMISE,  WHICH  IS  THE  EARNEST  OF  OUR  INHER- 
ITANCE, UNTIL  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  THE  PURCHASED  POS- 
SESSION." 

Now,  you  perceive  here  how  their  election  to  their  inheritance, 
was  manifested  by  the  power  of  divine  grace  through  the  Gospel, 
and  I  would  specially  point  out  three  things  : — 

I.  — In  their  attention  to  the  "  Word  of  truth,"  when  it  was 
preached  to  them. 

II. — In  their  believing  the  Gospel  of  their  salvation  and  trusting 
in  the  Lord  Jesus. 

III. — In  the  operations  and  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon 
them. 

Now,  let  me  entreat  you  that  in  the  very  consideration  of  this 
subject,  as  applied  to  the  Ephesians,  you  will  endeavor  to  carry 
out  its  practical  application  to  your  own  souls.  Let  us  remember, 
that  the  preaching  of  the  Word  can  no  more  convey  a  blessing  to 
our  souls,  than  it  could  convey  a  blessing  to  the  beasts  that  perish, 
unless  the  Spirit  of  God  acompanies  it.  I  can  neither  derive  a 
blessing  to  my  own  soul  in  reading  the  Bible,  or  in  preaching  ;  nor 
can  you  in  hearing,  unless  God,  by  His  Spirit  teaches  us. 

May  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God  then  accompany  His  Word  to 
our  hearts.  May  He  give  us  these  blessed  gifts  which  come  alone 
from  Him  !  May  the  word  spoken  in  weakness  be  accompanied 
with  "  denionstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  jJoiver,^'  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  to 
our  souls,  so  that  it  may  be  to  us  "  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  LordP 

I. —  The  power  of  divine  grace  was  proved  in  their  attention  to 
the  Word  preached  hy  the  Apostle. 

The  natural  character  of  man  is  exhibited  in  this,  as  well  as 
many  other  instances,  in  his  utter  disregard  of  God's  Holy  Word. 
The  natural  man  is  a  "  deaf  adder,"  he  stoppeth  his  ears — he 
never  hears  the  Scriptures  with  attention.  Men  will  listen  to  the 
language,  indeed  of  the  preacher  ;  they  will  attend,  perhaps,  to 
his  voice — to  his  manner — they  will  criticise  them  for  you,  together 
with  the  style  and  expression  of  everything  he  says — if  you  ask 
them  their  opinion  of  these  things,  they  will  be  able  to  give  it  to 
)^ou  readily  enough — but,  ask  them  the  meaning  of  the  holy  Word 
preached  to  them — they  know  nothing  about  it,  except  perhaps 
totally  to  misrepresent  or  pervert  it.  How  many  of  you  can  give 
an  account  of  the  spiritual  truths  that  are  set  Ijefore  you,  when 
you  leave  this  or  any  place  of  worship  ?     I  dare  say,  you  will  find, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  71 

if  you  examine  yourselves,  that  there  are  but  too  many  who 
cannot  give  an}^  Our  blessed  Lord  illustrates  their  case,  in  the 
parable  of  the  sower,  by  the  seed  sown  on  the  high-way-side. 
"  When  any  one"  saith  our  Lord,  "  heareth  the  word  of  the  king- 
dom and  nnderstandeth  it  not^''  (it  never  reaches  to  his  under- 
standing nor  his  conscience)  "  Then  cometh  the  wicked  one,  and 
catcheth  away  tltat  which  icas  soion  in  his  heart.  This  is  he 
which  receiveth  seed  by  the  way-side.''''  Mat.  xiii.  19. 

Now,  what  must  be  the  end  of  those  who  hear,  and  hear,  and 
hear,  and  hear  again,  and  again,  and  again,  and  again,  but  who 
are  at  the  last  as  though  they  had  never  heard  ?  Do  you  think, 
is  not  man  responsible  for  this  inattention  ?  When  we  say,  that 
this  is  your  natural  heart,  and  when  we  say,  that  nothing  but  divine 
grace  can  deliver  you  from  it,  do  you  think  ^^ou  are  not  responsi- 
ble for  your  guilty  disregard  of  God's  Word  ?  Your  mother  would 
have  corrected  you  when  you  were  a  child,  for  inattention  to  your 
alphabet,  if  you  would  not  learn  yoiu"  letters.  Your  school-master 
or  school-mistress  would  punish  you  if  you  neglected  your  lesson. 
If  you  be  a  clerk,  or  a  servant,  or  an  apprentice,  your  employer 
would  dismiss  you,  or  cancel  your  indentures,  if  you  were  not  at- 
tentive to  your  business.  If  you  be  a  professional  man,  or  if  you 
be  in  business  yourself,  yoiu"  clients  and  customers  would  forsake 
you,  if  you  did  not  attend  to  your  profession,  or  counting-house,  or 
shop.  You  know,  this  is  all  right  and  just,  and  you  would  deal 
so  yourself  with  your  fellow-man.  And  "  shall  not  the  judge  of 
all  the  earth  do  r'lghf'' — ^Gen.  xviii.  25, — in  brinigng  you  into 
judgment,  when  you  neglect  His  blessed  Word?  When  you  neg- 
lect His  expostulations — His  entreaties — His  warnings — His  prom- 
ises— His  threatenings — His  mercies  ?  Shall  your  Creator — your 
Preserver — your  Benefactor — your  Redeemer,  appeal  to  you,  and 
shall  you  neglect  and  despise  Him — shall  you  be  irresponsible  and 
unpimished  ?  Yoiu'  consciences  echo  the  justice  of  that  solemn 
question,  "  How  shall  loe  escajye  if  2ve  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?" 
Heb.  ii.  3. 

But  your  consciousness  of  this,  if  you  feel  your  own  negligent 
and  inattentive  hearts — if  you  feel  the  burden  of  that  thoughtless, 
wandering,  distracted  spirit  that  tells  you,  it  is  not  in  yourselves  to 
direct  your  way,  but  that  the  gift  of  attention  is  the  gift  of  God, 
this  should  lead  you  to  pray  with  the  Psalmist,  "  Consider  and 
hear  me,  O  Lord  my  God,  lighten  mine  eyes,  lest  I  sleep  the 
sleep  of  deathJ''  Ps.  xiii.  3. — "  Teach  me  thy  way,  O  Lord,  and  I 
loill  walk  in  thy  truth.  Unite  my  lieart  to  fear  thy  nameP 
Ps.  Ixxxvi.  11.  And  if  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  speaking  of  the 
natural  wickedness  of  the  human  heart,  in  St.  John's  Gospel,  vi. 
44,  saith,  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  my  Father,  which  hath 
sent  me,  draw  hini,^^ — so,  remember  that  yoiu'  prayer  should  be 
the  prayer  of  the  church,  in  the  Canticle,  i.  4,  "  Draw  me,  we  will 
ru7i  after  theeP  Oh  !  that  this  may  be  the  prayer  of  your  hearts 
and  mine  !  If  you  feel  the  want,  remember — the  God  who  can 
supply  all  your  wants,  invites  you  to  come  and  ask, — "  if  any  of 


72  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  lib- 
erally,  and  nphraideth  not,  and  it  shall  he  given  him"  James  i. 
5,  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  he  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ; 
knock,  and  it  shall  be  ojyened  unto  you.  For  every  one  that  ask- 
eth,  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth  ;  and  to  him  that 
knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened.  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of 
you  that  is  a  father,  trill  he  give  him  a  stone  7  or  if  he  ask  a 
fish,  will  he  for  a  fish  give  hiin  a  .serpent  ?  Or  if  he  shall  ask 
an  egg  will  he  ofi^er  him  a  scorpion  7  If  y^  then,  being  evil, 
know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  hoiv  much  more 
.shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 
ask  him  f  Luke  xi.  9-13,  for  "  the  hearing  ear,  and  the  seeing 
eye,  the  Lord  hath  made  even  both  of  themP  Piov.  xx.  12.  "  The 
preparations  of  the  heart  in  m,a7i,  and  the  answer  of  the  tongue 
is  fro?n  the  Lord."  Piov.  xvi.  1.  Therefore  attention  to  God's 
truth  is  one  of  the  first  manifestations  of  the  grace  of  God.  Oh  ! 
then,  if  your  heart  is  inchned  to  listen  to  the  Word  of  God,  if 
you  are  anxiously  inquiring  into  divine  truth,  cherish,  I  beseech 
you,  that  spark  of  grace  in  your  heart.  It  may  be  but  a  spark, 
but  remember,  Jesus,  "  will  not  quench  the  smoking  flax,"  Isa. 
xlii.  3,  nay,  but  "  He  giveth  more  grace,"  Jam.  iv.  6.  Remem- 
ber that  the  refreshing  showers  that  brought  life  to  the  land  of  Is- 
rael, were  at  first  but  a  little  cloud,  as  a  man's  hand  in  the  sky. 
And  remember,  again,  you  have  a  God  to  come  to  who  saith, 
"  Him,  that  cometh  to  me  I  loill  in  no  wise  cast  out."  John, 
vi.  44.  Oh  !  cherish  every  desire  for  truth,  pray  for  more  of  it, 
"?^  so  be  that  you  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious." 
1  Pet.  ii.  3. 

But  again,  I  said, — II.  Faith  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and 
trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  the  manifestation  of  the  poicer  of  di- 
vine grace,   "  In  whom   ye   also  trusted,  after   that   ye 

HEARD  THE  WORD  OF  TRUTH,  THE  GOSPEL  OF  YOUR  SALVA- 
TION." Inattention  necessarily  must  produce  unbelief.  How  can 
they  believe  who  do  not  hear  or  consider  that  whicli  is  proposed 
to  their  behef  ?  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing."  Rom.  x.  17.  Faith, 
the  belief  of  the  truth,  is,  like  attention,  the  gift  of  God.  You 
have  that  principle  laid  down  in  this  epistle  :— ii.  8.  "  By  grace 
are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that,  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the 
gift  of  God,  not  of  ivorks,  lest  any  m,an  should  boast."  The 
disciples,  though  they  had  been  long  with  their  Lord,  hearing  His 
words,  and  marking  the  character  of  His  divine  power,  imprinted 
on  every  act  He  did,  and  every  word  He  uttered,  yet,  they  were 
ignorant  of  Him,  and  of  all  the  Scriptures  concerning  Him,  till  after 
His  resurrection,  when,  as  we  read  in  St.  Luke,  xxiv.  45,  "  he 
ope?ied  their  understanding  that  they  might  understand  the 
Scriptures."  The  Apostle  Paul,  speaking  of  the  impotence  of 
man  to  produce  any  effect  on  the  soul  by  his  own  power,  saith,  1 
Cor.  iii.  .5,  6,  7. — •"  Who  then  is  Paul,  or  who  is  Apollos,  hut  iivin- 
isters  by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man. 
I  have  planted,  Apollos  ivatered :  but   God  gave  the  increase. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  73 

So  then,  neither  is  he  that  planteth  anything,  neither  he  that 
watereth.  hut  God  that  giveth  the  increase.''^  So  God  alone  is 
to  receive  the  praise. 

Thus  again,  in  2nd  Corinthians,  he  sets  this  clearly  before  us, 
contrasting  the  power  of  Satan  over  the  human  mind,  in  bhnding 
it,  with  the  power  of  God  in  enlightening  it,  iv.  3,  "  If  our  Gospel 
be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lostP  Now,  how  is  it  hid  ?  ver. 
4,  "  in  who7?i  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of 
them  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of 
Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God  should  shine  unto  themP  How 
then,  had  he  and  those  whom  he  addressed  been  delivered  from 
this  l)lindness  ?  We  see,  verse  6,  "  But  God,  who  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knoivledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ."  The  same  power  that  commanded  the  light 
to  shine  out  of  darkness,  the  same  God  who  said,  "  let  there  be 
light,  and  there  teas  light,"  alone  can  shed  light  into  the  heart  and 
conscience  of  the  sinner,  alone  can  enable  him  to  "  believe  the 
record  that  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,"  1  John,  v.  10,  therefore, 
when  the  Gospel  is  received  by  faith,  when  the  sinner  embraces 
the  hope  that  is  set  before  him  in  that  Gospel, — that,  I  say,  is  a 
manifestation  of  the  power  of  the  spirit  of  God,  as  producing  that 
influence  on  the  soul.  So  you  see  in  1st  Thessalonians,  the 
Apostle  sets  forth  this,  as  giving  to  him  a  clear  testimony  of  their 
election  of  God,  1  Thess.  i.  4,  "  knowing,  brethren,  beloved,  your 
election  of  God."  How  did  he  know  it  ?  "  For  our  gospel  came 
not  unto  you  in  word  only,  hut  also  in  power  and  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance."  He  knew  that  they  were  taught 
of  God,  because  liis  Gospel  came  to  them,  not  in  word  only,  but  in 
power.  So,  brethren,  when  we  see  the  Gospel  come  with  power  to 
the  consciences  of  sinners,  when  we  see  the  sinner  thoughtless, 
careless,  hardened  ;  and  when  we  see  him  awakened,  anxious — 
humbled — and  brought  low  to  the  feet  of  Jesus — when  we  see 
him  who  took  no  interest  whatever  in  the  blessed  Bible,  who  took 
no  interest  in  prayer,  no  interest  in  instruction,  when  we  see  him 
searching  the  sacred  Scriptures — when  we  see  him  calling  upon 
his  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth — ^when  we  see  him  delighting  to 
listen  to  instruction — ready  to  receive  it  as  a  little  child — ^when  we 
see  him  who  was  proud  and  self-righteous,  counting  "  all  things 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord," 
we  know,  that  that  man  must  be  taught  of  God ;  for  this  is  not  of 
nature,  it  is  of  God's  gift  alone. 

Now,  faith  produces  that  effect  which  the  Apostle  speaks  of  in 

the  text,  "  IN  WHOM  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  HEARD 
THE  WORD  OP  TRUTH,  THE  GOSPEL  OF  YOUR  SALVATION.''       TrUSt 

in  Jesus  is  the  consequence  of  faith  in  Jesus,  some  confound  these, 
but  there  is  an  important  distinction  between  them.  The  belief 
of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  may  often  exist  and  does  exist  in  the  heart 
of  many  a  sinner,  when  that  sinner  is  not  trusting  or  reposing,  in 
Christ  as  he  ought  to  do — he  is  not  casting  his  care  on  Him  as  he 


74  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ought  to  do — he  is  not  rejoicing  in  him  as  he  ought  to  do — he  has 
no  confident  assurance  of  hope  as  he  ought  to  have.  The  Apostle 
says,  "  In  whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth, 
the  Gospel  of  your  salvation^  The  Avord,  "  trusted,^''  is  supphed 
in  our  translation,  but  it  is  properly  and  necessarily  so,  being  carried 
on  as  you  percieve  from  the  preceding  verse,  "  That  we  sliould  be 
to  the  inaise  of  his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ,  in  whom  ye 
also  (as  well  as  we)  trusted.''^  It  is  the  word  which  the  sense  de- 
mands. It  literally  signifies  "hoped."  When  we  '■^ believe  the 
record  that  God  has  given  of  his  son,"  when  we  know  what  Jesus 
hath  done  for  us,  it  is  our  privilege  to  trust  with  holy  confidence 
upon  the  glorious  work  of  our  blessed  Master. 

But,  alas  !  how  few  do  so  !  how  few  there  are  who  really  enjoy 
the  confidence  of  hope  which  it  is  their  privilege  to  feel ! 

It  appears  to  me  of  moment  to  consider  this  subject  more  atten- 
tively ;  for  it  seems  of  the  utmost  practical  importance  to  the  peace 
and  strength  of  the  soul.  As  far  as  my  experience  of  the  state  of 
believers  Avhom  I  have  visited,  both  in  health  and  sickness  extends, 
I  feel  the  importance  of  it  more  and  more. 

The  point  of  view  in  which  the  subject  seems  to  me  to  demand 
attention  is  this,  that  we  should  endeavor  to  ascertain  satisfactorily 
to  our  own  minds,  the  difference  which,  as  I  have  stated,  exists 
between  the  belief  of  the  Gospel  and  trust  in  the  Gospel.  I  have 
said  there  is  an  important  distinction  between  them,  and  though 
I  know  there  are  authorities  high  and  deservedly  esteemed  on  the 
opposite  side,  I  must  reiterate  the  assertion ;  and  I  entreat  your 
attentive  consideration  of  it,  for  I  think  there  is  not  a  servant  of 
God  in  the  world  to  whom  it  is  not,  at  least  at  some  times,  of  vast 
importance  to  his  own  peace. 

We  shall  first  briefly  consider  what  the  Gospel  is,  and  then  the 
difference  between  lielieving  it  and  trusting  in  it. 

The  Gospel  is  that  good  news  which  God  proclaims  to  man  of 
salvation  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  proclaims  that 
blessed  Saviour  as  our  Surety,  who  has  paid  l)oth  our  debt  of  obe- 
dience to  His  holy  law,  and  of  penalty  for  its  violation.  Of  obedi- 
ence— "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  latv  for  righteousness,  to  every 
one  that  believeth.''''  Rom.  x.  4.  "  This  is  his  tiame  ivhereby  he 
shall  be  called,  the  lord  our  righteousness."  Jer.  xxiii.  6. 
Of  penalty — "  Who  his  oum  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  oum  body  on 
the  tree."  1  Pet.  ii.  24.  ^^  Who  was  delivered  for  otrr  offences,  and 
was  raised  again  for  our  justification.''''  Rom.  iv.  25. 

When  our  Lord  gave  His  apostles  their  divine  commission  '•  Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature," 
He  said,  "iife  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved."  Mark 
xvi.  15,  16.  There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  he  suspended  salvation 
on  the  belief  of  that  Gospel. 

Now  the  Gospel  is  a  relative  term — the  belief  of  it  necessarily 
involves  the  belief  of  several  other  truths — such  as  the  lost  state  of 
the  sinner — tbe  impossibility  of  salvation  by  anything  he  can  do 
for  himself — the  sins  and  imperfections  that  cleave  to  his  best  ac- 


LECTURES    OX    THE    KPHESIANS.  75 

tions  and  intentions — in  fact  a  full  conviction  that  he  is  totally 
unable  to  fulfil  the  lioly  law  of  God — that  "  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
there  shall  no  flesh  be  ju stifled  in  his  sight,  for  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin.''''  Rom.  iii.  20. 

Theiefoic,  the  belief  of  the  Gospel  necessarily  involves  the  con- 
viction that  the  ordinary  refuges  of  the  sinner's  heart  are  all 
refuges  of  lies,  sucli  as  the  liope  that  his  virtues  will  be  weighed 
against  his  sins,  and  preponderate  in  his  favor ;  or  if  not,  that 
Christ  will  be,  as  it  were,  a  make- weight,  thrown  into  the  scale  to 
turji  the  balance  for  his  salvation.  His  virtues — his  alras^iis 
good  resolutions — his  prayers — his  reading  tlie  Bible — his  observ- 
ance of  religious  ordinances — his  respectability  and  high  character 
amongst  men — all  these  things  which  formerly  were  combined  to 
give  him  some  hope  of  acceptance  with  God,  and  which,  though  he 
believed  that  Christ's  merits  alone  could  make  them  efficient,  yet 
he  beheved  as  sincerely  must  be  necessarily  added  to  Christ's  merits 
to  save  him — all  these  he  has  now  ceased  to  trust  in  as  giving  him 
a  shadow  of  hope — he  has  learned  to  ^'- count  all  things  but  loss 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord." 
Phil.  iii.  8,  and  that  he  is  not  to  be  saved  because  Christ  gives 
weight  or  value  or  acceptance  to  his  works,  and  thus  to  his  per- 
son,— but  that  Christ  hath  purchased  redemption  for  his  person, — - 
not  as  being  righteous,  but  as  a  lost  and  helpless  sinner  ;  and  that 
thus  it  is  his  blessed  privilege  to  transfer  all  hope  from  his  own 
miserable  efforts,  to  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  this  crucified 
and  risen  Redeemer.  Thus  new  light  and  hope  break  in  on  his 
mind,  and  whether  it  has  come  by  slow  and  imperceptible  degrees, 
as  it  more  frequently  does,  one  shade  of  error  after  another  vanish- 
ing before  "  the  iSiin  of  Rigltteousness."  as  He  arises  on  the  soul, 
^'■loitJi  healing  in  his  wings,^'  Mai.  iv.  2,  or  whether  it  has  come, 
as  it  sometimes  does,  like  light  to  a  man  whose  eyes  are  opened  in 
the  noon  of  day,  the  result  is  the  same  ;  the  enlightened  sinner  has 
been  brought  to  see,  that  all  his  salvation  is  in  Christ,  and  not  in 
himself,  or  in  any  other,  he  has  been  brought  to  understand  the 
word  of  the  Apostle,  "  Neither  is  there  salvation,  in  any  other,  for 
there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven,  given  amotig  men  where- 
by toe  must  he  saved,"  Acts,  iv.  12,  he  has  learned  that  therefore  his 
whole  obedience  to  the  connuandments  of  God  is  to  be  rendered, 
not  as  before,  with  the  vain  expectation  of  its  helping  to  obtain 
forgiveness  for  him,  but  because  that  forgiveness  has  been  dearly 
purchased  and  freely  given  through  the  precious  blood  of  his  Re- 
deemer. 

Thus  the  whole  foundation  of  the  hope  of  his  soul — the  whole 
principle  of  his  moral  conduct — has  been  totally  changed,  in  the 
mind  of  the  sinner  who  has  been  brought  to  repent  and  believe  the 
Gospel.  His  hope  has  been  transferred  from  himself  to  his  Re- 
deemer, and  his  obedience  from  a  principle  of  the  self-interested 
efforts  of  a  slavish  fear,  to  the  real  principle,  not  only  of  the  Gos- 
pel, but  of  the  Law, — a  principle  of  grateful  love.  Well  may  it 
then  indeed  be  said,  "  Therefore  if  any  man  he  in  Christ  he  is  a 


76  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

new  creature :  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold^  all  things 
are  become  new.  And  all  things  are  of  God.,  who  hath  reconciled 
us  unto  himself  by  Jesus  Christ.''''  2  Cor.  v.  17,  18. 

But  now  we  come  to  consider  the  nature  of  that  faith  with  which 
a  sinner  beheves  in  Christ ;  and  this  is  to  be  viewed  as  differing 
from  tlrat  trust,  from  which  it  appears  so  necessary  to  distinguish  it. 

The  object  of  faith  must  be  the  same  in  all  who  believe  the 
Gospel — Christ  is  all  their  salvation.  If  they  do  not  believe  the 
record  that  God  hath  given  of  Christ,  then  they  do  not  believe  the 
Gospel.  "  He  that  believeth  not  God  hath  'made  him  a  liar  ;  be- 
cause he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  ^oti.  And 
this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  this 
life  is  in  his  Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life  ;  and  he  that 
hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life.''''  1st  John,  v.  10,  11,  12. 
If  men  do  not  believe  this  record,  then  the  thing  which  they  be- 
lieve is  not  the  Gospel,  but  some  scheme  of  salvation  different  from 
that  propounded  by  God. 

But  although  the  object  of  faith  must  necessarily  be  the  same  to 
all  the  children  of  God,  for  if  there  be  but  one  Gospel,  making  all 
allowance  for  errors  not  affecting  vital  truth,  they  can  believe  but 
one  Gospel,  and  there  is  indeed  but  "  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism."  Eph.  iv.  5.  Yet  there  is  no  truth  more  certain,  both 
from  Scripture — from  fact — and  from  the  experience  of  every  bc!- 
liever,  than  that  the  degree  of  confidence  with  which  they  trust  or 
hope  in  Christ,  differs  in  almost  all  persons,  and  in  the  same  per- 
son, at  different  times.  When  the  luiderstanding  is  enlightened 
to  know,  and  when  the  heart  receives  the  salvation  proclaimed 
through  Christ  to  sinners — {^''for  with  the  heart  man  believeth  un- 
to righteousness,"  Rom.  x.  10,) — when  it  receives  Christ  as  the 
true  and  only  foundation  on  which  it  rests  all  hope  of  salvation, 
thereby  excluding  and  rejecting  every  other — then  the  sinner  be- 
lieves the  Gospel.  But  how  fluctuating  is  the  confidence  of  his 
deceitful  heart  in  the  faithfulness  and  truth,  the  power  and  love  of 
Him  in  whom  he  still  believes  as  the  only  refuge  of  his  soul.  It  is 
then  he  begins  to  feel  and  to  lament  his  weakness,  and  his  want 
of  faith.  He  feels  so  often  that  he  wants  that  trust,  that  confi- 
dence of  heart  in  Christ,  which  ought  to  accompany  tlie  belief  of 
his  salvation,  that  he  fears  and  complains  he  has  no  faith  at  all. 

It  is  this  that  marks  one  great  difference  in  the  flock  of  Christ, 
and  draws  forth  so  much,  the  glorious  character  of  their  tender, 
gracious  Shepherd,  for  thus  spake  the  Prophet,  "  He  shall  feed  his 
flock  like  a  shepherd :  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,, 
and  carry  them  ifi  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are 
with  young."  Isai.  xl.  11.  The  tottering  steps  of  him  who  is  weak 
in  the  faith — the  trembling  fearfulness  in  their  pilgrimage  of  many 
a  weary  heavy-laden  believer  in  the  flock  of  Christ — too  clearly 
illustrate  the  difference  between  him  who  boldly  walks,  with  trust 
and  confidence  in  his  Lord,  and  him  whose  feeble  hope  hangs 
sometimes  between  doubt  and  despair. 

I  have  known  persons  whose  faith  was  in  Christ  alone — jealous 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  77 

for  His  truth— fervent  in  His  cause — full  of  love  to  His  people — • 
and  devoted  to  His  service,  who  have  nevertheless  gone  heavily 
most  of  all  their  days,  from  want  of  trust  and  hope  in  their  Lord. 
Surely,  a  large  proportion  of  the  book  of  Psalms  appears  inspired 
for  the  consolation  and  support  of  the  weak  and  timid  believer — 
the  77th,  the  143rd,  and  many  others,  are  the  language  of  their 
hearts  ;  and  if  for  faith  in  Christ,  as  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  you 
substitute  trust  in  Christ  for  its  salvation,  in  speaking  to  such — 
instead  of  strengthening  their  faith,  and  comforting  their  heart, 
you  rather  confirm  their  doubts  and  fears,  and  join  the  enemy  in 
harassing  and  afflicting  them.  Trust  in  Christ  implies  a  conscious- 
ness that  you  believe,  nay  more,  it  implies  a  consciousness  that 
you  believe  with  such  implicit  faith — that  you  repose  a  confidence 
in  Him  to  such  an  extent,  that  you  feel  it  consolatory  to  your  heart. 
Now  it  is  the  very  fact  of  confounding  faith  with  the  consciousness 
of  faith ;  or  faith  with  trust,  which  necessarily  implies  this,  by 
which  I  have  seen  the  mind  of  many  both  living  and  dying, 
harassed  and  perplexed  most  deeply.  Many  a  painful  hour  have 
I  sat  beside  the  dying  bed  of  a  believer,  and  when  I  would  read  of 
Christ  and  all  his  glorious  work  and  offices,  I  have  heard  these 
words : — 

"  Oh  !  yes  ;  I  know  that — that  is  all  true — but,  Oh  !  that  I  could 
believe  it — ^O !  that  I  had  faith — O !  that  I  could  find  peace," 
(fcc.  &c. 

Instead  of  deriving  their  consolation  from  Christ,  they  have  been 
seeking  for  consolation  in  themselves  ;  and  instead  of  being  satis- 
fied with  believing  in  Him,  they  have  been  seeking  for  satisfaction, 
in  believing  that  they  believed.  Unless  they  feel  confidence,  they 
cannot  think  they  have  faith.  In  looking  to  their  own  hearts  for 
confidence  and  hope^  they  have  been  looking  away  from  the  only 
source  from  which  alone  either  could  be  derived.  This  seems  to 
me  to  be  produced  by  the  erroneous  principle  of  confounding  trust 
with  faith,  and  only  to  be  overcome  by  showing  the  difference  be- 
tween them. 

To  such  a  one  I  would  say — "How  vain  to  be  looking  into 
yourself  for  confidence — nay,  look  out  of  yourself  unto  Jesus.  If 
Jesus  is  the  only  ground  of  your  salvation,  however  weak  your 
faith,  when  Jesus  is  its  object — ^fear  not,  but  rejoice.  "  Let  the 
heart  of  them  rejoice  that  seek  the  Lord."  Psalm  cv.  4. 

The  fact  is,  that  faith  is  generally  weak ;  and  when  a  believer 
feels  his  faith  to  be  so,  if  his  mind  has  been  imbued  with  the  idea 
that  confidence  or  trust  in  Christ  is  the  only  true  faith,  and  there- 
fore necessary  to  salvation,  he  is  discouraged  and  oppressed ;  yea, 
I  have  seen  him  overwhelmed  by  looking  into  his  own  heart  for 
this  confidence,  without  which  he  could  not  think  himself  a  be- 
liever. It  may  be  said  by  some  that  this  is  only  contending  about 
words,  for  that  trust  or  confidence  is  only  a  stronger  degree  of  faith 
— or  faith  in  lively  exercise.  I  am  not  inclined  to  cavil  as  to  words, 
but  granting  this  to  be  so,  though  indeed  it  is  not — yet  what  havoc 
in  the  Church  of  Christ  a  man  would  make,  who  should  represent 


78  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

strong  faith  as  necessary  to  salvation  !  this  were  to  frighten  away 
the  Lambs  from  Him  who  ^'■gathers  them  ivith  his  artn,  and 
carries  them  in  his  bosom^' — this  were  to  harass  and  to  drive  to 
death,  instead  of  ^'■gently  leading  those  that  are  with  young P 
Such  is  not  the  word  of  Him  who  saith  to  the  "  weary  and  heavy 
laden,"  "  Come  unto  me,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.^' 

How  often  have  I  seen  the  heart  refreshed  by  speaking  thus  to 
those  who  were  sinking  under  this  oppressive  error.  "  You  are 
turning,  my  friend,  into  your  own  heart,  and  not  to  Jesus — you  are 
looking  into  your  own  heart  for  confidence  instead  of  looking  unto 
Him  in  wliom  you  may  have  confidence  and  strength — "■  Look 
unto  me  and  be  ye  saved^''  Isaiah  xlv.  22,  is  His  word.  "  hooW 
—even  to  turn  the  eye  to  Jesus  as  our  All  in  faith,  can  bring  salva- 
tion to  the  soul — true  your  faith  is  weak,  but  Jesus  is  mighty,  and 
remember  it  is  written,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  hi  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  UfeP  John  iii.  16.  Think  of  "  ivho- 
soever^''  surely  you  are  included  here — "  whosoever  believeth,^''  no 
matter  whether  his  faith  be  strong  or  weak — whether  confident  or 
trembling — whether  a  lamb  of  the  flock  or  the  strongest  of  the 
flock — a  Babe  in  Christ  or  a  Father  in  Christ — if  Jesus  is  indeed 
the  only  refuge  of  his  soul,  "  whosoever  believeth  shall  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  lifeP  The  infant  is  as  safe  as  the  giant,  when 
both  are  in  the  fortress — the  timid  child  as  safe  as  the  stoutest  sailor, 
when  both  are  in  the  vessel  that  outrides  the  storm.  Cheer  up 
your  heart,  and  look  unto  Jesus.  The  question  is  not,  whether 
we  are  strong,  but  whether  Jesus  is  our  refuge — not  how  confidently 
we  believe,  but  in  whom  we  believe. — Therefore,  "  Trust  ye  in  the 
Lord  forever,  for  ifi  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength^ 
Isaiah  xxvi.  4. 

O  how  often  have  I  seen  the  soul  refreshed  and  lifted  out  of 
its  doubts  and  fears,  and  brought  to  trust  and  confidence,  and 
peace,  by  showing  that  when  Jesus  is  indeed  the  object  of  faith, 
the  weakest  believer  may  rejoice  in  Jesus,  I  have  seen  them, 
"  out  of  weakness  tnade  strong,  waxing  valiant  in  fght,^^  Heb. 
xi.  34,  triumphing  over  sin  and  death,  and  hell,  "  171  all  these 
things  more  than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  themP 
Rom.  viii.  37. 

Though  this  does  not  strictly  belong  to  the  interpretation  of  this 
text,  yet  as  I  have  drawn  a  distinction  between  believing  and 
trusting,  I  think  it  necessary  to  explain  it  knowing  its  practical 
importance  ;  but  it  is  clear,  as  I  have  stated  that,  faith  in  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  trust,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  power  of  divine  grace,  there  can  be  no  faith,  no  confi- 
dence in  Christ,  by  the  grace  and  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

But  we  see,  III. —  The  poiDer  of  divine  grace,  and  their  election 
to  their  inheritance,  manifested  by  the  operations  and  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  apon  them,.     "  in  whom  also  after  that 

YOU  BELIEVED,  YE  WERE  SEALED  WITH  THAT  HOLY  SPIRIT  OF 
PROMISE." 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  79 

It  is  unnecessary  to  remark,  after  what  has  been  said  on  the 
second  head  of  this  passage,  that  the  inward  power  and  operation 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  enhghtening  their  hearts  to  understand  and 
beheve  the  Gospel,  and  to  trust  in  tlie  Lord  Jesus,  must  necessa- 
rily be  implied  in  this  place.  It  was  indispensable,  not  only  to  the 
commencement,  but  to  the  continuance  and  support  of  divine  life 
in  their  souls. 

But  we  are  not  to  understand  the  scope  and  meaning  of  the 
Apostle,  as  limited  to  that  power  and  grace  of  the  Spirit,  by  which 
alone  their  minds  could  be  enlightened  to  understand  the  Gospel ; 
it  seems  here  that  he  is  speaking  also  of  the  miraculous  gifts  of 
the  Spirit,  which  God  had  given  them  by  the  laying  on  of  the 
hands  of  the  Apostle,  after  they  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
his  ordinary  operations.  This  you  will  perceive  by  referring  to 
Acts  xix.  "  It  came  to  pass,  that  ivhile  Apollos  ivas  at  Corinth, 
Paul,  having  passed  throvgh  the  upper  coasts,  came  to  Ephesus, 
and  finding  certain,  disciples,  he  said  unto  them,  have  you  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Ghost,  since  ye  believed  7  and  they  said  unto 
him,  toe  have  not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  he  any  Holy 
Ghosty.  He  evidently  intended  by  this  question,  had  they  re- 
ceived the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  but  they  had  not 
understood  or  known  anything  of  that,  about  which  the  Apostle 
spoke  to  them.  "  And  he  said  unto  them,  unto  ivhat  then  loere 
ye  baptized  7  and  they  said,  unto  John\'^  baptisfnJ^  Had  they 
been  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ's  ordinance,  they  must 
have  been  baptized,  '•  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Mat.  xxviii.  19.  But  these  disciples  at 
Ephesus  had  only  embraced  the  testimony  of  John,  tliey  had  not 
known  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  until  Paul  visited  them.  "  Then  said 
Paul,  John  verily  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  repentance,  saying 
unto  the  people,  that  they  should  believe  on  him  ivhich  should  come 
after  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus.  When  they  heard  this,  they 
were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  when  Paul 
had  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them  ; 
and  they  spake  with  tongues  and  prophesied.''''  Acts  xix.  1-6. 

You  see,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  whom  he  speaks  as  having  sealed 
them,  (when  we  look  to  the  facts  of  their  history,)  seems  to  have 
comprehended  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  re- 
ceived by  the  laying  on  of  the  Apostle's  hands  after  they  believed, 
as  we  know,  they  must  also  have  received  his  influence  into  their 
iiearts  before,  to  enable  them  to  believe  in  Christ.* 

*  The  explanation  of  this  passage,  including  both  ordinary  and  extraordinary  oper- 
ations of  the  Holy  Spirit,  seems  strictly  Scriptural  to  the  Author,  although  men  of  high 
name  have  excluded  each  of  them  alternately  from  the  sense  of  the  Apostle. 

One,  whose  authority  has  been  long  in  high  repute,  with  some  who  ought  to  be 
better  taught,  says,  "  In  the  following  passage  St.  Paul  represents  the  faith  of  the 
Ephesians  in  Christ,  to  have  been  the  consequence  of  their  having  heard  the  Gospel 
preached,  and  the  communication  of  the  Spirit  to  have  been  subsequent  to  their  faith." 
Then  quoting  this  verse,  he  adds,  "  The  order  to  be  here  noticed  is  this — first  the  hear- 
ing of  the  word, — secondly,  belief  produced  by  that  hearing, — thirdly,  the  communica- 
tion of  the  Spirit  in  consequence  of  that  belief"  The  principle  which  this  author 
intended  to  illustrate  may  be  seen  in  a  sentiment  which  precedes  this  quotation  by  a 


80  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

These  miraculous  gifts,  we  know,  have  ceased.  We  know  they 
are  not  now  given.  Ahhough  grievous  error  has  been  recently 
propagated  on  that  subject.*  It  does  not  come  within  the  scope 
of  my  intention  to-day,  to  enter  more  fully  into  it  than  to  say, 
we  know  that  these  gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  not  imparted  ;  and  we 
may  just  make  this  one  observation  further,  that,  if  miraculous 
gifts  had  always  continued,  they  had  long  since  ceased  to  appear 
miraculous.  The  end  for  Avhich  they  were  given,  namely,  to  tes- 
tifiy  to  God's  truth,  had  ceased  to  be  answered  by  them,  had  they 
continued  in  the  church. 

But  there  are  gifts  of  the  Spirit  which  are  always  given  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  as  you  will  find  by  referring  to  1  Cor.  xii.  4, 
5,  6,  "  There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  hut  the  same  Spirit.  And 
there  are  differences  of  administrations,  hut  the  sa?ne  Lord.  And 
there  are  diversities  of  operations,  hut  it  is  the  same  God  that 
worketh  all  in  all.  But  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given 
to  every  man  to  profit  tvithal.  To  one  is  giveti,  hy  the  Spirit,  the 
trord  of  wisdom." — the  word  of  wisdom — that  is  not  an  extraor- 
dinary gift.  "  If  any  man  lack  ivisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God  who 
giveth  to  all  tnen  liberally,  and  uphraideth  not,  and  it  shall  he 
giveti  him." — "  To  another  the  ivord  of  knowledge  hy  the  same 
Spirit,"  that  is  not  an  extraordinary  gift. — "  To  another  faith  hy 
the  same  Spirit." — That  is  an  ordinary  gift.  Then  the  Apostle 
speaks  of  the  miraculous  gifts.  But  these  are  the  gifts  which  con- 
stitute a  man  a  disciple  of  Christ, — "  the  word  of  wisdom" — being 
"  wise  unto  salvation."     "  For   to  one  is  given,  hy  the  Spirit, 

few  pages.  He  says,  "  There  is  not  a  single  passage  in  the  New  Testament  which 
leads  us  to  suppose,  that  any  supernatural  power  was  exerted  over  the  minds  of  ordi- 
nary hearers,  and  therefore  we  are  authorized  to  attribute  their  faith  to  the  voluntary 
exercise  of  their  reason."  !  !  !  The  writer  of  this  is  no  more — his  name  is  not  quoted — 
for  the  author  would  not  inflict  reproach  on  the  individual  who.  penned  this  sentiment 
— but  how  many  embrace  these  principles. 

Scott,  in  his  commentary,  on  the  contrary,  says  of  this  passage,  "  This  cannot,  with 
any  propriety,  be  explained  of  miraculous  powers,  these  were  not  the  earnest,  pledge 
and  foretaste  of  heaven  as  this  seal  is  declared  to  have  been ;  for  many  unsanctiiied 
persons  exercised  miraculous  powers.  But  the  sanctifying  and  comforting  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  seal  believers  as  the  children  of  God  and  heirs  of  heaven  : — they 
are  the  first  fruits  of  that  holy  felicity,  and  they  impress  the  holy  image  of  God  upon 
their  souls." 

"  What  Scott  says  of  the  sanctifying  and  comforting  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  unquestionably  true — but  as  to  the  exercise  of  miraculous  powers  by  "  many  un- 
sanctiiied persons."  this  is  not  so  very  clear.  It  was  through  the  laying  on  of  the 
Apostles'  hands  that  these  powers  were  communicated,  and  though  they  may  have 
been  committed,  in  some  instances,  to  pcr.sons  who  were  false  professors,  as  undoubt- 
edly many  such  were  in  the  Church  ;  yet  it  by  no  means  follows,  that  to  those  who 
were  indeed  the  Children  of  God,  such  gifts  of  the  Spirit  were  not  a  source  of  conso- 
lation and  a  seal  of  their  Sonship — although  distinct  from,  and  inferior  to,  the  inward 
"joy  and  peace  in  believing"  which  the  Spirit's  testimony  of  Jesus  alone  can  give  to 
the  soul.  But  the  fact  in  the  history  of  the  Acts  quoted  in  the  text,  does  not  seem  to 
justify  this  limited  interpretation  of  the  passage.  The  author  therefore  quite  agrees 
with  Bloomfield,  who  says  on  this.  '■  Considering  the  persons  of  whom  it  is  said,  we 
are,  I  think,  bound  to  understand  the  extraordinary  and  supernatural  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  as  well  as  his  ordinary  influences  and  graces,  though  most  recent  commentators 
take  it  of  the  latter  only."  The  historical  fact.  Acts  xix.  G,  seems  quite  to  preclude 
Scott's  limitation  ;  and  it  were  vain  to  multiply  quotations  to  prove  that  the  opinion 
first  cited  in  this  note,  is  quite  at  variance  with  the  very  essence  of  divine  truth. 

*  The  Unknown  Tongues  were  at  this  time  making  a  great  noise  in  London. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  81 

the  word  of  wisdom,^''  1  Cor.  xii.  8,  (for  example,  when  men  are 
given  to  learn  from  the  Scriptures  of  trutli,  "  which  are  able  to 
•make  them  wise  unto  salvatio)/,  through  faith  ivhich  is  in  Christ 
JesusP  2  Tim.  iii.  15.)  •'  To  another  the  ivord  of  ktioivledge,  by 
the  same  Spirit,^''  {^'  this  is  life  eternal]  to  know  thee^  the  only  true 
God  and  Jesus  Christ  jo  horn  thou  hast  sentP  John  xvii.  3.)  "  To 
another  faith  by  the  same  iSpi)-it"  ["he  that  believeth  on  the  /Son 
hath  everlasting  life,  but  he  that  believeth  not  the  iSo7i  shall 
not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him?^  John,  iii.  36.) 
These  are  gifts  Avhich,  in  various  proportions,  are  given  to  all  who 
are  sealed  unto  life  eternal. 

The  other  gifts  enumerated  here,  "  the  gifts  of  healing^''  "  the 
working  of  miracles,^''  "prophecy,^''  '■^discerning  of  spirit, ^^  "divers 
kinds  of  tongues,''  '•'■  the  interpretation  of  tongues,^^  were  given  by 
the  Lord  for  his  own  wise  purposes,  at  the  time.  First,  at  Pente- 
cost, and  afterwards,  by  laying  on  of  the  Apostle's  hands,  to  man- 
ifest the  divine  authority  of  the  Gospel,  and  to  testify  the  truth  of 
that  doctrine  which  the  Lord  sent  His  apostles  to  preach.  But 
these  gifts  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit  which  you  see  in  Galatians,  v. 
22,  these  are  the  fruits  which  the  Spirit  always  produces,  though 
in  various  degrees,  in  the  children  of  God,  "  some  thirty,  some 
sixty,  sotne  an  hundred  fold,"  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy, 
peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  tem- 
perance.^^ These  are  manifestly  the  gifts  of  grace.  These  mani- 
fest the  influence  and  operation  of  God's  sovereign  power  upon  the 
souls  of  those  who  are  the  subjects  of  them.  So,  the  Apostle  says, 
in  2  Cor.  iii.  2-3,  •'  Ye  are  our  epistle,  written  in  our  hearts, 
known  and  read  of  all  men.  ForasmucJt  as  you  are  manifestly 
declared  to  be  the  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by  us,  written  not 
with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God  ;  not  in  tables  of 
stone  but  in  fleshly  tables  of  the  heart."  Therefore,  the  Apostle 
says,  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  is  to  them  the  pledge  or  "  earnest  of 

THE   inheritance  UNTIL  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  THE  PURCHASED 

POSSESSION."  He  uses  this  expression  in  2  Corinthians,  i.  22, 
"  who  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given  us  the  earnest  of  the  spirit 
in  our  hearts,"  and  he  uses  a  similar  expression,  again,  in  this 
Epistle,  iv.  30,  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye 
are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption,"  he  calls  it  an  earnest  and 
a  seal.     Here  he  says  it  is  "the  earnest  of  our  inheritance 

UNTIL      THE     redemption     OF     THE     PURCHASED     POSSESSION." 

What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  Was  not  the  redemption  com- 
pleted by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  He  died  on  the  cross?  Yes. 
The  price  of  our  redemption  w^as  paid,  but  the  redeemed  of  Christ 
were  not  then,  and  are  not  yet  brought  home  to  the  glory  of  their 
inheritance.  The  ransom  might  be  sent  out  for  those  poor  cap- 
tives of  our  country,  for  whom  we  all  have  felt  and  feel,  such  deep 
and  painful  interest,*  who  are  now  prisoners,  or  have  been  so,  in  a 
distant  foreign  land,  in  the  hands  of  savages.  The  ransom  might 
have  been  sent  out  for  them,  and  the  ransom  might  be  paid,  but 
*  Those  who  had  been  taken  captive  in  the  Affghan  War. 


82  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

still,  they  might  be  travelling  in  the  enemy's  land,  and  not  brought 
home  to  their  habitation,  their  family,  and  their  rest.  Such  is 
the  state  of  the  redeemed  of  Christ.  The  ransom  is  paid  down 
for  them,  but  they  are  not  yet  come  to  their  inheritance.  If  you 
open  Romans  viii.  16-23,  you  will  see  this  fully  set  forth.  The 
Apostle  says,  "  The  spirii  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit 
that  iDe  are  the  children  of  God,  and  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs 
of  God  and  joint  heirs  unth  Christ,  (f  so  be  that  uie  suffer  ivith 
him,  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together,  for  I  reckon  that  the 
sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  tisP  Believers  were 
suffering  then,  so  they  are  now,  but  these  sufferings  "  are  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in 
iisJ'  Mark  those  words,  "  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed."  It 
was  to  be  revealed  then,  and  is  yet  to  be  revealed  now.  But 
though  it  is  not  yet  revealed  it  shall  be.  For  consider  that  which 
follows  ^^for  the  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature^''  (i.  e.  all  cre- 
ation^ "  waiteth  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  GodP  That 
is,  waiteth  for  a  certain  time,  namely,  the  time  when  God's  chil- 
dren shall  be  manifested  to  the  world,  that  will  be  "  the  manifes- 
tation of  the  sons  of  GodJ^ 

The  sense  of  this  passage  in  Romans,  had  been  much  plainer  if 
the  original  word  which  is  translated  ''  creature,''^  in  the  19th, 
20th  and  21st  verses  had  been  translated  ^^  creatio7i,^^  as  it  is  in  the 
22nd  verse  ;  the  same  translation  would  have  given  a  uniform  and 
a  clearer  sense  to  the  whole.  The  Apostle  is  describing  the  misery 
in  which  sin  has  placed  this  whole  earth,  and  he  represents  the 
whole  world,  and  all  its  inhabitants,  as  it  were  suffering,  and  groan- 
ing, and  longing  for  deliverance. 

''  For  the  creation  teas  made  subject  to  vanity, ^^  to  its  present 
helpless  and  miserable  condition,  in  w^iicli  it  seems  as  it  were,  to 
have  been  formed  in  vain,  not  to  answer  its  due  end,  the  glory  of 
God,  or  the  happiness  of  his  creatures;  ^'■not  ivillingly,  but  by 
reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same,^'' — not  by  its  own  choice 
or  desire,  but  under  the  righteous  sentence  of  Him,  who  has  brought 
this  judgment  on  it  for  sin ;  the  sentence  of  death,  the  penalty  of 
sin,  to  its  inhabitants — the  fear  and  dread  of  them  to  all  the  living 
creatures — and  thorns,  and  thistles,  to  the  very  ground,  for  their 
sake.  But  though  thus  subjected  now,  there  is  a  blessed  hope  for 
its  deliverance.  God  hath  subjected  it  to  vanity,  for  the  present, 
but  it  is  still  "  in  hope,  because  the  creation  itself  shall  be  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
children  of  God."  The  day  is  at  hand  when  all  the  children  of 
God  "  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption,"  in  which 
they  have  been  held,  in  bodies  of  sin  and  death,  to  the  resurrection 
inheritance  of  everlasting  glory  ;  and  all  creation  shall  participate 
in  the  glorious  liberty — such  is  the  triumphal  song  of  the  Psalmist, 
"  Let  the  heavens  rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be  glad.  Let  the  sea 
roar,  and  the  fulness  thereof,  let  the  field  be  joyful,  and  all  that 
is  therein,  theti  shall  all  the  trees  of  the  wood  rejoice  before  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  83 

Lord.  For  he  cometh,  for  lie  cometh  to  judge  the  earthy  he  shall 
judge  the  ivorld  ivith  righteousness,  and  the  people  with  his  truth.'' 
Psalm,  xcvi.  11,  12,  13.  That  this  resurrection  glory,  is  that  of 
which  the  Apostle  speaks,  is  perfectly  clear,  because,  he  proceeds : 
"  For  we  know,  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth 
in  pain  together  until  noio,  and  not  only  they,  hut  ourselves  also, 
which  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  loe  ourselves  groan 
within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  ivit,  the  redemption 
of  our  body."  The  price  is  paid,  for  the  ransom  of  the  body  and 
soul  of  the  believer.  The  soul  is  delivered,  all  its  guilt  is  washed 
away  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  it  is  clothed  in  His  spotless 
righteousness.  But  still  it  groans  in  a  body  of  sin.  The  body  is 
still  subject  to  disease  and  death,  the  sentence  must  be  executed 
on  it,  "  dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shall  thou  return^  Gen.  iii. 
18.  And  we  know  and  feel  ourselves,  that  we  are,  "  through  fear 
of  death,  all  our  lifeti^jie  subject  to  bondage.''''  Heb.  ii.  15.  But 
the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  that  leads  us  to  look  to  Jesus,  to  l)elieve  on 
Him,  in  whom  we  have  deliverance,  this  is  the.pledge,  this  "  thti: 

EARNEST    OF    OUR    INHERITANCE,   UNTIL    THE     REDEMPTION    OF 

THE  PURCHASED  POSSESSION ',  uiitil  that  body  shall  be  raised 
again  in  glory  from  its  dust,  "  to  meet  its  Lord  in  the  air,'''  1  Thess. 
iv.  17,  until  the  glorious  "  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,"  for 
which  now  "  all  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain.''''  So 
too  the  Apostle  speaks  in  Phil.  iii.  20,  21,  "  Our  conversatio?i 
[citizenship)  is  in  heaven,  from  ivhence  also  loe  look  for  the  Sav- 
iour, the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  shall  change  our  vile  body, 
that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according 
to  the  working  ivhereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto 
himself." 

If  that  blessed  hope,  in  Jesus,  is  then  the  anchor  of  our  soul — if 
all  the  blessed  promises  that  are  given  us  to  hope  in,  "  are  in  him, 
yea  and  in  him  amen."  2  Cor.  i.  20.  The  Spirit  that  teaches  you 
to  trust  in  Jesus  is  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  the  fulfilment  of  these 
promises,  until  the  day  of  redemption,^then  in  that  hope  you  may 
live  and  die  with  confidence — you  may  lift  up  your  head  above 
the  waves  of  trouble  in  time — you  may  lay  down  your  head  on 
your  pillow  of  death — and  the  last  sound  that  falters  on  your  dy- 
ing tongue  may  be  '•  O  death  where  is  thy  sting !  O  grave  where 
is  thy  victory !"  1  Cor.  xv.  55.  Your  friends  may  commit  your 
body  to  the  dust,  "  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  the  resurrection  to 
eternal  life,"  and  the  tear  of  sorrow  may  be  exhaled  from  the  eye 
of  faith  and  love,  as  it  is  raised  to  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  with 
the  sweet  remembrance  "  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints."  Psalm  cxvi.  15 ;  and  with  the  still  sweeter 
anticipation  that  "  wheii  Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then 
shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Col.  iii.  4. 

'^Beloved,"  saith  the  Apostle  John,  "  now  are  we  the  Sons  of 
God  ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  but  we  know 
that,  when  he  shall  appear,  toe  shcdl  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see 
him,  as  he  is."  1  John,  iii.  2.     Then  shall  we  bear  the  impress  of 


84  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

that  seal  of  "  the  holy  spirit  of  promise,"  whereby  we  are 
"  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption,"  for  "  as  rce  have  home 
the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  hear  the  image  of  the  heav- 
enly P  1  Cor.  XV.  19.  Then  shall  every  hope  be  realized,  and  tlie 
soul  shall  be  satiated  to  all  the  full  capacities  of  immortality. 
Such  is  the  Psalmist's  joyful  anticipation  when  speaking  of  those 
who  have  their  portion  in  this  life,  he  saith,  "  As  for  we,"  my  por- 
tion is  ''•  I  shall  hehold  thy  face  in  righteousness. — I  shall  he  satis- 
fied when  I  awake  with  thy  likeness.''^  Psalm  xvii.  15.  How 
naturally  one  may  say,  might  the  heart  burst  into  the  Doxology, 
from  this  Psalm, — "  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and 
to  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever 
shall  be,  world  without  end." 

Surely,  then,  this  blessed  hope  and  the  blessed  Spirit  who  in- 
spires it,  is  the  manifestation  of  His  grace  and  love  to  thy  soul. 
O  believer!  surely  this  is  the  pledge  and  "earnest  of  our  in- 
heritance, TILL  THE  redemption  OF  THE  PURCHASED  POS- 
SESSION, TO  THE, PRAISE  OF  HIS  GLORY,"  till  the  trumpet  that 
heralds  his  glorious  coming  in  the  clouds,  shall  awake  the  sleep- 
ing forms  of  all  his  saints — shall  echo  through  the  graves,  and 
vaults,  and  dens,  and  caves,  and  rocks,  and  mountains  of  the  earth, 
yea,  and  the  depths  of  the  ocean;  and  every  scattered  particle  of 
His  redeemed  people,  that  had  fallen  into  corruption,  organized  in 
death,  shall  rise  in  incorruption,  glory,  power,  a  spiritual  body, 
^'■fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  hody^''  then  re-united  to  its  hap- 
py spirit,  to  sin,  to  weep,  to  suffer,  and  to  die,  no  more. 

O  !  how  blessed  is  that  glorious  hope  ! — O  !  how  secure  that  un- 
fading, undefiled  and. incorruptible  inheritance  ! 

Happy  those  who  have  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  teaching  them  to  "  look  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glo- 
rious appearing  of  the  great  God.  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 
Titus  ii.  13. 

Well  then,  let  us  remember  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  and  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit, — if  the  Spirit  is  the  pledge  in  the  believer's 
heart,  so  should  the  power  of  the  Spirit  be  manifested  in  the  be- 
liever's life,  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are 
sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption^  iv.  3.  "  Quench  not  the 
Spirit.''''  Thess.  v.  19.  "  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not 
fulfil  the  lust  of  the  flesh,'"  Gal.  v.  16 — and  remember  what  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  are. — Let  me  repeat  them  again, — "  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meehiess,  tem- 
perance, against  such  there  is  no  larv.'^  Gal.  v.  22. 

May  we  not  close  such  a  subject  with  the  Apostle's  prayer  for 
the  Philippians,  "  This  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet 
more  and  more,  in  knoivledge  and  in  all  judgment ;  that  ye  may 
approve  things  that  are  excellent ;  that  ye  may  he  sincere  and 
without  offence  till  the  day  of  Christ,  being  filled  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God."— I  Phil.  9,  10,  11. 


SEVENTH    LECTURE 


Ephesians  I. — 15,  16,  17. 


"  Wherefore,  I  also,  after  I  heard  of  your  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  unto  all 
the  saints,  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  you,  making  mention  of  you  in  my  prayers, 
that  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  you  the 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him. 

Let  nie  piopose  this  question  for  your  consideration. — What  is 
the  greatest  proof  of  love  that  a  Christian  can  give  to  his  brother? 
Certainly,  in  my  opinion,  to  pray  for  him. 

Oh,  how  many  there  are  who  would  think  themselves  happy  if 
they  had,  what  they  call,  interest  at  court,  a  powerful  patron  to 
speak  in  their  favor  to  the  Sovereign,  or  to  some  person  in  author- 
ity— they  would  think,  that  if  a  privileged  friend  undertook  to  do 
so,  he  would  be  a  faithful  friend  indeed.  But,  oh,  how  much  more 
valuable  is  the  friend  who  manifests  his  love  to  the  sinner  in  bring- 
ing him  before  the  notice  of  the  Kmg  of  kings  ! 

You  see  this  strikingly  exemplified  here.  The  Apostle  having 
spoken,  as  we  have  seen,  of  the  blessings  that  had  been  conveyed 
to  his  brethren  at  Ephesus  by  the  Spirit — of  then  being  called  in 
Christ  Jesus — being  redeemed  by  His  precious  blood — and  having 
received  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit — proceeds  to  convey  to  them  the 
consolatory  assurance  that  he  did  not  cease  to  give  thanks  for 
them,  and  to  pray  for  them.     "  wherefore,  i   also,  after  i 

HEARD  OF  YOUR  FAITH  IN  THE  LORD  JESUS,  AND  LOVE  UNTO 
ALL  THE  SAINTS,  CEASE  NOT  TO  GIVE  THANKS  FOR  YOU,  MAKING 

MENTION  OF  YOU  IN  MY  PRAYERS,"  aiid  then  lie  tells  them  the 
subject  of  his  prayer  for  them. 

Why  does  he  say,  "  after  i  heard   of  your  faith  in  the 

LORD  JESUS,  AND    LOVE  UNTO  ALL  THE    SAINTS?"       Had  not    the 

Apostle  been  with  the  Church  at  Ephesus  ?  Was  it  not  through 
his  instrumentality  that  they  were  called  to  the  knowledge  of 
Christ?  Had  he  not  labored  long  among  them?  Certainly — 
Why  then  does  he  say,  ^'- after  I  heard  ?"  He  had  gone  to  Ephe- 
sus about  the  year  of  our  Lord  56,  about  23  years  after  our  blessed 
Lord's  crucifixion.  He  had  sent,  as  you  read  in  Acts  xx.  for  the 
Elders  of  the  Church  of  Ephesus,  to  Miletus,  where  he  gave  them 
the  charge  which  you  read  in  that  chapter,  in  the  year  60, — and 
in  the  year  64  he  addressed  this  Epistle  to  them.  Therefore,  he 
had  been  absent  from  them,  perhaps  six  years,  certainly  five,  and 
therefore  he  says,  '•'•after  IheardP  He  had  tidings  conveyed  to 
him,  how  the  Church  of  Ephesus  stood  fast  in  the  faith, — so  he 

says,  "  AFTER  I  HEARD  OF  YOUR  FAITH  IN  THE  LORD  JESUS, 
AND  LOVE  UNTO  ALL  THE  SAINTS." 


86  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Mark,  let  me  entreat  you,  mark  the  characteristics  of  a  Chris- 
tian church,  "  AFTER  I  HEARD  OF  YOUR  FAITH  IN  THE  LORD  JE- 
SUS, AND  LOVE  UNTO  ALL  THE  SAINTS."  The  two  Cardinal  points 
of  Christianity,  without  these,  in  their  true  Scriptural  sense,  Chris- 
tianity can  really  have  no  existence. 

To  what  end  had  the  church  been  founded  by  Paul,  if  that 
church  had  not  held  the  faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  to  His 
saints  1 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  individual  Christian,  unless  a  man 
that  has  this  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  unto  all  the  saints, — 
How  then  can  there  be  such  a  thing  as  a  Christian  church  ?  It  is 
impossible  it  can  exist  without  this, — there  may  be  an  outward 
form,  an  outward  semblance,  but  there  is  no  real,  spiritual  church 
of  Christ,  except  that  which  is  composed  of  men  that  have  the 
'•''faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  to  all  the  5«i/</5."— Remember 
this. 

What  a  blessed  guard  the  Bible  is  against  error  !  and  therefore, 
those  who  set  forth  falsehood,  like  to  substitute  tradition  oi"  human 
authority,  for  the  pure  and  holy  word  of  God.  Stand  fast,  then, 
brethren,  by  that  word,  for  your  own  souls,  for  the  souls  of  your 
children,  and  for  the  souls  of  your  fellow-men. 

How  precious  is  the  faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  iSou  hath  everlasting  life.'''' — John,  iii.  36.  This 
is  the  blessing  of  faith.  "  He  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not 
see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  hitn^  John  iii,  36,  this 
is  the  misery  of  unbelief. 

And  if  a  man  upon  whom  Paul  had  laid  his  hands,  or  Paul 
himself,  (I  speak  on  his  own  inspired  authority,)  aye,  "  or  an  angel 
from  heaven,  ])reached  any  other  Gospel  than  that  which  he 
preached,^'  the  sentence  of  God's  word  is  "  let  him  be  accursedJ^ 
Gal.  i.  8.  Therefore,  faith  in  Christ  is  one  indispensable  charac- 
teristic, of  a  member  of  Christ's  Church,  and  love  is  another,  true 
'■'■faith  worketh  by  love  ;"  therefore,  where  there  is  no  love,  there 
is  no  faith  ;  we  argue  from  the  non-existence  of  the  efiect,  to  the 
non-existence  of  the  cause ;  so  we  perceive  love  is  an  inseparable 
test  of  faith.  '"''  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  bro- 
ther, he  is  a  liar  ;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath 
seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ?  1  John,  iv. 
20,  therefore,  the  Apostle  stamps  their  character,  when  he  says, 

"  AFTER  I   HEARD  OF  YOUR  FAITH   IN  THE  LORD  JESUS,  AND  LOVE 

UNTO  ALL  THE  SAINTS."  Siiicc  lie  givcs  tliis  summaiy  as  the  tes- 
timony of  a  true  Christian  church,  we  may  observe,  there  can  be 
no  vital  error  where  these  really  exist,  and  there  can  be  no 
saving  truth,  whatever  form  there  may  be,  where  these  have  no 
existence. 

Now  what  effect  had  this  intelligence  of  their  state  on  the 
Apostle?  It  filled  his  heart  with  thankfulness,  and  led  him  to 
pray  continually  for  them:  "I  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for 

YOU,  MAKING  MENTION  OF  YOU  IN  MY  PRAYERS." 

Let  us  remember  this  for  our  guidance.     St.  Paul  was  led  as 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  8^ 

an  apostle,  to  give  thanks  for  them,  he  was  led  as  a  faithful 
teacher,  to  pray  for  them,  he  was  inspired  to  record  this  for  their 
instruction,  and  for  ours,  therefore  this  is  for  our  guidance.  We 
perceive,  that  the  Apostle  records  the  same  for  other  churches  of 
the  saints.  So  we  see  in  Phil.  i.  3,  4,  5,  "  /  thank  my  God  upon 
every  re?nembrance  of  you,  always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for 
you  all  ma/iing  request  with  joy,  for  your  fellowship  in  the  Gos- 
pel, from  the  first  day  until  noui."  So  we  see  the  same  thing, 
Col.  i.  3,  4,  "  We  give  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying  ahvays  for  you,  since  we  heard  of 
your  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love  lohich  ye  have  to  all 
the  saints.  For  the  hope  which  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven, 
whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel." 
Now,  why  did  he  give  thanks?  he  says  to  one  church,  "/o?*  their 
fellowship  in  the  Gospel,''^  he  says  to  another,  ^'■for  the  hope  that 
is  laid  up  for  them  in  heaven.'''' 

This  was  a  continual  memorial  which  he  always  retained  in 
his  own  breast,  and  which  he  wished  that  they  should  bear  too ; 
a  constant  remembrance,  that  whenever  any  blessing  had  accom- 
panied to  the  hearts  of  men,  the  words  preached  by  the  Apostles, 
it  was  not  to  them  thanks  was  to  be  considered  due,  it  was  not 
their  zeal,  their  talents,  then  gifts,  their  eloquence,  their  graces, 
their  Apostleship  that  produced  the  effect.  "  No,"  he  saith  "  ivhile 
one  saith  I  am  of  Paul,  and  another,  I  am,  of  Apollos,  are  ye 
not  carnall  I  have  planted,  Apollos  watered,  hut  God  gave  the 
increased  God  mvist  have  the  glory,  not  man,  "  So  neither  is  he 
that  planted  anytliing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  hut  God  that 
giveth  the  increase.''^  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  6,  7. 

We  are  continually  prone  to  give  glory  to  man,  to  give  glory 
to  one  fellow  sinner,  or  another,  through  whose  instrumentality, 
God  may  have  conveyed  a  blessing  to  our  souls.  There  is  no 
such  thing  in  the  Bible.  In  that  word  of  truth,  all  the  praise  and 
glory  is  ascribed  alone  to  God.  So  the  Apostle  saith  in  this  Epis- 
tle, 1  Cor.  iv.  6,  7,  "  These  things  I  have  in  a  figure  transferred 
to  myself,  and  to  Apollos  for  your  sakes  that  you  might  learn 
in  us,'''  (in  Apollos,  though  so  '■'•mighty  in  the  Scriptures,"  and  in 
Paul,  who  was  "  not  a  whit  behind  the  very  chief  est  apostles,^^) 
"  that  ye  might  learn  in  us,  not  to  think  of  men  above  that  which 
is  ivritten,  that  no  one  of  you  be  puffed  tip,  for  one  against 
another ;  for  ivho  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  V  If  you 
have  received  any  blessing,  if  your  souls  are  enlightened,  and  led 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another, 
and  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  ?"  God  gives  this 
blessing  to  thy  soul,  and  God  is  to  have  the  praise  and  glory. 

But  the  same  Spirit  that  taught  the  Apostle  to  give  thanks, 
taught  him  to  pray  for  them  also. 

There  is  a  most  important  lesson  here. 

Persons  are  too  apt  to  say,  or  at  least  to  think,  when  they  know 
the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  when  they  are  brought  to  rest  on  Him, 
''  Oh.  that  is  enough,  now  I  am  a  believer,  now  I  am  safe  ;  and 


DO  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

too  many  Ministers  seem  to  consider  that  when  a  man  is  converted, 
he  is,  as  it  were,  secure. 

That  is  the  inexperienced  language  of  the  inexperienced  heart. 
The  behever  who  knows  himself,  and  who  has  experienced  any- 
thuig  of  the  depths  of  sin  that  are  in  him,  knows  that  this  is  no 
language  for  him. 

True,  the  believer  is  privileged  to  know,  that  he  that  is  in  Christ 
is  safe — but  his  security  consists  in  being  "  kept  by  the  poiver  of 
God  through  faith  mito  salvation"  he  is  kept  through  a  life  of 
faith,  and  a  life  of  faith,  is  a  life  of  conflict,  of  ivatchfulness,  and 
prayer — he  is  safe,  but  it  is  in  '•'•putting  on  the  whole  armor  of 
God,"  and  the  last  piece  of  the  panoply,  as  if  it  were  the  clasp 
that  fastens  and  holds  together  all  the  rest,  is  "  Praying  always 
with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching 
thereunto  with  all  perseverance."  Ephesians  vi.  16. 

Yes,  it  is  then,  first,  men  begin  to  pray.  You  never  pray  to 
Christ,  till  you  are  brought  to  Christ,  you  never  come  to  the 
Father,  till  you  come  through  Him,  "?io  man  cometh  to  the 
Father  but  by  me."  John  xiv.  6. 

As  Grace  must  begin  the  work,  so  Grace  must  carry  it  on,  and 
Grace  must  consummate  it.  It  is  the  same  power  that  causes  the 
liarvest  to  ripen  that  causes  the  seed  to  spring  from  the  ground,  and 
it  is  the  same  God  alone  that  can  water  the  blessing  of  truth  in  the 
heart,  that  gave  that  blessing  to  the  heart  at  first, — therefore,  the 
Apostle  says,  '■'•  I  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  yon  snaking  mention 
of  you  in  my  prayers."  And  if  I  might  give  an  opinion  on  the  sad 
low  condition  in  which  we  see  the  professors  of  the  Gospel,  I  would 
saj^,  that  it  arises  from  this — want  of  prayer  to  God.  There  is  in  the 
present  day,  much  talk  about  religion,  you  hear  much  of  what  is 
called  religious  conversation  in  various  companies,  but  if  you  at- 
tend to  it,  you  will  find  it  is  talk  about  religious  societies,  or  relig- 
ious publications,  or  about  preachers, — something  of  that  kind, 
but,  alas,  very  little  about  Christ,  not  many  in  religious  conversa- 
tion speak  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  if  we  ask,  what  is  the  cause  of 
this  ?  I  thing  it  might  be  answered,  want  of  prayer,  and  being 
carnal,  in  the  sense  of  the  Apostle  to  the  Corinthians,  "  one  saith 
I  am  of  Paul,  and  another  I  am  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas., 
and  I  of  Christ."  Surely  when  men  are  '■'■puffed  up  for  one 
against  another,"  we  have  cause  to  fear  there  must  be  want  of 
prayer,  want  of  conmiunion  between  the  soul  and  God. 

Oh  !  if  ministers  would  have  a  blessing  in  their  own  souls,  and 
on  their  labors,  they  must  pray.  If  the  flock  would  have  a  bless- 
ing on  the  ministration  of  their  minister  to  their  souls,  they 
must  pray  for  him.  Depend  on  it  you  will  find  a  blessing  from 
the  ministration  of  your  pastors  in  direct  proportion  as  you  pray  to 
God  for  them,  and  for  that  blessing  on  their  Avord.  If  you  go 
away  barren  and  unfed  from  church,  if  you  go  away  unedified,  and 
unimpressed  by  the  Word  of  truth,  ask  yourselves,  have  I  been 
praying  this  week,  for  a  blessing  on  the  word  of  my  minister  tc 
my  soul  ?  and  you  may  be  satisfied  your  conscience  will  answer 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  89 

that  you  have  not.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  remember  this — 
carry  this  reflection  home  with  you,  and  carry  it  with  you  to  your 
knees,  pray,  O  pray,  for  a  blessing  on  our  souls,  and  our  labors ; 
and  may  the  Lord  pour  the  spirit  of  the  Apostle  into  our  hearts, 
and  give  us  hearts  to  pray  for  you. 

Before  we  consider  the  prayer  of  the  Apostle,  we  must  remark 
the  expression  with  which  he  introduces  it.  In  speaking  of  the 
blessed  person  of  the  Trinity,  to  whom  he  prayed,  and  I  would 
request  your  attention  to  this,  he  says,  "making  mention  of  you 

IN  MY  PRAYERS,  THAT  THE  GOD  OF  OUR  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST, 
THE    FATHER    OF    GLORY  MAY  GIVE  UNTO  YOU,"  &.C.,  aS  mucll  aS 

to  say,  I  pray  for  you,  brethren,  continually,  and  to  whom  do  I  pray  ? 
I  pray  to  "  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory." 
Remember,  that  these  words  are  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  they  seem  to  have  deep  meaning  in  them.  And  what 
is  that  meaning  ?  They  seem  to  imply  all  that  could  be  wanted 
to  build  up,  and  strengthen  his  brethren  in  the  faith  of  Christ.  To 
whom  does  he  pray?  "  To  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
In  saying  this,  recollect,  brethren,  he  prays  to  him  who  "  so  loved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  i^on,  that  whosoever  he- 
Ueveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life" — he 
prays  to  him  who  not  only  gives  the  Shepherd  to  the  sheep,  but  who 
gives  the  sheep  to  the  Shepherd  ;  for,  recollect  the  words  of  Jesus 
in  St.  John  x.,  ^'■niy  sheep  hear  iny  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and 
they  follow  me,  and  I  give  unto  thein  eternal  life,  and  they  shall 
never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  thein  out  of  my  hand." 
Then  mark,  "  my  Father  lohich  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than 
all,  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  m,y  Fathefs  hand. 
I  and  my  Father  are  one."  John  x.  27,  28,  29,  30  ;  and  you  re- 
member, the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  St.  John,  xx.  17,  uses  that  de- 
lightful expression,  "  I  ascend  unto  my  Father  and  your  Father, 
nnto  my  God  and  your  God."  If  you  are  looking  to  Jesus,  if 
Christ  is  the  refuge  for  your  soul,  then  His  Father  is  your  Father, 
His  God  is  your  God.  When  the  Apostle  says,  "  the  God  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,"  he  speaks  of  Him  as 
your  God  too, — and  so  he  illustrates  the  character  of  God  as  the 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  most  beautifully  by  associating  it 
with  blessings  and  mercies  in  2  Cor.  i.  3,  4.  "  Blessed  be  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Mark  how  he  con- 
nects the  Father  with  the  Son,  "  Blessed  be  God,"  who  is  this 
God  ?  "  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of 
mercies  and  the  God  of  all  comfort,  who  comforteth  us  in  all  our 
tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to  co?nfort  them  that  are  in 
trouble,  by  the  coinfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of 
God."  See  the  illustration  that  he  gives  us  here  of  God's  char- 
acter,— "  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  mer- 
cies, and  the  God  of  all  comfort." 

Out  of  Christ,  God  is  not  to  be  approached.  When  you  come 
to  God  in  your  own  righteousness,  you  are  like  one  of  those  who 
would  have  approached  the  mountain  when  it  shook  with  thunder 


90  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  lightning.  No  matter  with  what  offering  they  had  come — no 
matter  what  costly  sacrifices  or  propitiatory  oblations  they  had 
brought  in  their  hand,  the  command  was,  that  they  should  be 
"  stoned  or  thrust  through  laith  a  dart.''''  Heb.  xii.  20.  Approach 
to  God  as  you  may, — come  with  your  righteousness,  come  with 
your  morality,  come  with  your  virtues,  come  with  your  good  reso- 
lutions, come  with  your  pious  intentions,  come  out  of  Christ,  and 
you  come  to  the  thunderbolts  of  God's  eternal  justice,  and  you  shall 
perish  from  his  presence  forever. 

Come  to  Jesus — however  vile  you  are — however  guilty — how- 
ever despised  by  men — be  you  an  outcast  from  society — with  a 
self-convicted  heart — a  conscience  writing  bitter  things  against 
you — trembling  at  the  thought  of  meeting  God  in  judgment,  as 
well  you  may, — come  through  Christ — come,  pleading  Jesus, — 
come,  pleading  Him  who  died  for  sinners, — come  with  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb, — and  to  whom  do  you  come  ? — "  To  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  CJn'ist.  To  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God 
of  all  comfort,^'' — you  come  to  Him  ;  and  you  come  through 
Him,  who  saith,  '■'■Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
outP 

But  he  calls  him  not  only  "  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,''^ 
but,  "  the  Father  of  glory.''''  How  is  the  greatest  glory  of  God  man- 
ifested to  man  ?  Suppose,  you  were  now  called  upon  to  answer 
that  question — Suppose  a  person  examining  children,  were  to  say, 
"Children,  how  is  God's  glory  most  declared  to  man?  Can  you 
show  me  any  text  concerning  it  ?"  Some  perhaps  might  quote, 
"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament 
showeih  his  handy-work^  Ps.  xix.  1.  Another  might  say,  "  The 
rvhole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory, ^^  Isai.  vi.  3,  as  we  have  it  embodied 
in  our  beautiful  hymn,  "  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  the  majesty 
of  thy  glory P  But  the  glory  of  God  declared  as  it  is  by  the  fir- 
mament of  heaven,  is  not  his  greatest  glory  for  the  sinner,  for  how 
is  the  sinner  to  go  there  ?  How  is  the  sinner  to  meet  Him  who 
walketh  among  those  orbs  of  light  ?  How  is  he  to  meet  that  God 
who  "  covereth  himself  with  I'lght,  as  with  a  gartnent,  who  inaketh 
the  clouds  his  chariot,  who  walketh  upon  the  icings  of  the  ivindJ' 
Psal.  civ.  2,  3.  How  is  he  to  meet  Him  ?  The  more  you  dress 
God  in  the  glory  of  His  majesty,  the  more  you  strike  terror  into 
the  heart  of  the  unconverted,  unenlightened  sinner. 

Oh !  no,  it  is  not  in  all  these  things  that  the  greatest  glory  of 
God,  is  exhibited  to  man.  St.  John  tells  us  where  that  glory  is 
to  be  found,  i.  14,  "  The  Word  teas  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
us,  and  we  beheld  its  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.''''  The  glory  of  the  heavens, 
is  nothing  to  a  poor  condemned  criminal,  the  riches  of  earth,  could 
give  nothing  to  him,  if  they  were  poured  out  at  his  feet,  but  if  a 
messenger  came  to  open  his  prison  door,  with  a  reprieve — a  pardon 
for  him — that  is  a  message  of  joy  to  his  heart.  Oh  !  when  the 
sinner's  eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  grace  and  truth  that  is  in  "  the 
Word  made  flesh,"  that  is  indeed  the  glory  of  God,  revealed  to  the 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  91 

sinner's  soul.  Yes  !  then,  he  rejoices,  so  the  Apostle  says  in  2  Cor. 
iv.  6.  "God,  tvho  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ^  in  that  face  that 
was  "  marred  more  tJian  any  orian^s.'''  Is.  hi.  15,  in  that  face  of 
tlie  "  man  of  sorrows  and  accpiainted  loith  grief''  Is.  Iviii.  3,  in 
that  hlessed  face,  that  was  bowed  in  death  upon  th(!  Cross.  Oh  ! 
that  is  glory  for  the  guilty  sinner,  for,  "  surely  he  hath  borne  our 
griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows,^^  Is.  liii.  4.  Surely,  in  the  suffer- 
ings and  agonies  depicted  in  that  blessed  face,  through  that  rent 
side,  those  hands,  those  feet,  the  glorious  portals  of  pardon  and 
mercy  are  opened  to  fallen  rebels  like  you  and  me  !  Yes,  he  is 
"  the  Father  of  glory,"  revealed  in  His  brightest  glory  through  the 
crucified  and  risen  Saviour,  to  those  who  feel  their  sin.  So,  the 
Apostle  testifies  this  in  Heb.  i.  3,  where  speaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
he  saith  "  Who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his 
power,  when  he  had,  by  himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  majesty  on  high^  Oh,  yes,  this — this  indeed 
is  glory  ! 

Do  I  address  any  of  my  dear  Roman  Catholic  brethren  ?  Alas ! 
my  poor  friends,  whose  only  expectation  is,  not  glory,  but  the  ter- 
rors of  that  blasphemous  fable,  Purgatory,  listen  to  this  message 
of  glory, — •'  When  he  had,  by  himself,  purged  our  sins,  he  sat 
down  on  the  righl  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  HighJ^  There  is  a 
purgatory — a  glorious  purgatory — the  blood  of  Jesus — an  everlast- 
ing purgatory.  Not  one  that  you  have  to  pass  through,  but  one 
that  tlie  Lord  of  life  and  glory  passed  through,  to  bear  your  guilt 
and  take  it  all  away,  and  to  open  to  you,  not  a  place  of  punish- 
ment, but  the  gates  of  glory.  Oh,  think  of  this  !  May  the  Lord 
enable  you  to  understand  and  know  this  ;  then  you  shall  know, — ■ 
then  indeed  sliall  you  understand  and  see — then — "  God  tvho 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness  shall  have  shined 
into  your  hearts,  to  give  you  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glo- 
ry of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 

God  is  called  the  Father  of  Glory,  as  the  Giver  of  Life  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  in  giving  life  in  Christ,  He  gives  glory, — as  we  have  it 
in  Psalm,  Ixxxiv.  11,  '■'•the  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  a  shield ;  the 
Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory. ''^  And  as  we  have  been  speaking 
of  election  in  this  chapter,  you  may  see  this  strikingly  set  forth,  in 
Romans,  viii.  30.  "  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called, 
and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified,  and  whom  he  justified, 
them  he  also  glorifiedP 

He  is  "  the  Father  of  glory,"  as  well  as  the  "  Father  of  mercy, ^^ 
'■'■whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified" ;  for  none  shall  pluck 
them  out  of  the  blessed  hand  of  Him  that  died  for  them.  Oh,  re- 
member this.  Well  indeed  might  the  Apostle  add,  "  What  shall 
we  then  say  to  these  things  ?  If  God  be  for  ns,  tvho  can  be 
against  us  ?  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him 
up  for  us  all," — (this  blessed  '•  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 


92  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIxVNS. 

Father  of  glory) — hoiv  shall  he  ?iot,  loith  him  also,  f)*eely  give  us 
all  things  ?" 

The  subject  of  the  Apostle's  prayer,  I  reserve  for  another  Lecture, 
meantime*        ********** 


EIGH  TH    LEG  TURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 17,  18. 


"  That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  you 
the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him  ;  the  eyes  of  your  under- 
standing being  enlightened  ;  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and 
what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints." 

We  have  seen  the  consolation  there  was  to  be  derived  from  the 
very  name  that  the  Apostle,  by  the  Spirit,  gives  to  the  blessed  per- 
son of  the  Trinity,  to  whom  he  addresses  this  prayer,  "  the  god 

OF  OUR     LORD  JESUS  CHRIST,  THE  FATHER  OF  GLORY,"  WC    shall 

now  consider  the  words  of  the  prayer  itself. 

Let  us  recollect  that  it  was  a  prayer  for  the  supply  of  the  spirit- 
ual wants  of  the  believers  in  the  Church  at  Ephesus,  inspired  by 
Him  who  knew  those  wants, — and  since  it  was  not  only  inspired,  but 
recorded  by  inspiration  in  the  Sacred  Volume,  for  our  instruction, 
it  is  to  teach  us,  that  the  same  things  which  were  needful  for 
them,  are  needful  also  for  us,  and  that,  if  the  Apostle  prayed  for 
these  blessings  for  the  church  at  Ephesus,  so  we  are  called  on  to 
pray  for  them  for  ourselves,  and  for  each  other. 

The  petition  commences,  "  that  the  c;od  of  our  lord  jesus 

CHRIST,  the  father  OF  GLORY,  MAY  GIVE  UNTO  YOU  THE 
SPIRIT    OF  WISDOM  AND  REVELATION,   IN    THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF 

HIM."  Now,  why  does  he  pray  for  this?  Had  they  not  received 
the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  ? 
Does  not  the  Apostle  say,  verse  6,  that  they  were  "  accepted  in 
the  beloved  ;"  "  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved^  Does 
not  he  say  in  verse  11,  "i/i  whom  we  have  obtained  an  inheri- 
tance 'P  therefore,  surely,  they  must  have  known  Christ,  they 
must  have  been  "  ivise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,^^  therefore,  why  does  the  Apostle  pray,  that  they  may 
have  "  the  spirit  of  loisdoin  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of 
him^^  which  it  apjlears,  they  must  have  had  already,  by  the  fact 
of  their  being  accepted  in  Christ  ? 

*  There  were  some  local  circumstances  and  subjects,  with  which  this  Lecture  was 
concluded,  not  properly  belonging  to  an  exposition  of  the  chapter,  but  applicable  and 
important  to  those  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  and  which  arc  therefore  omitted  from 
this  Publication. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  93 

To  this  we  may  answer.  The  tune  of  the  believer's  conversion 
to  God,  is  but  the  beginning  of  his  spiritual  life.  The  stage  of 
infancy,  is  but  the  commencement  and  not  the  maturity  of  exist- 
ence, wherefore,  the  Apostle  in  1  Peter,  ii.  2,  addresses  believers 
thus,  "  as  neiv  horn  babes  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that 
ye  may  grow  thereby P  What  is  that  knowledge,  even  of  a  tem- 
poral kind,  in  which  man  has  not  need  to  grow  ?  And  if  we  have 
need  to  grow  in  our  knowledge,  of  every  work  of  creation,  even 
of  any  of  the  natural  bodies  that  the  Creator  hath  formed  by  His 
mighty  hand,  how  much  more  have  we  need  to  grow  in  the 
knowledge  of  that  God  Himself?  We  only  begin  to  know  our 
own  state  as  sinners,  we  only  begin  to  know  the  character  of 
Christ  as-  a  Saviour,  when  we  are  first  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel.  It  is  the  long,  sad  experience  of  the  corruption  of 
our  natural  heart,  that  brings  out  the  development  of  the  glorious 
character  of  Christ  as  the  Saviour,  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King  of 
His  people. 

As  they  that  are  sick  need  a  physician,  and  in  a  severe  and 
dangerous  disease,  may,  even  in  its  commencement,  receive  great 
relief,  and  so  have  some  experience  of  his  skill, — yet  it  is  in  the 
lingering  processes  of  long  protracted  illness, — it  is  in  the  long 
and  weary  suffering  of  days  and  nights  of  anguish,  that  they 
know  experimentally  the  wise,  judicious  treatment,  and  that  they 
learn  to  appreciate  the  skill  of  that  physician,  by  whose  care, 
under  the  divine  blessing,  they  have  been  at  length  restored  to 
health. 

So  it  is  with  the  believer.  We  suffer  daily  more  and  more  of 
the  inward  disease  of  sin, — we  feel  more  and  more  our  need  of 
the  Great  Physician.  We  are  taught  to  appreciate  more  and  more 
His  glorious  skill,  and  character,  and  power. 

The  holiest  experience  of  the  holiest  man  is  but  a  sad  experi- 
ence of  the  pollution  of  His  holy  things,  of  the  deceitfulness  and 
desperate  wickedness  of  his  own  heart,  the  fell  corruption  that 
rankles  within, — and  is  but  a  proportionate  experience  of  the  pa- 
tience, the  long-suffering,  the  grace,  the  tenderness,  the  mercy,  the 
compassion,  the  salvation  of  his  God.  Therefore  is  this  blessed 
prayer  recorded  for  sinners  like  us. 

The  17th  verse  contains  the  summary  of  the  prayer,  and  then 
the  subject  of  the  prayer  is  expanded  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 
The  summary  is,  "  That  God  may  give  unto  them  the  spirit  of 
wisdom  and  revelatioii  in  the  knoivledge  of  Christ^ 

Then  the  Apostle  goes  on  to  show  what  he  means  by  this,  what 
is  that  "  spirit  of  wisdoin,^'  what  is  that  "  revelation  in  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,^''  which  he  prays  that  the  Spirit  may  give 
them. 

It  is  this,  "the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  en- 
lightened, THAT  YE  MAY  KNOW  WHAT  IS  THE  HOPE  OF  HIS 
CALLING,  AND  WHAT  THE  RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS  INHER- 
ITANCE IN  THE  SAINTS,"  (fec.  It  is  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  glo- 
rify Christ,  "  he  shall  glorify  me  ;  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine^ 


94  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  shall  show  it  unto  youP  John  xvi.  14.  And  we  see  that 
the  "  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knonjledge  of  him,^'' 
as  here  set  forth  consists :  Fust,  m  the  enhghtenmg  of  the  under- 
standing-. Our  understandings  must  be  enhghtened  at  first,  by 
the  power  of  God,  to  know  Christ  as  our  salvation,  but  what 
clouds  and  thick  darkness  still  remain  upon  them  !  How  contin- 
ually do  the  murky  vapors  of  the  earth,  arise  and  condense  in  this 
cold  atmosphere  around  us,  and  hide  "  in  the  dark  and  cloudy 
day^^  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  from  the  eye  of  faith  in  the  be- 
liever !  What  need  we  have  continually,  of  illumination  from  the 
Spirit  of  God ! 

We  have  need  that  the  Spirit  should  both  drive  away  the  clouds 
and  clear  our  distempered  eye  to  see  the  light  of  our  Redeemer's 
countenance!  "the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being 
ENLIGHTENED,"  saith  the  Apostle.  So  the  Old  Testament  saints 
prayed  for  this  illumination.  So  David  prays  in  Psalm,  cxix.  18, 
"  Open  thou  mine  eyes  that  1  may  behold  wondrons  things  out 
of  thy  lauiJ'  Again,  "  Consider  and  hear  me,  O  Lord  my  God  : 
lighten  Tnine  eyes,  lest  I  sleep  the  sleep  of  deathP.  Psalm,  xiii.  3. 
So  the  Apostle  saith  in  this  Epistle,  v.  13,  14,  speaking  of  light, 
"  Whatsoever  doth  make  manifest  is  light,  wherefore  he  saith, 
awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light P  But  as  the  sun  may  shine  in  the  firma- 
ment, and  shine  in  vain,  when  the  eye  of  man  is  blinded,  but 
when  his  eye  is  open,  then  he  discerns  the  light  that  shines  around 
him, — so  it  is  exactly  with  us, — though  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
shines  before  us,  though  Jesus  Christ  is  evidently  set  forth  crucified 
among  us,  yet,  our  natural  understandings  are  blinded,  as  blind  as 
the  inhabitants  of  a  blind  asylum,  and  we  require  the  illumination 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  open  our  eyes,  that  we  may  discern  Christ  at 
first  as  our  salvation,  and  then  we  need  increasing  light,  to  behold 
more  and  more  clearly  the  character  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 
Therefore   he   prays,    "the    eyes    of   your    understanding 

BEING  ENLIGHTENED,  THAT  YE  MAY  KNOW"— wliat  ? 

First. — "What  is  the  hope  of  his  calling."  We  shall 
consider  the  several  subjects  of  the  prayer  in  regular  succession. 

"The  hope  of  his  calling."  This  may  be  taken  either  in 
the  sense  of  the  hope  which  God  inspires  into  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  by  the  Spirit.  Or,  it  might  be  taken  for  the  oliject  of  hope  ; 
in  either  sense  it  is  scriptural,  and  might  be  suitable  in  this  pas- 
sage ;  the  first  includes  the  second,  for  when  that  hope  which  the 
Spirit  inspires,  is  given  to  the  heart ;  the  "  hope  laid  up  for  it  in 
heaven,^''  is  the  object  of  its  anticipation.  I  therefore  take  this  as 
being  the  fullest  sense  ;  as  the  hope  to  whicli  He  calls  his  people, 
that  is  the  hope  which  those  who  are  called  by  the  Lord,  are  priv- 
ileged to  possess,  and  to  enjoy. 

God  works  in  the  mind  through  the  medium  of  its  natural  feel- 
ings. Hope  is  the  great,  animating  principle  of  all  human  con- 
duct. Hope  is  the  expectation  of  a  good  to  be  attained,  founded 
on  a  belief  that  we  can  attain  it.     If  we  do  not  believe  we  can 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  95 

attain  an  object,  however  desirable,  of  course  we  cannot  hope  for 
it ;  therefore,  I  say,  hope  is  the  expectation  of  a  good  to  be 
attained,  founded  on  a  behef — a  persuasion,  that  it  is  attainable 
by  us ;  and  it  is  attended  with  joy,  in  exact  proportion  to  the 
eagerness  with  which  we  desire  the  good,  and  the  confidence  with 
which  we  expect  we  shall  attain  it.  But,  brethren,  how  is  this 
blessed  principle  of  the  immortal  soul,  like  all  its  other  faculties 
and  powers,  disordered  and  deranged  !     It  is,  alas  !  how 

'•  Fallen  from  its  high  estate." 

Alas  !  "  hoio  is  the  gold  become  dim !  how  is  the  most  fine  gold 
changed  /"  Lam.  iv.  1.  Instead  of  being  fixed,  as  it  ought  to  be, 
on  its  God,  it  is  continually  turned  to  some  poor  perishing  object 
of  this  earth, — and  therefore  the  hopes  of  men  perish  with  the  ob- 
jects on  which  they  rest,  and  sink,  one  after  another,  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave,  in  sure  and  sad  succession  of  disappointment, 
anguish,  and  despair. 

Man  is,  generally  speaking,  more  virtually  disappointed  in 
the  attainment,  than  in  the  failure  of  his  hopes,  therefore  the 
poet  says : — 

Hope,  eager  hope,  th'  assassin  of  our  joy, 
All  present  blessings  treading  under  foot, 
Is  scarce  a  milder  tyrant  than  despair! 
With  no  past  toils  content,  still  planning  new, 
Hope  turns  us  o'er  to  death  alone  for  ease. 
Possession,  why  more  tasteless  than  pursuit  1 
Why  is  a  wish  far  dearer  than  a  crown  "? 
That  wish  accomplish'd  why  the  grave  of  bliss  1 
Because  in  the  great  future  buried  deep, 
Beyond  our  plans  of  empire  and  renown, 
Lies  all  that  man  with  ardor  should  pursue ; 
And  He  who  made  liim  bent  him  to  the  right." 

Night  Thoughts. 

True,  when  the  heart  is  fixed  on  earth — man  never  is,  he  never 
can  be  satisfied — he  never  can  realize  the  enjoyment  that  his 
eager  hope  anticipates.  When  he  has  attained  the  object  of  his 
hope,  he  feels  that  it  has  disappointed  all  his  anxious  expectations, 
and  like  a  child  satiated  with  a  broken  toy,  he  sighs  and  longs  for 
something  else.  But  "  the  pi'ize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus."  Phil.  iii.  14,  that  is  an  object  of  aspiration  and  of 
hope  commensurate  with  the  capacities  of  an  immortal  being. 

When  '•  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,"  2  Cor.  iv.  4, 
breaks  into  the  darkened  heart  of  the  sinner, — when  the  glorious 
prospect  of  the  "  life  and  immortaliti/  brought  to  light  through 
the  Gospel"  2  Tim.  i.  10,  is  presented  to  the  eye  of  faith,  as  a 
blessing  which  he  believes  he  can  attain  in  Christ  Jesus — then 
his  desires  ascend  from  earth  to  heaven — then  a  field  is  opened  for 
the  hope  of  the  immortal  soul,  vast  as  its  infinite  ambition,  and 
endless  as  its  eternal  existence.  That  hope  is  "  the  hope  of  his 
CALLING,"  a  hope  inspired  by  the  Spirit,  of  attaining  an  object 
revealed  by  the  Spirit.    Oh,  may  the  Spirit  give  us  "  wisdom  and 


96  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

REVELATION  IN  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  HIM,  THE  EYES  OF  OUR 
UNDERSTANDING  BEING  ENLIGHTENED  ;  THAT  WE  MAY  KNOW 
WHAT  IS  THE  HOPE  OF  HIS  CALLING,  AND  WHAT  THE  RICHES 
OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS   INHERITANCE   IN  THE    SAINTS  !" 

Let  US  consider  the  nature — and  then,  the  Jiope,  of  this  calling. 

I.  There  are  various  blessings  that  characterize  the  calhng  of 
God  in  Scripture.  We  are  told  it  is  a  calling  to  peace — as  for  in- 
stance, in  Colossians  iii.  15,  "  Let  the  'peace  of  God  rule  in  your 
hearts,  to  which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body."  We  are  called 
to  the  peace  of  God.  This  is  a  new  and  wondrous  calling  for  the 
sinner. — It  is  a  very  new  feeling  for  him  to  be  called  to  enjoy — 
peace  with  his  God.  The  sinner,  when  called  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  asks, — Is  there  peace  for  me  ?— Can  it  be  that  there  is  peace 
made  between  such  a  guilty  wretch  as  I  am  and  God  ? — Is  it  pos- 
sible that  God  can  be  at  peace  with  me  ? — May  I  come  near  to 
God  ? — May  I  depend  upon  God  that  He  will  receive  me  ? — That 
I  may  call  Him  my  God  ? — Can  my  conscience  be  cleansed  from 
all  its  sins  ? — May  I  indeed  be  satisfied  that  He,  the  Lord  Jesus, 
has  "  borne  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  ?"  1  Pet.  ii.  24. — ■ 
May  I  rest  on  him  ? — May  my  soul  repose  on  His  love,  His  faith- 
fulness and  truth  ? — May  I  lay  down  my  head  this  night  on  my 
pillow,  as  I  never  laid  it  down  before  ? — not  afraid  of  death,  but 
knowing  that  Jesus  has  made  peace  for  me  ?  Oh,  my  brethren, 
that  is  a  new  calling  to  the  sinner,  when  he  can  say,  yes,  "  / 
thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  Rom.  vii.  2.5.  Yes 
— it  is  a  wondrous  calling  to  be  called  of  God  through  Christ 
Jesus ! 

Remember,  oh,  sinner !  you  are  called  to  this  through  the 
Gospel.  You  are  invited — God  calls  you  by  His  ministers — He 
calls  you  by  His  ordinances — He  calls  you  by  His  Word — He  calls 
you  by  His  appeals  to  your  conscience— He  calls  you  by  His  prov- 
idences. You  are  called  to-day  !  Now,  there  is  nothing  to  bar 
your  peace  with  God.  for  Jesus  has  made  peace,  Christ  "  has  made 
peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross."  Col.  i.  20.  He  sends  us. 
He  sends  those  who  preach  His  Gospel — those  who  proclaim  His 
glorious  salvation^on  an  embassy  of  love,  as  the  Apostle  says, 
"  As  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  ns,  we  pray  you,  in  Chrisfs 
stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  2  Cor.  v.  20.  The  testimony  of 
the  Gospel  is,  "  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto 
himself  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them,"  2  Cor.  v.  19, 
that  is  the  proclamation  ;  and  the  invitation  of  the  Gospel  is,  "  be 
ye  reconciled  to  God,"  trust  in  Jesus.  You  are  called  to  peace. 
That  is  a  blessed  calling !  Oh,  that  our  ears  may  be  opened  to 
hear  it,  and  that  the  Spirit  may  bring  it  to  our  hearts  and  con- 
sciences with  power ! 

All  those  who  are  called  to  peace  with  God  are  called  through 
peace  to  hope — they  are  called  to  "  inherit  a  blessing,"  and  so  to 
hope  for  their  inheritance.  So  the  Apostle  Peter  tells  us,  in  his  1st 
Epistle,  iii.  9,  when  he  speaks  of  this  as  a  rule  for  our  conduct,  he 
saith,  '■'■not  rendering  evil  for  evil  or  railing  for  railing,  but  con- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  97 

trariwise,  blessing ;  knowing  that  you  are  thereii7ifo  called,  that 
ye  should  inherit  a  blessing."  You  are  called  to  inherit  a  bless- 
ing. The  calling  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  to  the  inheritance 
of  a  blessing.  We  see,  very  often,  pompously  paraded  in  the  news- 
papers, the  birth  of  some  child  born  as  the  heir  of  so  and  so.  But 
how  continually  the  hope  of  the  inheritance  of  a  family  is  cut  off! 
How  many  that  have  been  proclaimed  as  sons  and  heirs  are  soon 
laid  in  the  dust !  How  are  the  churchyards  peopled  throughout 
the  world  with  those  who  have  been  called  heirs  to  estates,  and 
coronets,  and  crowns  ! ! !  The  poor  heir  of  a  throne  of  earth, — 
how  soon  must  he  be  cut  off  from  his  throne  !  or  how  soon  his 
throne  must  totter  from  its  foundation  beneath  him  !  The  Scrip- 
ture does  not  call  the  heirship  to  an  earthly  inheritance  a  blessing. 

The  Apostle  does  not  say.  you  are  called  to  inherit  a  blessing, 
because  you  may  be  born  heir  to  some  little  spot  of  this  poor  Avorld  ; 
but  he  says,  you  are  called  to  inherit  that  which  God  calls  a  bless- 
ing— that  of  which  j^ou  cannot  be  disappointed,  that  from  which 
you  cannot  be  cut  off;  for,  those  who  are  called  to  inherit  the 
heavenly  blessing,  if  they  were  the  possessors  of  all  this  earth,  when 
they  are  cut  off  from  this,  it  is  only  calling  them  away  from  a  poor, 
corruptible,  defiled  inheritance  of  dust  below,  "  to  an  inheritance 
iiicorntptible,  nndejiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away^''  1  Pet.  i.  4. 
For  it  is  their  happy  privilege  to  say,  "  TFe  know  that  if  our  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
a  house  not  made  n-ith  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavensP  2  Cor.  v.  1. 
Yes  !  this  is  the  calling  of  God — they  are  called  to  inherit  a  bless- 
ing. And  then,  what  a  blessing  !  They  are  told  in  1  Thes.  ii. 
12,  that  the  magnitude  and  glory  of  the  blessing,  is  to  be  the 
measure  and  standard  of  their  walk  aud  conversation,  "  Ye  know, ^^ 
saith  the  Apostle,  "  how  we  exhorted  and  comforted  and  charged 
every  one  of  you  as  a  father  doth  his  children,  that  you  ivoidd 
walk  worthy  of  God,  who  hath  called  you  unto  his  kingdom  aiid 
glory:''  You  are  called  to  '■'■inherit  a  blessing^''  to  inherit,  "a 
kingdom  and  glory, '^  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  glory  of  God. 
Our  Lord  saith,  •'  to  him  that  overcometh  ivill  I  grant  to  sit  with 
me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am,  set  down  with 
7ny  Father  in  his  throne^''  Rev.  iii.  21 ;  and  again,  speaking  of 
their  glory,  He  saith  in  His  intercessory  prayer,  in  St.  John's  Gos- 
pel, xvii.  24,  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given 
me,  be  ivith  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory  n^hich 
thou  hast  given  m,e"  That  they  be  with  Christ,  and  behold  his 
glory,  and  partake  of  His  glory :  for  they  shallr  eign  with  him  in 
glory. 

Here  then  is  the  calling  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  so  the  Apostle 
Peter  saith,  in  his  First  Epistle,  v.  10,  "  the  God  of  all  grace,  who 
hath  called  us  unto  his  eterjial  glory,  by  Christ  Jesus,^^  it  is  the 
same  expression.  Therefore,  you  see,  what  the  nature  of  that  call- 
ing is. 

But  then,  brethren,  there  is  another  point  connected  with  it.  It 
is  a  sure  calling.     Those  wh^  are  called  by  the  Spirit  of  God  are 

7 


98  *  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

never  left  to  perish.  We  see  in  Rom.  viii.  28,  30,  who  they  are, 
and  what  is  the  security  of  their  calhng  ;  take  it  in  connection  with 
the  subject  of  which  we  have  treated,  in  this  chapter,  and  observe 
how  they  ilhistrate  each  other.  "  Moreover  ■whom  he  did  predes- 
tinate^ them  he  also  called,  and  tvhom  he  called,  them  he  also 
justified,  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  Those 
who  are  called  by  His  Spirit  to  himself,  called  to  this  blessing,  called 
to  this  kingdom,  and  glory,  they  are  justified,  washed  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  there  is  no  other  calling,  there  is  no  other  hope,  there 
is  no  other  means  whereby  sinners  are  brought  to  the  kingdom, 
they  are  ^' justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemptioji 
that  is  in  Christ  JesusT  "  And  whom  he  justified,  them  lie  also 
glorified.''^  If  one  were  lost,  that  could  not  be  true,  '■'■whom  he 
^justified,  them  he  also  glorified,"  if  it  could  ha  said,  "  except  such 
an  one,  or  such  an  one,"  then  the  general  proposition  could  not  be 
true,  but  "  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  Jesus  saith 
of  His  sheep,  '•  They  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  one 
pluck  them,  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  tvho  gave  them  me  is 
greater  than  all,  and  no  one  can  pluck  thern  out  of  my  Fathers 
hand.  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  John  x.  28,  29,  30.  You  see, 
then,  brethren,  the  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  you  see  what  it 
is,  you  see  the  nature  of  it,  you  see  the  subjects  of  it,  you  see  the 
certainty  of  it  ? 

n. — '^ow,  what  is  the  hojye  founded  upon  this?     What  is  the 

HOPE  OF  HIS  CALLING? 

First,  it  is  a  hope  tha  tsprings  from  faith,  that  is  founded 
on  the  belief  of  the  truth ;  and  therefore,  let  us  always  remember 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  enthusiasm  admitted  into  true  religion. 
A  man  may  have  very  enthusiastic  ardent  hopes,  but  if  these 
hopes  are  not  based  on  the  solid  word  of  God,  if  they  are  not 
based  on  faith  in  God's  eternal  truth,  then,  such  hopes  must  per- 
ish forever.  Therefore,  it  is  not  that  your  feelings  be  excited,  or 
stimulated  up  to  entertain  some  hope,  but  it  is,  ''  the  eyes  of 
YOUR  understanding  BEING  ENLIGHTENED,"  remember  that, 

"the  eyes  OF  YOUR  UNDERSTANDING  BEING  ENLIGHTENED 
THAT    YOU    MAY  KNOW  WHAT    IS     THE   HOPE    OF    HIS    CALLING." 

It  is  the  solid  knowledge,  it  is  the  sober,  clear,  sound  certainty  of 
God's  truth,  that  gives  solid  foundation  for  this  hope.  Remember 
that,  therefore,  the  Scripture  tells  us  in  Romans,  xv.  4,  "  whatso- 
ever things  v)ere  written  aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learning, 
that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  ttie  Scriptures,  might 
have  hope."  Mark,  "  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scrip- 
tures." "  It  is  written,"  "  God  hath  spoken,"  therefore,  through 
them  we  have  hope.  Hence  you  see  the  awful  wickedness  of  tak- 
ing God's  word  from  the  instruction  of  men.  You  see  the  awful 
guilt  of  taking  that  blessed  word  from  the  instruction  of  children. 
Because  it  ought  to  be  the  very  basis,  and  must  be  the  very  basis 
of  all  sound  knowledge  of  truth,  therefore,  of  all  firm  belief  of  the 
truth,  therefore,  of  all  solid  hope  in  the  truth,  and  those  who  take 
it  away,  take  away  the  foundation  ^f  faith  and  hope  from  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  99 

soul  of  man,  and  therefore,  you  may  be  sure,  very  sure,  that  all 
persons  who  do  so,  must  be  lamentably  ignorant  of  the  great  and 
glorious  hope  that  is  built  upon  that  Bible,  for  themselves.  Their 
hope  must  be  based  on  some  superstition,  or  tradition,  on  their 
Church,  or  their  priest,  or  on  their  own  works,  or  on  some  other 
foundation  of  sand,  not  on  Christ,  the  Rock  of  Ages. 

Again  the  hope  of  the  calling  of  God,  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  a  so- 
ber HOPE,  drawn  from  the  source  of  God's  truth,  it  is  the  hope 
of  the  Gospel,  and  so  it  is  called,  you  see  in  Col.  i.  5,  "  the  hope 
that  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven^''  how  did  they  know  this  ? 
"  whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel^ 
*'  You  have  heard,"  he  says,  of  this  hope,  "  in  tlie  word  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel."  Then  in  the  21st  verse,  speaking  of  the 
blessed  presentation  of  the  sinner  to  God,  through  the  salvation 
of  Jesus,  he  says,  "  Yon  that  were  sometimes  alienated,  and  ene- 
mies in  your  minds  by  wicked  works,  yet  noiv  hath  he  reconcAled, 
in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  through  death,  to  present  you  holy  and 
nnblameable  and  unreprovable  in  his  sighf^ — Now  mark,  "  if  ye 
continue  in  the  faith  grounded,  and  settled^  that  is  in  the  belief 
of  the  truth,  "  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gos- 
pel which  ye  have  heardP  You  have  heard  this  hope  proclaimed 
to  you  in  the  Gospel,  therefore  it  is  yours,  "  if  you  continue  in  the 
faith^''  the  belief  of  that  Gospel,  and  therefore,  are  "  not  moved 
from  the  hope  of  that  GospelP  Your  hope  is  founded  on  the 
sure  belief  of  the  promises  of  God,  that  cannot  lie.  So,  in  verse 
27,  he  tells  them  the  solid  everlasting  foundation  of  that  hope,  to 
all  the  saints,  "  To  whom  God  loould  m^ake  known  what  is  the 
riches  of  the  glory  of  this  mystery  among  the  GentilesP  And 
what  is  this  glorious  mystery  ?  "  which  is  Christ  in  you  the  hope 
of  glory P 

What  is  your  hope  of  glory?  Let  me  say  to  each  of  you, 
whose  eye  or  ear  may  see  or  hear  these  words,  and  let  me,  be- 
seech you  each,  to  ask  yourselves,  what  is  your^  hope  of  glory  ? 
If  you  have  the  hope  that  shall  not  be  disappointed,  if  your  hope 
is  not  the  hope  of  "  the  hypocrite,"  that  "  shall  perish,"  if  your 
hope  is  the  hope  that  shall  not  make  ashamed,  and  true  "  hope 
maketh  not  ashamed,^''  then,  your  hope,  you  will  answer,  is  built 
on  Christ.  "  Christ  is  all  my  hope.  I  am  a  poor  lost  sinner, 
Christ  is  my  righteousness,  Christ  is  my  salvation,  Christ  is  my 
hope,  Christ  is  my  all  in  all."  ''  This  is  Christ  in  you,"  (that  is 
in  your  heart,)  "  the  hope  of  glory."  This  is  the  hope  of  the  ser- 
vants of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Therefore,  it  is  and  it  ought  to  be, 
'■A  LIVELY  hope,"  SO  saitli  the  Apostle  Peter,  1st  Pet.  i.  3. 
"  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which, 
according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a 
lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to 
an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that  fad eth  not 
away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  youP  So  it  is  a  joyful  hope,  as 
it  is  said,  •'  rejoicing  in  hope,  patient  in  tribidation,  continuing 
instant  in  prayer,  Rom.  xii.  12.     So,  it  is  a  hope  full  of  con- 


100  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

soLATioN,  as  St.  Paul  says,  in  Ileb.  vi.  18,  speaking  of  the  glori- 
ous foundation  of  the  hope  of  the  believer,  "  that  by  tiro  immuta- 
ble things,'''  (God's  covenant  promise,  and  His  oath,  by  which  Hi- 
covenant  .was  ratified,)  "6?/  ttco  immutable  things,  in  ^vhich  it 
was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consola- 
tion who  have  fled  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  tipon  the  hope  set  be- 
fore us  :  which  hope  ice  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure 
and  steadfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vailP  An 
anchor  of  the  soul,  an  anchor  that  holds  firmly  amidst  all  the 
storms  and  tempests  of  time  and  eternity.  It  is  not  an  anchor 
dropped  in  the  quick-sand,  it  is  an  anchor  cast  within  the  vail. 
That  anchor  cannot  drag,  it  is  cast  in  the  covenant  salvation  of 
omnipotence,  it  is  cast  within  the  vail,  "  the  hope  of  our  calling'' 
is  held  by  a  cable  that  caimot  slip.  Why? — because,  you  arc 
"  kept  by  the  porter  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation ;"  there- 
fore, it  is  "  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast,^' — 
whatever  storms,  hurricanes,  or  whirlwinds  may  blow  from  the 
heavens, — whatever  moimtain  billows  may  rise  and  rage  from  the 
deep, — the  vessel  that  is  moored,  the  soul  that  is  secured  by  the 
blessed  anchor  of  that  hope  shall  outride  every  storm,  and  mount 
over  every  billow,  till  the  voice  of  Him  whose  voice  can  still  the 
winds  and  waves,  shall  call  the  peaceful  spirit  home  to  "  the  haven 
where  it  would  be."  Is  not  this  a  blessed  hope  ?  Is  not  this  a 
glorious  hope,  to  pray  for,  and  to  enjoy  ? 

If  the  Poet  might  speak,  as  we  have  heard,  of  the  vanity  of 
earthly  hope,  so  might  he  well  change  the  mode  of  his  lyre,  when 
he  comes  to  sing  of  this. 

This  Hope  is  earth's  most  estimable  prize 
This  is  man's  portion,  while  no  more  than  man. 
Hope  of  all  passions  most  befriends  us  here; 
Passions  of  prouder  name  befriend  us  less  ; 
Joy  has  her  tears,  and  transport  has  her  death. 
Hope,  like  a  cordial,  innocent,  tho'  strong, 
Man's  heart  at  once  inspirits  and  serenes ; 
Nor  makes  him  pay  his  wisdom  for  his  joys; 
'Tis  all  our  present  state  can  safely  bear, 
Health  to  the  frame  !  and  vigor  to  the  mind  ! 
A  joy  attempered  !     A  chastized  delight ! 
Like  the  fair  summer's  evening,  mild  and  sweet ! 
'Tis  man's  full  cup,  his  paradise  below! 

Night  Thoughts. 

I  must  reserve  the  next  passage  of  the  prayer,  "  the  riches  of 
the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,^'  if  the  Lord  will,  for 
another  occasion.  But,  Oh,  let  me  ask  you,  do  you  not  see  how 
inspiration  dictated  and  recorded  the  apostolic  prayer  ?  Do  you 
not  feel  your  own  need  of  praying,  that  the  Spirit  may  reveal  that 
■'  hope  of  his  calling^'  more  and  more  to  your  souls  ?  I  would  ask 
you,  O  believer,  do  not  you  feel  your  need  of  this,  and  that  your 
understanding  should  be  opened  more  and  more  to  see  this  blessed 
hope,  to  feel  and  to  enjoy  it  more  ?  Alas  !  my  friends,  how  con- 
tinually our  hearts  and  thoughts  are  agitated  and  tossed  about 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  101 

with  the  trifling  concerns  of  time  and  sense  ! — how  easily  we  are 
afflicted,  how  soon  distressed,  how  rapidly  cast  down,  how  sud- 
denly elated  with  some  poor  perishing  trifle  of  this  passing  scene, 
how  much  we  forget  the  glorious  hope  set  before  us,  "  the  jjrize 
of  the  hig-h  calli/ig-  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  /"  Phil.  iii.  14. — what 
need  we  have  to  pray,  that  God  will  enlighten  the  eyes  of  our  un- 
derstanding and  reveal  the  truth,  the  hope,  the  prospect  of  eternal 
glory  more  fully  and  brightly  to  the  eye  of  faith,  for.  Oh,  brethren, 
if  we  had  this  hope  as  it  is  our  privilege  to  possess  it — if  we  rested 
in  this  liope — if  we  rejoiced  in  this  hope — if  we  put  on  our  head 
for  a  helmet  this  "  hope  of  salvation,^' — when  we  enter  into  the 
conflicts  in  which  we  have  daily  to  contend — when  we  engage  in 
the  varied  strugglings  of  our  warfare  here  below — we  should  be 
enabled  to  ''fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,^''  1  Tim.  vi.  12,  we 
should  "  quit  us  like  inen^  and  he  strong^''  1  Cor.  xvi.  13,  nay, 
we  should  always  be  "  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that 
loved  us^  Rom.  viii.  37.  Oh,  remember,  that  it  is  on  this  ani- 
mating hope  that  all  our  comfort,  our  happiness,  our  enjoyment, 
our  service  of  our  God  depends. 

Surely,  then,  I  may  well  close  the  consideration  of  this  part  of  the 
Apostle's  prayer  with  a  similar  petition  for  another  of  the  Churches 
in  his  day,  whicli  is,  in  itself,  a  beautiful  amplification  and  illus- 
tration of  the  truth — -"  Noio  tJie  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy 
and  peace  in  believing',  that  you  may  abound  in  hope  through 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.''''- — ^Amen. — -Rom.  xv.  13. 


NINTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  I. — 18. 


"  The  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened  ;  that  ye  may  know  what  is 
the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the 
saints." 

Having  considered  the  first  part  of  the  Apostle's  prayer  for  the 
Church  at  Ephesus,  we  come  to  consider  the  second  subject  for 
which  he  prays,  "  that  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  them  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  and 
revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him."     Namely,  "  what  is  the 

RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OP  HIS   INHERITANCE   IN  THE  SAINTS." 

There  are  some  commentators  of  no  small  name  and  authority, 
who  interpret  this  passage  thus  ;  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
the  inheritance,  which  the  saints  are  to  possess  in  Christ  Jesus, 
or  "  how  gloriously  rich  is  the  inheritance  which  he  has  prepared 
for  his  saints." 


102  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Now  I  am  sure  that  this  is  not  the  meaning  of  the  passage.  I 
feel  satisfied  it  is  not,  for  then  the  expression  would  be  exactly  the 
reverse  of  this.  If  such  were  the  meaning  of  it,  the  words  would 
be,  "  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  Him,"  or  it  might  be,  "  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glor}^  of  his  in- 
heritance for  the  saints,"  that  is,  which  He  has  reserved  for 
them,  or  purchased  for  them,  whereas  it  is,  "  what  is  the  riches  of 
the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,^''  the  inheritance  of 
Christ  in  the  saints,  the  inheritance  he  has  in  them.  It  is  not  an 
inheritance  merely,  but  a  glorious  inheritance,  and  not  only  a  glo- 
rious inheritance,  but  more — mark  the  strength  of  the  expres- 
sion  ^"THE    riches    of    THE    CJLORY    OF   HIS    INHERITANCE    IN 

THE   SAINTS." 

Now  let  us  ask,  can  this  be  properly  applied  to  Christ  ?  Can  we 
justly  assume  this  interpretation,  which  is  certainly  the  plain  mean- 
ing of  the  words,  to  be  tlie  true  one?     Can  we  scripturally  adopt  it  ? 

First. — Is  Christ  set  forth  in  Scripture  as  an  heir  ?  Yes,  He  is 
clearly  set  forth  in  Scripture  as  an  heir.  You  will  see  that  in 
Heb.  i.  1,  2,  "  God^  ivho  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners 
spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in 
these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  ^on,  tvhom  he  hath  appointed 
heir  of  all  thingsP  And  again,  you  may  see  in  Rom.  viii.  16, 17, 
where  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  blessed  inheritance  of  God's  chil- 
dren, he  says,  "  The  Spirit  itself  heareth  ivitness  unth  our  Spirit, 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God  :  and  if  children,  then  heirs  ; 
heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ.''^ — I  might  quote  vari- 
ous other  passages,  but  these  are  enough. 

Secondly — If  Christ  is  an  heir, — ^what  is  His  inheritance  ?  Of 
what  is  He  heir  ?  Is  that  revealed  in  Scripture  ? — clearly, — Ps. 
ii.  8.  The  Father  Jehovah  saith,  addressing  the  Son,  "  Ask  of 
me,  and  I  shcdl  give  thee  the  heathen  {the  nations)  for  thine  in- 
heritance, and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  posses- 
sion''' Again,  in  Daniel,  vii.  13,  14,  you  see  the  same  truth  set 
forth,  ^^  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the  Son 
of  Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient 
of  Days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him.  And  there  was 
given  him.  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people, 
nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him.  His  dominiou  is  an 
everlasting  dominion  ivhich  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom 
that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed?''  Christ  is  appointed  heir,  and 
heir  of  the  nations  of  the  earth,  "  that  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  should  serve  him>P 

But  how  is  He  heir  ?  How  can  He  be  said  to  be  an  heir  ?  Is 
He  not  Jehovah,  and  does  He  not,  as  God,  possess  all  things  ? — 
Certainly  !  How  is  He  then  the  heir  ? — This  is  the  misery  and 
ignorance  of  the  Socinians, — the  awful  error  into  which  they  fall. 
Christ,  as  man,  has  no  more  than  any  otlier  man  in  the  world : — 
Of  Christ,  as  man,  it  was  as  true  as  of  any  child  that  ever  was 
born  into  the  world,  "  naked  came  he  out  of  his  tnothefs  ivotubT 
Job.  i.  21.     He  possessed  nothing  as  man  ;  therefore,  whatever  he 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  103 

receives  as  man,  he  has,  as  a  gift  or  heritage  bestowed  upon  Him 
by  Jehovah.  All  things  that  are  said  in  Scripture  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  as  man.  are  perfectly  true  of  Him,  as  man ; — be- 
cause He  is  very  man,  '■'■bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  fleshr 
And  therefore,  when  the  Socinians  object  what  the  Scriptures  say 
of  Christ  as  man,  they  only  fall  into  the  snare,  through  their  own 
blindness,  for  he  is  perfect  man.  But  then  come  in  His  character 
and  attributes  as  God,  as  Jehovah, — and  this  is  their  stumbling- 
block.  Beware  of  that !  Go  out,  with  God's  Word,  in  the  full 
length  and  breadth  of  the  glorious  humanity  of  Christ, — but  if 
you  do,  you  must  perish  in  your  ignorance  and  sin,  unless  you  go 
also  forth  with  it  in  the  glory  of  His  Eternal  Godhead,  and  know 
that  He  is  "  over  all  God  blessed  forever P  Rom.  ix.  5.  The 
arm  of  man  cannot  save  the  sinner.  But  we  shall  see  more  of 
this,  in  speaking  of  the  inheritance  of  Christ — "the  riches  of 

THE  GLORY  OF  HIS   INHERITANCE   IN  THE   SAINTS." 

Now,  the  glory  of  Christ's  kingdom,  which  you  see  portrayed 
in  so  many  passages  of  God's  Word  is  a  moral  glory — a  glory  far 
above  that  of  all  the  kings  of  this  earth.     Read  the  description 
of  the  glory  of  King  Solomon  and  his  kingdom,  "  when  the  queen 
of  Sheba  had  seen  all  iSolomoti's  wisdom,  and  the  house  that  he 
had  built,  and  the  meat  of  his  table,  and  the  sitting  of  his  ser- 
vants, and  the  attendance  of  his  ministers,  and  their  apparel, 
and  his  cup  bearers,  and  his  ascent  by  which  he  went  up  unto  the 
house  of  the  Lord :  there  was  no  more  spirit  in  herP  1  Kings  x. 
4,  5, — his  throne  of  ivory  and  gold,  and  all  the  splendor  of  his 
court, — that  is  the  splendor  of  an  earthly  monarch's  kingdom, — 
but  the  glory  of  Christ's  kingdom  is  a  moral  glory, — so  you  see  in 
Isaiah  ii.  2.     "  It  shall  com,e  to  pass,  in  the  last  days,  that  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established  upon  the  top 
of  the  m.ountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all 
7iations  shall  flow  unto  it,'^  (you  see  "  all  people,  nations,   and 
languages,  shall  serve  him,'')  "  and  many  people  shall  go  and 
say,  come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  m,ountai7i  of  the  Lord,  to 
the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ivays, 
and  ive  will  v:alk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth 
the  laiv,  and  the  ivord  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem.     And  he 
shall  judge  among  the  iiatimis,  and  shall  rebuke  m,a?ty  jjeople  ; 
and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plow-shares,  and  their  spears 
into  ipruning  hooks,  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation, 
neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  moreP  verse  3,  4.     It  is  not  the 
glory  of  arms,  and  the  pomp  of  war,  and  the  shout  of  victory  that 
graces  the  kingdom  of  Christ, — No,  it  is  justice — righteousness — 
peace — mercy — love — filling  the  earth.     So  you  have  it  in  Isaiah 
xi.  4.     "  with  righteousness  shall  he  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove 
with  equity  for  the  m^eek  of  the  earth  :  and  he  shall  smite  the 
earth  with  the  rod  of  his  m,outh,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips 
shall  he  slay  the  hoicked," — that  is  at  his  coming.     Then  we  have 
a  description  of  the  subsequent  peace  of  his  kingdom,  verse  6, 
"  the  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall 


104  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

lie  down  with  the  kid  ;  and  the  calf  and  the  yonng  lion  and  the 
fatling  together ;  and  a  little  child  shall  lead  theniP  "  They 
shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain :  for  the  earth 
shall  be  full  of  the  knou'ledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea.  And  in  that  day  there  shall  he  a  root  of  Jesse,  tvhich 
shall  stand  for  an  etisign  of  the  jieople  ;  to  it  shall  the  Gentiles' 
(that  in,  the  nations  of  the  earth,)  seek :  and  his  rest  shall  be  glo- 
rious." V.  9,  10. 

The  glory,  then,  of  Christ's  inheritance,  the  glory  of  His  king- 
dom shall  be  a  moral  glory,  and  the  greatest  glory  of  Christ,  at 
this  tune,  is  this,  to  reveal  His  salvation  to  lost  and  guilty  sinners, 
and  to  make  them  fit  vessels  to  inherit  that  glory  with  Him. 
Therefore,  there  is  nothing  that  strengthens  the  faith  of  a  believer 
so  much  as  to  know  and  understand,  that  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  as  much  identified,  as  much  bound  up  with  the  sal- 
vation of  His  church,  as  that  salvation  is  bound  up  in  the  humilia- 
tion and  glory  of  our  Lord.  This  helps  to  unfold  the  reason,  why 
the  Apostle  prays  this  for  the  church  at  Ephesus. 

And  now,  consider  the  value  of  this  in  application  to  our  own 
state.  What  do  we  do?  In  our  ignorance  and  unbelief,  we  are 
doubting  and  fearing,  whether,  as  sinners,  we  may  come  to  Christ 
for  mercy.  We  want  to  qualify  ourselves, — to  make  ourselves  fit 
to  come  to  Jesus.  Alas  !  the  ])oor  inhabitants  of  an  hospital  might 
just  as  well  expect  to  heal  themselves  before  they  applied  to  the 
physician.  "  They  that  arc  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they 
that  are  sick  ;"  Mat.  ix.  12. — and  it  is  guilty  sinners,  like  you  and 
me,  that  need  a  Saviour.  But  I  repeat,  that  in  our  ignorance  and 
unbelief,  we  are  keeping  back  from  Christ,  doubting,  whether  we 
may  trust  Him.  "  Can  I  come,  can  I  depend  on  Christ  ?  Can  I 
believe  that  such  sins  as  mine  are  blotted  out  ?" 

This  is  continually  the  language  of  unbelief  in  the  human 
heart.  But  we  ought  to  remember  that  the  very  glory  of  Christ 
consists  in  this,  that  He  receives  and  pardons  sinners.  In  Luke, 
XV.  2,  we  have  an  account,  that  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  mur- 
mured, when  the  publicans  and  sinners  drew  near  to  hear  Jesus, 
and  this  was  their  complaint,  "  This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and 
eateth  with  them,"  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  answering  them, 
sets  forth  three  parables — that  of  the  man  who  had  lost  a  sheep, 
and  who  "  leaves  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  goeth 
after  that  which  is  lost,"  and  carries  it  home  "  on  his  shoulders  re- 
joicing" ; — the  poor  woman  who  had  lost  a  piece  of  money,  and 
searches  the  house  until  she  finds  it ; — and  the  tender  father  who 
receives  the  prodigal  son  in  all  his  tattered  garments  and  his  mis- 
ery,— illustrating  thereby  tlie  glory  of  his  own  character.  As  if 
when  they  murmured  and  said,  "  this  man  receiveth  sinners,"  He 
might  answer  them  and  say,  "  Assuredly,  I  receive  sinners,"  ^'■for 
the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 
Mat.  xviii.  11.  Instead  of  knowing  that  the  glory  of  our  Re- 
deemer's character,  consists  in  receiving  sinners — in  pardoning 
the  guilty — in  redeeming  the  lost — in  pouring  forth  as  the  "  Foun- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  105 

tain  of  living  waters,"  the  tide  of  love,  of  mercy,  of  salvation,  to 
guilty  man — we  stand  douliting,  and  fearing,  and  questioning, 
whether  we  have  salvation  in  Christ  or  not. 

This  may  lead  us  well  to  comprehend  the  reason  why  the  Apos- 
tle prays,  "  That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father 
of  glory,  may  give  them  tJie  spirit  of  ivisdom  and  revelation  in 
the  knowledge  of  him,  that  the  eves  of  their  understand- 
ing BEING  enlightened,  THEY  MAY  KNOW  WHAT  IS  THE  HOPE 
OF  HIS  CALLING,  AND  WHAT  THE  RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS 
INHERITANCE   IN  THE   SAINTS." 

The  voices  of  the  prophets  declare,  that  the  glory  of  Christ  was 
to  consist  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  I  might  quote  a  multitude 
of  passages  to  show  this,  but  I  shall  only  refer  to  a  few.  The 
Lord  saith  by  Isaiah,  xliv.  22,  "  /  have  blotted  ont,  as  a  thick 
cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and  as  a  cloud,  thy  sins  ;  return  unto 
me,  for  I  have  redeemed  theeP  Then,  mark,  how  the  prophet 
bursts  out  in  the  following  verse,  "  Sing,  O  ye  heavens  ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  done  it :  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth  :  break 
forth  into  singing,  ye  mountains,  O  forest,  and  every  tree  therein  : 
for  the  Lord  hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  glorified  himself  in  Is- 
raeli He  liath  glorified  liimself  in  their  redemption,  in  their 
pardon,  in  their  deliverance,  and  the  prophet  calls  upon  heaven 
and  earth,  the  mountains,  the  hills,  the  forest,  ev^ery  tree  and  every 
leaf  to  praise  the  Lord  for  his  redeeming  love  to  those  guilty  sin- 
ners— His  people. 

Ill  Isaiah  xlix.  13,  you  see  the  same  thing,  ''  ISing  O  heavens, 
and  be  joyful,  O  earth,  and  break  forth  into  singing  O  moun- 
tains ;  for  the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  people,  and  tvill  have 
mercy  on  his  afflicted.''''  Now  look  at  unbelief  in  the  following 
verse,  ''■but  Z'lon  said,  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord 
hath  forgotten  me."  There  is  unbelief,  doubting  His  love,  doubt- 
ing His  mercy.     What  is  his  answer  ? 

"  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not 
have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb  7  Yea,  they  may  for- 
get, yet  will  I  not  forget  theeP  See  how  the  voice  of  the  prophets 
glorify  the  Lord  God  in  the  pardon  of  sin.  ^ 

Let  me  read  one  or  two  more  passages.  Isaiah  Ix.  19,  21, 
where  he  speaks  of  the  glory  that  shall  dwell  in  His  Zion,  in 
the  day  of  his  inheritance.  "  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light 
by  day,  neither  for  brightness  shall  the  moon  give  light  unto  thee, 
but  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  Ught>^  and  thy  God 
thy  glwy.  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither  shall  thy 
Qnoon  ivithdraw  itself ;  for  the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting 
light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended.  Thy  people 
also  shall  be  all  righteous,  they  shall  inherit  the  land  forever, 
the  branch  of  my  planting,  the  work  of  my  hands,  that  I  may 
be  glorified.''^ 

Here  are  some  golden  beams  of  light  that  shine  on  the  treas- 
ures of  "  THE  RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS  INHERITANCE  IN 
THE  SAINTS." 


106  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

I  shall  lefer  you  but  to  one  more  prophecy,  Jer.  xxxiii.  8,  9, 
where  He  speaks  of  the  glory  of  pardoning  the  sins  of  His  rebel- 
lious Israel,  when  he  shall  call  them  home,  "  And  I  will  cleanse 
thetn  from  all  their  iniquity  whereby  they  have  sinned  against 
me,  and  I  ivill  pardon  all  their  iniquity  whereby  they  have  sinned, 
and  whereby  they  have  transgressed  against  me."  And  now 
mark,  ^^  And  it  shall  be  to  me  a  name  of  joy.,  a  j)raise  and  an 
honor  before  all  the  nations  of  the  earthy  which  shall  hear  all  the 
good  that  I  do  unto  them,  and  they  shall  fear  and  tremble  for  all 
the  goodness,  and  for  all  the  lirosperity  that  1  procure  unto  it." 
His  grace.  His  mercy.  His  salvation  shall  be  a  praise,  honor,  joy, 
and  glory  to  them,  through  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  born,  what  were  the  first  words 
that  bmst  from  the  lips  of  the  heavenly  choir,  that  came  to  celebrate 
his  birth  ?  "  Suddenly  there  ivas  with  the  angel,  a  multitude  of 
the  heavenly  host  praising  God,  and  saying,  glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men."  Luke  ii.  14, 
And  the  history  of  Christ's  kingdom — the  history  of  Christ's 
church  from  that  day  to  this — the  history  of  that  which  is  really 
the  holy  Catholic  church,  not  the  Church  of  Rome — nor  the 
Church  of  Scotland — nor  the  Church  of  England — nor  any  other 
outward  cluuch,  that  the  eye  of  man  has  been  able  to  discern,  but 
of  Christ's  spiritual  Church — that  is,  Christ's  believing  people — 
those  who  have  fled  to  Christ  for  refuge — those  who  have  embraced 
Christ's  salvation, — they  are  Christ's  Church  and  none  other ; 
then,  I  say,  the  history  of  them  from  that  day  to  this,  has  been  a 
history  of  the  glory  of  Christ.  Oh,  what  glory  !  when  the  Apos- 
tles went  and  preached  "  repentance  and  remission  of  s^ins  begin- 
ning at  Jerusalem,"  Luke,  xxiv.  47,  proclaiming  pardon  through 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  to  those  who  had  embrued  their  hands  in 
that  blood,  see  Acts,  ii.  37-47.  And  Oh,  how  often,  from  that 
day  to  this,  as  each  successive  sinner  has  been  brought  to  trust  in 
his  Redeemer,  how  often  has  the  expression,  "  Glory  be  to  God," 
broken  in  sincerity  from  his  lips,  as  the  light  of  pardon  and  peace 
from  his  Redeemer,  has  broken  in  on  his  poor,  benighted  soul ! 
So  it  is  continually,  when  a  sinner  is  brought  to  know  the  riches 
of  the  grace  of  Christ — "  glory  be  to  God,"  is  the  language  of  his 
heart — this  is  the  glory  that  Christ  has  received  from  all  his 
saints  to  this  day. 

But  this  glory,  however  great,  has  been  as  yet  but  partially  un- 
folded. It  is  yet  all  undeveloped  to  the  world.  It  is  not  yet  mani- 
fested^His  dealings  with  all  the  members  of  His  church  are  yet 
to  be  revealed.  We  have  indeed,  the  history  of  them  in  some  de- 
gree in  the  Bible.  We  have  the  history  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac 
and  of  Jacob — we  have  the  history  of  many  saints  of  the  Old 
Testament — we  have  the  story  of  Zaccheus — of  the  thief — we 
have  the  history  of  Saul — we  have  the  record  of  many  individuals, 
who  were  brought  to  Christ,  w^e  have  much  of  their  history  given 
to  us  in  the  Word  of  God.  But  the  secret  dealings  of  God  with 
all  their  souls,  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." — Eph.  iii.  8, — 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS.  107 

as  they  have  abounded  to  each  individual  among  them  are  not 
known,  and  sliall  not  be  known,  till  the  revelation  of  His  glory. 
Again  eternal  life  is  not  yet  known,  it  is  a  subject  but  of  faith  and 
hope  ;  you  believe  in  it,  and  you  hope  for  it,  but  it  is  not  yet  seen. 
The  Church  of  Christ  hath  not  yet  risen,  "  the  whole  creation 
groanelh  and  travailetJt  in  pain  together  imtil  now,  and  not  only 
they,  (all  created  beings)  hut  ice  (believers)  ourselves,  ivho  have 
the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  ive  ourselves  groan  within  our- 
selves, waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our 
hodyP  Rom.  viii.  22,  23.  Our  bodies  are  not  yet  redeemed,  they 
must  pass  through  the  ordeal  of  death,  they  nmst  enter  into  the 
grave,  they  must  be  subjected  to  that  process  of  decay  which 
awaits  them,  "  dust  thou  art,  and  ujito  dust  shalt  thou  return." 
Our  present  life  is  but  animal  life,  animal  existence — that  must 
soon  be  extinguished,  but  that  eternal  life  which  the  believer  has 
in  Christ,  is  as  the  Scripture  tells  us,  "  hid  xoitli  Christ  in  God:'' 
Col.  iii.  3. — it  is  not  yet  seen  or  known,  but  it  shall  not  be  always 
so  ;  for  "  ichen  Christ  loho  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  we 
also  appear  with  him  in  s^loryP  Col.  iii.  4.  Oh,  what  a  glorious 
day,  when  those  who  sleep  in  death,  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
"  burst  their  cerements" — when  all  the  redeemed  of  Christ  shall 
break  forth  at  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  springing  in  their  renewed, 
regenerated  bodies,  from  the  earth  and  the  depths  of  the  sea,  "  to 
tneet  their  Lord  in  the  airP  Then  shall  the  glory  of  Christ  be 
revealed,  then  shall  be  displayed  "the  riches  of  the  glory 
OF  HIS  inheritance  IN  THE  SAINTS."  Whcii  ^"^  the  travail  of 
his  souV'  shall  encircle  him  with  songs  of  everlasting  joy  !  Oh! 
what  a  blessed  day  for  those  who  know  Christ,  to  look  for,  and  to 
hope  for !  Then,  indeed,  shall  be  fulfilled  the  testimony  of  the 
Apostle,  as  he  says  in  2d  Thessalonians  i.  7,  '■'•to  you  who  are 
troubled,  rest  ivith  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  he  revealed  from 
heaven  with  his  mighty  angels^  Then  is  beheld  the  fearful  fate 
of  the  ungodly, — verses,  8,  9,  10,  "  in  flaming  fire,  taking  ven- 
geance on  them  that  kuow  not  God  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  be  punished  ivith  everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power.''''  But  then  shall  be  revealed  the  life  now  hidden 
of  His  Church — then  shall  be  revealed  His  own  glorious  majesty, 
and  faithfulness,  and  truth,  "  When  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified 
ill  his  saints,  and  to  he  admired  in  all  them,  that  helieveP     Here 

is  "the   riches   of  the   glory   of    HIS    INHERITANCE    IN    THE 

SAINTS,"  He  shall  then  "  come  to  he  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe.''^  Then  His  Church  shall  ap- 
pear the  bride  of  His  love — then  His  children,  "  the  travail  of  his 
soul," — then  His  glorious  inheritance  the  purchase  of  his  ))lood — 
then  His  royal  diadem,  with  all  the  jewels  of  His  crown  of  glory. 
And  Oh,  what  glory  shall  then  be  manifested  in  Christ  and  his 
saints !  What  gloiy  to  that  grace  that  has  been  proclaimed  to 
sinners,  as  I  proclaim  to  you  this  day  in  His  most  blessed  name, 
free,  full,  complete  pardon  for  all  your  sins.     Heard  you  not  the 


108  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

words  of  that  book  this  day,  as  they  were  read  in  the  Church  ? 
"  Come  now  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord,  though 
your  sins  he  as  scarlet,  they  shall  he  as  tvliite  as  snoio,  though 
they  he  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool."  Isa.  i.  18. 

Oh !  what  glory  to  the  grace  of  Christ,  in  pardoning  the  very 
chief  of  sinners.  How  shall  Manasseh,  Mary  Magdalene,  the  Thief, 
and  Saul,  and  you,  and  I,  if  we  be  there  among  them,  sing !  Alas  ! 
are  any  among  you  looking  to  any  other  refuge  ?  No  matter  what 
your  morals,  or  your  amiability,  or  your  fancied  excellence  may 
be — no  matter  with  what  self-delusion  in  your  pride  and  ignorance, 
you  may  deceive  yourselves,  in  reviewing  your  own  character — no 
matter  how  your  friends  may  blind  you,  by  calhng  you  amiable 
and  excellent,  as  perhaps,  relatively  speaking,  you  may  really  be 
— ^before  God  you  are  a  guilty  sinner,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  you  as  a  sinner,  and  there  is  no  hope,  no  shadow  of  hope  or 
refuge,  for  your  soul,  but  pardon  in  Christ.  The  glory  of  Christ 
is  to  have  been  a  substitute  for  sinners,  to  fulfil  the  law  for  -us, 
which  we  had  broken,  and  to  be  "  the  Lord  our  righteousness," 
He  came  to  bear  our  sins  on  the  cross,  and  therefore,  the  glory  of 
His  grace  consists  in  pardoning  sinners.  O  look  unto  him  and  be 
you  saved. 

But  glory  shall  be  to  His  justice.  The  sufferer,  tJie  victim  of  a 
violated  Law,  who  acknowledges  the  justice  of  the  sentence  that 
dooms  him  to  die,  honors  that  justice  as  much  as  he  who  pro- 
nounces the  sentence,  and  inflicts  the  blow.  The  thief  on  the 
cross,  when  God  enlightened  his  eyes  to  see  the  Saviour,  honored 
the  justice  of  his  sentence  when  he  said,  "  ive  indeed,  justly,  for  loe 
receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds,  hut  this  man  hath  done  Cloth- 
ing amiss"  Luke  xxiii.  41. 

But  if  man  glorifies  human  justice  in  acquiescing  in  its  sentence, 
as  pronounced  against  himself,  how  then,  was  the  character  of 
Jesus  glorified,  when  he  came  to  give  himself  a  willing  victim  to 
the  sentence  of  that  eternal  justice  which  had  pronounced  a  doom 
and  a  curse  on  guilty  man  !  Who  can  tell,  what  the  sense  of  jus- 
tice was  in  Jesus,  when  '•'•  he  steadfastly  set  his  face  to  go  to  Jeru- 
salem" Luke  ix.  51, — knowing  all  that  should  befall  him  ? 

Oh  !  "  wlien  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to 
be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe,"  then  shall  be  proclaimed  the 
glory  of  His  justice  when  he  underwent  the  "  agony  and  bloody 
sweat"  of  Gethsemane — the  mocking — the  buffeting — the  "  shame 
and  spitting"  of  the  judgment  hall — the  cross  of  Calvary — the 
vinegar — the  gall — the  dark  desertion  of  His  Father,  when,  in  that 
mysterious  agony  of  suffering.  He  cried  out,  "  My  God,  tny  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsuken  me  ?"  Mat.  xxvii.  46.  Oh  !  then,  it  shall 
be  seen  by  a  guilty  world,  that  He  who  came  to  be  a  willing  vic- 
tim for  sinners,  is  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory.  Then,  how  shall  the 
justice  of  Immanuel  shine  forth  in  the  Judge  of  Heaven  and  earth  ! 
How  shall  the  patient  sufferer  of  justice  shine  forth  in  glory  as  the 
vindicated  executor  of  justice  when  He  shall  come  "^o  be  glorified 
in  his  saints"  in  that  day ! 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  109 

And  then, — what  glory  to  His  nieicy  !  Who  shall  appear  among 
all  the  hosts  of  the  Redeemed — who  shall  appear  there,  that  is  not 
a  monument  of  grace  and  mercy !  There  shall  be  Manasseh,  that 
deluged  Jerusalem  with  blood — there,  shall  be  Mary  Magdalene — 
there,  the  persecuting  Saul — there,  perjured  Peter — there,  that 
blaspheming  thief  who  was  just  rushing,  with  blasphemy  on  his 
lips,  into  liell,  when  the  grace  of  God  arrested  him,  and  showed 
him,  that  he  who  hung  beside  him  on  the  cross,  was  the  Lord  of 
grace  and  mercy.  Oh,  how  shall  the  mercy  of  Christ  be  glorified 
in  these,  as  in  all  His  saints  !  Oh  !  yes  !  and  believer,  you  can 
say,  and  I  can  say,  if  we  be  there,  "  Oh,  how  glorious  is  that  mer- 
cy, that  saved  a  wretch  like  me  !"  Yes,  each  individual  who  knows 
the  secrets  of  his  own  heart — each  who  knows  the  guilt  of  his  own 
corruption,  his  baseness,  his  ingratitude,  his  unbelief,  his  rebellion, 
his  enmity,  his  crimes  against  his  God,  whether  perpetrated,  medi- 
tated, or  desired — each  who  knows  the  vileness  of  his  own  nature, 
shall  emulate  the  song  of  the  loudest  as  he  feels,  that  none  should 
shout  forth  "  glory  to  christ"  louder  than  a  smner  such  as  he. 

Do  not  you  know  this.  Oh  believer  ?  Yes,  you  do,  every  one 
of  you  who  knows  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  you  know,  that  this  is  true. 

Then,  what  glory  to  his  faithfulness  !  Mark  his  words  by  the 
Prophet  Isaiah,  xlviii.  8,  9,  10,  11.  '■'■  I  knew  that  thou  wouldest 
deal  very  treacherously,  and  wast  called  a  transgressor  from  the 
?^70w^6."  How  often  has  this  been  bitterly  echoed  by  the  voice  of 
conscience  !  But  how  faithful  is  He  to  His  covenant !  and  alas  ! 
how  great  our  unfaithfulness  !  Yet  He  saith.  "  For  my  name's 
sake  ivill  I  defer  mine  anger,  and  for  my  praise  u-ill  I  refrain  for 
thee,  that  I  cut  thee  not  off.  Behold  I  have  refined  thee,  but  tiot 
with  silver  ;  I  have  chosen  thee  hi  the  furnace  of  affliction.  For 
mine  oivn  sake,  even  for  mine  own  sake,  will  I  do  it ;  for  how 
should  my  name  he  polluted  7  and  I  will  not  give  my  glory  to 
another.^''  Oh,  how  His  faithfulness  and  patience  shall  be  glorified 
in  the  salvation  of  sinners,  like  you  and  me,  in  that  day. 

His  patience  !  How  has  He  not  borne  with  our  manners  and 
waywardness  !  Look  back  at  your  life,  and  see,  how  Christ  has 
borne  with  you !  See,  how  you  have  provoked  Him,  remember, 
how  continually  you  have  dared  Him  to  His  face — rushed  into  the 
jaws  of  temptation — fallen  into  them  again  and  again — and  yet, 
your  God  has  not  cut  you  off!  He  has  pardoned  you— He  has 
given  you  again  peace,  and  restored  you  to  His  mercy  !  How  of- 
ten have  you  had  to  say  of  your  Shepherd,  "  he  restoreth  my  soul." 
Psalm  xxiii.  3,  Oh  !  when  you  remember  this,  how  must  you 
glorify  the  faithfulness  and  patience  of  your  Saviour  !  And  again, 
what  glory  to  His  power  !  What  deliverances  He  hath  wrought 
for  you  !  How  His  providences  have  delivered  you,  how  His  power 
has  rescued  you  from  danger,  from  snares,  from  temptations,  trials, 
yea,  from  what  depths  of  sin,  the  Lord  of  life  and  power  has  rescued 
your  soul !  How  often  has  His  arm  lifted  you  up  from  the  preci- 
pice of  death  and  hell !  Oh,  how  must  you  glorify  the  Lord  in 
that  day ! 


110  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

And  then,  what  glory  to  His  holiness,  when  out  of  such  a  mass 
of  sinners,  he  ^^  presents  to  himself  a  glorious  churchy  not  having 
spot  or  ivrinkle  or  any  such  thing,  hut  holy  and  loithout  hlemish.^^ 
Ephes.  V.  27. 

How  the  character  of  Christ,  His  moral  character  shall  be  glorified ! 
all  the  attributes  of  His  divinity,  and  all  the  perfections  of  His  hu- 
manity, shining,  not  only  in  himself  but  in  all  His  redeemed  saints ! 
How  they  shall  all  be  manifested,  and  how  they  shall  all  be  glori- 
fied in  that  day,  '■'■  when  He  shall  come  to  be  glorified  iri  the  saints,''^ 
and  to  display  to  all  the  worlds  of  heaven,  earth,  and  hell,  "  the 

RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS    INHERITANCE    IN  THE  SAINTS  !" 

for  they  are  His  inheritance,  they  display  His  character,  they 
manifest  His  grace,  they  exhibit  His  justice,  mercy,  truth,  love, 
faithfulness,  patience,  power,  they  exhibit  them  all,  they  are  the 
inheritance  of  Christ.  His  glory — the  very  essence  of  his  glory  is 
manifested  and  displayed  in  them. 

How  wonderful,  that  even  the  fall  of  the  world,  that  the  sin  of 
man  should  be,  in  the  end,  overruled  for  good  !  to  confer  blessed- 
ness on  the  sinner  that  is  redeemed,  and  to  magnify  and  enhance 
the  character  and  glory  of  his  God. 

Oh !  believer,  let  us  think  what  does  this  demand  from  us  ? 
"  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  tnay  abound  ?  God  for- 
hid.^^  Rom.  vi.  1.  Because  Christ  is  glorified  in  the  pardon  of  sin, 
and  in  the  salvation  of  sinners,  shall  we  therefore  sin  against  our 
God  ? — God  forbid.  No,  it  is  the  very  manifestation  of  this  love, 
it  is  the  exhibition  of  Christ's  character,  as  brought  home  to  the 
heart  and  aflfections  of  man,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
draws  that  heart  and  these  aflfections  to  his  God.  And  it  is  thus, 
that  even  here,  in  the  life  of  His  people,  their  Lord  is  glorified, 
"  herein^''  saith  He,  "  is  m.y  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much 
fruit,  so  shall  ye  be  my  disciplesP 

Then,  do  you  not  see,  what  a  blessed  prayer,  "  That  the  God  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  might  give  unto  them 
the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knoioledge  of  Him  ?" 
Do  you  not  perceive  how  inspiration  shines  in  the  petition,  "  that 

THE  EYES  OP  THEIR  UNDERSTANDING  BEING  ENLIGHTENED, 
THEY  MAY  KNOW  WHAT  IS  THE  HOPE  OF  HIS  CALLING,  AND 
WHAT    THE    RICHES    OF    THE    GLORY    OF     HIS    INHERITANCE    IN 

THE  SAINTS?"  How  is  uot  this  calculated  to  glorify  Christ? 
— to  make  them  glorify  Him  in  their  faith,  their  confidence, 
their  hope  in  Him,  their  love  to  Him — in  their  life  and  con- 
versation, as  the  disciples  of  the  Lord — the  redeemed  of  such  a 
Saviour  ?  Oh  !  that  the  Lord  may  grant,  that  these  blessed  re- 
sults may  flow  to  our  souls  from  the  revelation  of  the  knowledge 
of  Him ! 

Let  us  remember,  that  the  Apostle  preached  these  truths  much 
better  than  we  can  preach  them.  He  set  these  things  forth  by  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Yet  he  does  not  say,  my  preach- 
ing shall  produce  such  and  such  an  effect  upon  you.  Nay,  brethren. 
You  may  say,  and  I  trust  you  do,  when  you  hear  the  word  of 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  Ill 

God  faithfully  set  forth, ''  That  is  true, — that  preaching  is  scriptural, 
— that  testimony  is  faithful,— that  word  is  sound."  But  then,  this 
truth  can  produce  no  effect  on  you  or  me  but  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  We  may  preach,  but  our  own  heart  and  life  shall  be 
all  uninfluenced  by  the  very  word  we  teach,  unless  God  by  His 
Spirit  brings  it  home  to  our  own  souls.  So  must  it  be  with  you. 
Therefore,  remember,  the  Apostle  does  not  say,  I  have  preached 
to  you,  my  preaching  shall  be  effectual — my  word  shall  take  root 
and  bring  forth  fruit  in  you.  No,  but  he  offers  this  petition  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace.  He  knows  that  even  the  very  words  of  God 
himself,  whether  spoken  or  inspired,  must  be  accompanied  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  reach  the  heart  of  a  sinner.  He  knows  that  all  the 
glory  of  Immanuel's  character,  the  riches  of  His  grace,  and  the 
fulness  of  His  salvation,  shall  shine  in  the  firmament  of  God's 
eternal  world  as  vMnly  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament  of  heaven  on 
those  whose  eyes  are  blind,  unless  "  the  Father  of  glory  shall  give 
them  the  spii'it  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of 
him — unless  the  eyes  of  their  understanding  shall  be 

ENLIGHTENED,  THAT  THEY  MAY  KNOW  WHAT  IS  THE  HOPE  OF 
HIS  CALLING,  AND  WHAT  THE  RICHES  OF  THE  GLORY  OF  HIS 
INHERITANCE   IN  THE  SAINTS." 

And  now,  perhaps,  some  poor  blind  sinner  may  have  come  in 
here  to-day,  to  whom  this  is  all  unknown.  He  does  not  under- 
stand these  words.  He  cannot  tell  what  is  ''  the  riches  of  the 
GLORY  OF  Christ's  inheritance  in  the  saints."  Well — per- 
haps through  God's  grace,  the  Spirit  of  eternal  truth  may  bring 
home  this  word  to  your  heart,  and  enable  you  to  understand  it 
ere  you  leave  this  Church.  You  may  have  come  here  as  many 
come,  because  they  think  it  is  right  to  do  so  on  the  Sabbath-day, 
because  they  think  it  right,  as  they  say,  to  do  their  duty — 
to  go  to  church — to  say  their  prayers — and  to  hear  a  Sermon,  or, 
perhaps,  as  many  do,  they  come  to  lounge  away  an  hour — or 
thinking,  it  may  be,  that  it  is  a  very  meritorious  act,  and  shall  be 
entered  as  an  item  to  their  credit  in  the  Book  of  God  for  their  sal- 
vation. Perhaps  that  such  an  one  may  be  offended  at  being  told, 
that "  all  their  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags^  Isa.  Ixiv.  6,  and 
that  all  their  religious  observances,  and  all  their  duties  can  never 
save,  or  help  to  save  their  souls.  Nay,  I  say  to  such  a  one,  my 
friend,  you  are  a  sinner,  and  "  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  you.'''' 
What  are  you  to  do  ?  My  dear  fellow-sinner,  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  Christ  are  set  forth  to  you,  in  the  proclamation  of  the 
pardon  of  sin  to  sinners.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth, 
I  proclaim  to  you,  on  the  authority  of  God's  eternal  world,  pardon 
of  your  sin  through  the  blood  of  Him,  which  "  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin,'''  1  John,  i.  7.  You  may  ask,  "  What !  do  you  mean  to 
say,  that  what  Christ  has  done  and  suffered,  is  enough  for  me  to 
rest  my  soul  on  ?  May  I  depend  on  Him  this  day  ?  Is  there  in 
Him  full  pardon  for  a  thoughtless  sinner  like  me  ?"  Oh  yes,  "  to- 
day if  you  will  hear  His  voice,  harden  not  your  heart."  Psalm, 
xcv.  7,  8.     Remember  he  said  to  Zaccheus  the  chief  of  the  publi- 


112  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

cans,  "  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house.''^  Luke  xix.  9. 
Recollect  He  said  to  the  Thief,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  he  with  me  in 
paradise^'''  and  do  not  forget  this  glorious  truth,  that  he  who  said 
thus,  is  "  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday^  to-day^  andforeverP 
Heb.  xiii.  8. 

Oh  may  He  by  the  Spirit,  enable  you  to  receive  these  glad  tid- 
ings, and  then  your  salvation  shall  redound  to  the  glory  of  Christ. 
Then  you  shall  be  able  to  say,  as  many  a  sinner  like  you  hath 
said,  "  Ah,  when  I  was  not  thinking  at  all  about  myself,  about  my 
sins,  quite  ignorant  of  my  own  state,  and  ignorant  of  Christ,  God 
sent  His  word  home  to  my  conscience,  I  saw,  I  was  a  guilt)^  sinner, 
and  I  heard  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,"  (for  if  you  have  been 
listening  to  it  all  your  days,  it  is  not  till  it  comes  to  your  heart 
with  power,  that  you  hear  it,)  "  I  heard  for  the  first  time  of  forgive- 
ness through  the  blood  of  Christ," 

May  the  Lord  enable  you  to  see  and  to  receive  it.  Then  you 
shall  be  among  those  whose  salvation  shall  redound  to  the  gloiy 
of  Christ — then  you  shall  understand  and  participate  in  "the 

RICHES  OF    THE    GLORY  OF    HIS   INHERITANCE   IN  THE  SAINTS." 

Now  they  give  Him  glory,  now  they  praise  Him  for  his  pardoning 
love  and  mercy.  But  Oh,  what  shall  it  be  in  that  glorious  day, 
when  he  shall  have  '■'■spoken  and  called  the  earth  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun,  to  the  going-  down  thereof  P^  When  "  Out  of  Zion 
the  perfection  of  beauty  God  hath  shined  .'"  When  "  Our  God 
shall  come  and  shall  not  keep  silence,  a  fire  shall  devour  before 
him,  and  it  shall  be  very  tempestuous  round  about  him  .'"  When 
''  He  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from  above,  and  to  the  earth,  that 
he  may  judge  his  people"  "  Gather  my  saints  togetlier  unto  me, 
those  that  have  made  a  covenant  with  me  by  sacrifice  .'"  When 
"  The  heavens  shall  declare  his  righteousness,  for  God  is  Judge, 
Himself!"  Psalm  1.  1-6.  What  shall  it  be  when  He  who  ^Jiath 
been  a  strength  to  the  poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress, 
a  refugefroin  the  storfn,  a  shadow  from  the  heat,  ivhen  the  blast 
of  the  terrible  07ies  is  as  a  storm  against  the  wall."  What  shall 
it  be  when  "  He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory  ;  and  the  Lord 
God  urill  wipe  away  tears  from  off  cdl  faces  ;  and  the  rebuke  of 
his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  all  the  earth ;  for  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  A)ul  it  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo, 
this  is  our  God  ;  ive  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us  : 
this  is  the  Lord  ;  we  have  waited  for  him,  ice  will  be  glad,  and 
rejoice  in  his  salvation."  Isa.  xxv.  4,  8,  9. 

Then,  and  not  till  then,  shall  be  the  full  response  to  the  Apos- 
tle's prayer — then,  and  not  till  then,  shall  the  Song  of  Moses  and 
the  Lamb  echo  from  every  voice  of  the  assembled  hosts  of  the 
Redeemed — then  shall  they  enjoy  in  full  possession  their  ^inher- 
itance incorruptible  and  uiidefiled,  and  that  fadcth  not  away" — 
then  shall  be  enjoyed  in  full  fruition  the  glorious  "  Hope  op  his 
CALLING,"  and  then  revealed  in  the  light  of  His  countenance  be- 
fore the  throne  "the  riches  OF  the  glory  of  his  inherit- 
ance IN  the  SAINTS."     Amen. 


TENTH    LEG  TURE. 


Ephesians  I.— 19,  20,  21,  22,  23. 


"  And  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  ac- 
cording to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places, 
far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that 
is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come  :  and  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  given  him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is 
his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 

There  are,  as  we  have  seen,  three  principal  subjects  in  the 
Apostle's  petition  for  the  Church  at  Ephesus— three  distinct  points 
in  which  he  prays  the  Father  of  glory  to  grant  to  them  "  the  sjnrit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  that  the 
eyes  of  their  understanding  being  enlightened  they  may  knoio — 

1*^.    What  is  the  hope  of  his  calling. 

2d.  What  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the 
saints. 

3c?.  What  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward, 
who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  poiver,  which 
he  lor  ought  hi  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  set 
him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places. 

We  have  in  this,  as  has  been  set  forth,  in  the 

First — The  blessedness  of  the  saints  in  the  hope  to  which  it  is 
their  high  privilege  to  be  called  in  Christ,  "  luhich  hope  they  have 
as  an  anchor  of  their  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast.''''  Heb. 
vi.  19. 

In  the  Second — The  riches  of  the  glory  of  Christ's  inheritance 
in  them,  when  He  shall  be  crowned  and  glorified  in  all  the  salva- 
tion of  His  Redeemed — when  the  "  ten  thousand  times  ten  thou- 
sand and  thousands  of  thousands  shall  say  with  a  loud  voice, 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  loas  slain  to  receive  poiver  and  riches 
and  wisdom  and  strength  and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing.^^ 
Rev.  V.  11,  12. 

As  the  first  refers  to  the  hope  of  the  saints  in  Christ,  and  the 
second  to  the  glory  of  Christ's  inheritance  in  them,  so  we  have 
in  the 

Third — ^The  glory  of  both  Christ  and  His  Church  in  their  pres- 
ent union.  He,  as  the  risen  head  ;  they,  as  His  members ;  one 
glorious  mystic  body.  He  as  "#/ie  head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church,  lohich  is  his  body,  the  fidness  of  him,  that  filleth  all  in 
all:'  Eph.  V.  22,  23. 

Having  considered  the  two  first, — the  third  point  is  for  our  con- 
sideration to-day,  "  WHAT  IS  THE  EXCEEDING  GREATNESS  OF  HIS 


114  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

POWER  TO  US-WARD  WHO  BELIEVE,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  WORK- 
ING OF  HIS  MIGHTY  POWER,  WHICH  HE  WROUGHT  IN  CHRIST, 
WHEN  HE  RAISED  HIM  FROM  THE  DEAD." 

Some  commentators  consider,  that  the  Apostle  means  here  sim- 
ply the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  blessings  which  God,  by 
His  power,  in  raising  him  from  the  dead,  has  conferred  upon  the 
Church.  Others  imagine,  that  it  refers  to  the  resurrection  of  be- 
lievers, in  that  He  will  raise  them,  and  that  the  Apostle  means 
that  this  is  "the  greatness  of  his  power  toward  those 
WHO  believe"  that  they  also  shall  arise,  "according  to  the 

WORKING  OF  his  MIGHTY  POWER,  WHICH  HE  WROUGHT  IN 
CHRIST,  WHEN  HE  RAISED  HIM  FROM  THE  DEAD."* 

Most  unquestionably  both  of  these  must  be  included  in  its  mean- 
ing. It  must  include  both  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the 
future  resurrection  of  believers.  But,  I  think,  there  is  much  more 
than  either  one  or  both  of  these  in  this  passage.  It  appears  to 
me  most  especially  to  mean,  the  present  spiritual  life  which  be- 
lievers have  in  Christ  Jesus,  being  risen  with  him  as  their  risen 
head. 

In  order  to  understand  the  passage,  you  must  refer  to' the  whole 
context,  and  examine  it  at  length  in  the  Epistle.  The  sentence 
does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  concluded  till  the  10th  verse  of  the 
next  chapter.  The  Apostle  does  not  appear  to  have  fully  given 
out  his  meaning  till  he  gets  to  that  verse.  If  we  are  spared  to 
reach  the  .5th  and  6th  verses,  you  will  see,  I  trust,  the  whole  con- 
nection of  the  passage, — meantime,  I  would  just  remark,  that  the 
5th  and  6th  verses  of  the  2nd  chapter  appear  to  me  to  be  the  ex- 
planation of  this  19th  verse.  Here  he  prays,  "  that  the  eyes  of 
your  understanding  being  enlightened,  you  may  know  what  is 

THE  EXCEEDING  GREATNESS  OF  HIS  POWER  TO  US-WARD  WHO 
BELIEVE,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  WORKING  OF  HIS  MIGHTY  POWER, 
WHICH  HE  WROUGHT  IN  ChRIST  WHEN  HE  RAISED  HIM  FROM 
THE    DEAD,    AND    SET    HIM    AT    HIS    OWN    RIGHT    HAND    IN    THE 

HEAVENLY  PLACES."  Now,  ill  the  5th  and  6th  verses  of  the  next 
chapter,  he  saith,  "  he  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christy 

*  The  Author  in  referring  to  the  opinions  of  commentators,  in  several  parts  of  these 
Lectures,  thinks  it  better  to  omit  names  and  authorities.  First,  because  it  might  give 
a  controversial  tone  to  this  work,  which  is  generally  not  profitable  to  our  own  souls. 
It  is  enough  to  be  obliged  to  use  the  Word  of  God,  controversionally  with  opponents, 
and  it  is  the  least  that  we  may  be  allowed  to  enjoy  it,  spiritually  and  devotionally  our- 
selves. Besides  many  persons  are  so  wedded  to  names  and  authorities  of  men,  that 
the  very  insinuation  that  a  favorite  commentator,  was  not  right  in  every  point,  would 
disgust  them,  and  not  allow  them  to  consider  a  passage  with  common  patience  or 
attention,  it  would  be  quite  enough  to  stamp  it  as  false,  to  suppose  that  Scott,  or 
Henry,  or  Whitby,  or  Macknight,  or  Poole,  or  Bloomfield,  or  some  other  Commentator, 
was  not  almost  infalUble  in  their  interpretation.  But  the  author  earnestly  entreats 
others  to  do,  as  he  would  humbly  desire  to  do  himself — to  study  the  Lord's  word  simply 
with  prayer,  comparing  spiritual  things,  with  spiritual ;  and  thus  he  trusts  they  will 
find,  that  though  in  general,  sound  pious  Commentators  are  right;  yet  there  are  many 
portions  of  Scripture,  which  God  may  be  pleased  to  throw  light  on,  to  meek  and  hum- 
ble enquirers,  of  which  they  may  impart  some  feeble  ray,  to  a  fellow-sinner,  which 
even  the  best  Commentators,  may  perhaps  have  but  slightly  noticed  ;  how  often  do  we 
ourselves  see  texts  of  Scripture  at  some  times  in  a  brighter  light,  than  we  do  at  others. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  115 

{by  grace  ye  are  saved)  and  hath  raised  ns  up  together,  and 
Qnade  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  JesiisP  I 
think,  if  you  examine  it,  you  will  see,  that  the  Apostle  carries  on 
the  sense  to  these  verses,  and  that  they  give  the  true  interpreta- 
tion of  this.  The  explanation  will  naturally  appear  when  we 
come  to  the  passage  ;  but,  as  the  Apostle  seems  to  conclude  his 
meaning  there,  we  shall  wait  and  follow  on  the  chapter  in  the  or- 
der in  whicli  it  lies  before  us. 

You  may  observe,  that  the  mind  of  the  Apostle  seems  carried 
away,  as  it  were,  the  moment  the  thought  of  Christ's  resurrection 
is  suggested  to  him,  his  soul  seems  lifted  up  from  the  church  and 
things  below,  to  follow  up  the  Lord  Jesus  into  his  resurrection 
glory  with  the  eye  of  faith.  When  he  touches  on  the  topic  of 
Christ's  resurrection,  you  observe,  how,  without  a  single  pause,  he 
follows  the  succession  of  thoughts  that  rise  as  light  before  him, 
to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  "  which  he  wrought  in  Christ, 

WHEN  HE  RAISED  HIM  FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  SET  HIM  AT  HIS 
OWN  RIGHT  HAND  IN  THE  HEAVENLY  PLACES.  FAR  ABOVE  ALL 
PRINCIPALITY,  AND  POWER,  AND  MIGHT,  AND  DOMINION,  AND 
EVERY  NAME  THAT  IS  NAMED,  NOT  ONLY  IN  THIS  WORLD,  BUT 
ALSO  IN  THAT  WHICH  IS  TO  COME.  AND  HATH  PUT  ALL  THINGS 
UNDER  HIS  FEET,  AND  GAVE  HIM  TO  BE  HEAD  OVER  ALL  THINGS 
TO  THE    CHURCH,  WHICH    IS    HIS    BODY,  THE  FULNESS    OF    HIM 

THAT  FiLLETH  ALL  IN  ALL."  His  soul,  I  say,  seems  carried 
away  from  things  of  earth,  following  up  Christ  in  His  glory,  and 
expatiating  on  it  as  he  goes,  as  if  he  were  ascending  up  to  the 
very  mount  of  God — and  bounding,  as  it  were,  from  summit  to 
summit,  he  proclaims  the  glory  of  Immanuel,  from  every  elevation 
of  His  love  and  power.  "  How  beautifid  upon  the  mountains  are 
the  feet  of  1dm  tliat  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace, 
that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth  salvation, 
that  saith  unto  Zion,  thy  God  reignethP  Isa.  lii.  7.  It  is  glo- 
rious now,  while  He  sitteth  on  his  mediatorial  throne ;  and  what 
shall  it  be  Avheii  He  is  on  His  throne  as  King  of  glory ! 

Let  us  observe,  now,  what  various  topics  the  Apostle  touches  on 
in  succession  here  : — 

1st.  The  Resurrection  of  Christ,   "which    he   wrought  in 

CHRIST  WHEN  HE   RAISED  HIM  FROM  THE  DEAD." 

Then  2d,  the  exaltation  of  Christ,  "and  set  him  on  his  own 

RIGHT   HAND  IN  THE  HEAVENLY  PLACES." 

Then  3d,  the  Supremacy  of  Christ,  over  all  powers  in  heaven, 
and  earth,   and   hell, — "  far    above    all    principality   and 

POWER  AND  MIGHT  AND  DOMINION  AND  EVERY  NAME  THAT  IS 
NAMED,  NOT  ONLY  IN  THIS  WORLD,  BUT  ALSO  IN  THAT  AVHICH 
IS  TO  COME." 

Then  4th,  the  absolute  executive  rule  and  authority  of  Christ 
over  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  "  and  hath  put  all  things 

UNDER  HIS  feet." 

Then  5th,  the  glorious  headship  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  the 


116  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Church,  "and  gave  him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to 

THE  CHURCH." 

And  6th,  the  union  of  Christ  with  His  Church,  as  of  the  head 
and  members,  "  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that 

FILLETH  ALL   IN  ALL." 

We  can  only  briefly  touch  upon  these  subjects.  May  the  Lord, 
the  Spirit  of  wisdom,  hfe  and  power,  be  present  with  us,  and  teach 
us  each  to  offer  up  the  Apostle's  prayer  from  our  own  hearts,  and 
may  the  Lord  give  us  an  answer  of  peace.  May  ^'■the  God  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  give  unto  us  the  spirit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him,  the  eyes  of 
our  understanding  being  etdightened,  that  we  may  know  what  is 
the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding  great- 
ness OF  HIS  POWER  TO  US-WARD  WHO  BELIEVE,  ACCORDING  TO 
THE  WORKING  OF  HIS  MIGHTY  POWER,  WHICH  HE  WROUGHT  IN 
CHRIST  WHEN  HE  RAISED  HIM  FROM  THE   DEAD  !" 

Each  of  these  subjects  is  a  subject  of  faith,  hope,  and  consola- 
tion to  the  believer.  And  First — the  Apostle  speaks  of  "/Ae 
resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''''  The  resurrection  of 
Christ  is  the  very  basis  of  all  the  believer's  hope.  "  If  Christ  he  not 
risen  our  faith  is  vain,  we  are  yet  in  our  sins,^'  as  the  Apostle 
argues,  1  Cor.  xv.  17.  His  resurrection  is  given  to  us  in  Scripture, 
as  the  proof  of  His  Godhead,  as  we  see  in  Rom.  i.  4,  "  declared  to 
be  the  ^o?i  of  God  tvith  poioer,  according  to  the  spirit  of  holiness, 
by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead."  It  is  the  pledge  of  our  salva- 
tion. It  is,  as  it  were,  the  presentation  of  a  receipt  in  full  to  man, 
from  the  divine  justice  for  all  our  debts ;  tlierefore,  it  is  said  "  he 
was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion.'''' Rom.  iv.  25,  that  the  justification  of  man  might  be  pro- 
claimed through  the  finished  work  of  Jesus,  as  risen  from  the 
dead.  It  is  the  earnest  of  our  own  resurrection,  as  the  Apostle  argues 
throughout  the  whole  of  first  Corinthians,  chap.  xv.  "  But  now 
is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them 
that  slept,  for  since  by  man  came  death,  by  m,an  came  also  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead ;  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so,  in 
Christ,  shall  all  be  made  alive."  20,  21,  22.  And  again,  "a*  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  toe  shall  also  bear  the  image 
of  the  heavenly.''''  Again,  verse  49,  "  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but 
we  shall  all  be  changed  in  a  moment,  in  the  tivinkling  of  an  eye, 
at  the  last  tru/inp."  verse  51,  52.  Again,  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
is,  ^s  we  said,  and  as  we  shall  see  more  fully,  the  present  life  of 
the  believer's  soul,  chap.  ii.  6,  He  ^' hath  raised  ns  up  together, 
and  7nade  ns  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus," 
"  reckon  ye  also  yourselves,  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
unto  God  ,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Rom.  vi.  2. 

But  the  Second  point  is,  the  exaltation  of  Christ.  If  Christ 
were  not  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  blessing  of  His 
resurrection  would  be  incomplete  to  us  ;  we  should  not  know  where 
He  had  risen  to  go,  or  what  He  had  risen  to  do.     But  now  we 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  117. 

know  He  is  exalted,  and  that  He  is  exalted  as  a  Prophet,  Priest, 
and  King,  on  His  Father's  throne,  and  there  He  carries  on  His 
glorious  work,  in  these  blessed  offices  for  those  who  believe  on 
Him  to  life  everlasting.  So  we  have  in  Acts,  ii.  33,  "  therefore 
being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received  of 
the  Father,  the  joromise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth 
this,  ivhich  ye  now  see  and  hear.''''  That  was  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Christ  had  sent  Him  forth  as  the  prophet  of  His  Church,  He  had 
sent  the  blessed  Spirit  to  teach  them.  So  St.  Peter  by  that  Spirit, 
whose  office  it  is  to  glorify  Christ,  testifies  this  at  the  moment,  to 
the  assembled  multitude,  and  adds,  "  For  David  is  not  ascended 
into  the  heavens,  but  he  saith  himself,  the  Lord  said  unto  my 
Lord,  sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thy  foes  thy  foot- 
stool ;  therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel,  know  assuredly,  that 
God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  ivhom  ye  have  crucified  both 
Lord  and  Christ^''  v.  34,  35,  36.  And  again,  the  same  Apostle, 
sets  forth  before  the  council,  the  office  for  which  He  is  exalted,  as 
we  see  in  Acts,  v.  30,  31,  "  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up 
Jesus,  whom  ye  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  him  hath  God  exalted 
with  his  right  hand,  to  be  a.  prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give 
repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins,'^  and  He  exercises 
His  office  as  a  prophet,  in  teaching  His  people  by  His  word  and 
by  His  Spirit. 

Recollect  that  if  you  really  learn  any  truth  to  your  soul's  good, 
it  is  only  because  He  is  exercising  that  office  for  you.  How  ought 
we  then  in  hearing  His  word,  to  lift  up  our  hearts  in  prayer  to  Him, 
that  He  will  teach  us  by  His  Spirit,  that  He  will  clothe  His  truth 
with  power,  in  the  mouth  of  His  servant  who  speaks,  so  that  that 
word  may  come  with  a  blessing  to  our  hearts  !  If  you  receive  any 
blessing,  you  must  receive  it  through  Christ  by  the  Spirit.  There 
is  no  blessing  derived  from  man,  man  is  a  poor  earthern  vessel, 
"  We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels  that  the  excellency  of 
the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us.''''  2  Cor.  iv.  7. 

Remember,  that  as  the  Lord  is  exalted,  as  a  Prophet,  so  He  is 
exalted  as  a  Piiest,  as  the  Apostle  tells  us  in  Heb.  ix.  11,  12, 
"  Christ  being  come  an  High  Priest  of  good  things  to  com,e," 
(being  come  that  He  might  be  made  an  High  Priest  of  good  things 
to  come,)  "  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect  taberyiacle,  not  rnade 
with  hands,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  biiilding,  neither  by  the 
blood  of  goats,  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,"  (having  come 
here  as  a  Sin  Offering,  and  poured  out  his  own  blood.  He  hath 
been  now  exalted,  and)  "/?e  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place, 
having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us ;"  for  as  he  says  in 
verse  24,  ^'■Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  7nade  with 
hands,  which  are  the  figures  of  the  true,^^  (alluding  to  the  holy  of 
holies  in  the  temple,)  "  but  into  heaven  itself  now  to  appear  in  the 
presence  of  God  for  us,"  exalted  an  High  Priest,  on  His  Father's 
throne,  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 

Oh,  consider  what  "  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the 
knowledge"  of  Christ  in  this  does  for  the  sinner !     What  is  it  to 


118  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

you,  that  Christ  is  exalted  a  high  priest  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ? 
— it  is  nothing — unless  you  come  as  a  sinner  to  that  high  priest, 
to  plead  that  precious  blood  before  the  bar  of  God  for  your  salva- 
tion and  peace — that  atonement  which  Christ  hath  wrought — that 
blood  which  Christ  poured  out  as  a  victim,  and  now  ofl'ers  as  a 
Priest,  and  trust  in  Him,  that  having  carried  that  blessed  sacrifice 
into  the  presence  of  God  for  sinners,  you  may  rest  satisfied  that 
that  is  enough  for  you, — you  want  no  more.  Consider,  then,  the 
use  of  this — the  wondrous  blessing,  as  the  Apostle  tells  us  in  Heb. 
iv.  14-16,  "  Seeing^  then^  that  we  have  a  great  high  priest,  that  is 
passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  /Son  of  God,  let  ns  holdfast 
our  profession  ;  for  we  have  not  an  high  priest  ivho  cannot  he 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  injir?nities,  but  ivas  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  loe  are,  yet  without  sin.  Let  us,  tJierefore,  come 
boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find 
grace  to  help  in  time  of  needP  Here  is  the  end  of  Christ  being 
exalted  a  Priest  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  And,  what  an  unspeaka- 
ble blessing  it  is  to  know  Him  in  that  character  !  If  I  address  any 
of  you,  my  dear  Roman  Cathohc  friends,  here  is  the  Priest  for  you 
to  go  to,  or  to  send  for.  When  you  are  sick,  or  when  you  feel  the 
burden  of  your  sins,  then  send  for  the  priest, — not  the  priest  of  the 
Church  of  Rome, — nor  the  priest  of  the  Church  of  England, — to 
take  away  your  sins,  or  to  make  an  offering  for  you, — as  if  a  bit 
of  paste,  or  bread  and  wine  could  make  an  offering  to  God  for  sins. 
Oh,  no,  send  for  the  '•'•great  high  priest,  who  is  jtassed  into  the 
heavens,  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,"  send  for  him.  You  need  not 
wait  for  a  messenger,  you  need  not  send  man  and  horse  as  an 
express  for  Christ.  A  thought  of  the  heart — a  look  of  the  eye  is 
messenger  enough  for  Jesus !  "  Look  unto  tne,  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  ye  ends  of  the  earth .'"  Isa.  xlv.  22.  Here,  brethren,  is  a  Priest 
for  you.  May  the  Lord  enable  us  all,  Protestants  and  Roman 
Catholics,  to  know  the  value  of  Christ  as  the  high  Priest  that  is 
gone  to  "  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us" — again  I  repeat 
and  mark  it,  "  Seeing  that  we  have  a  great  high  priest  that  is 
passed  into  the  heavens  *  *  *  let  ns  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of 
grace,  that  we  m,ay  obtaiti  m^ercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  thne 
of  need P  How  necessary  it  is  to  hold  up  these  great  truths,  when 
men  are  setting  forth  priests  and  sacraments,  to  make  their  peace 
with  God, — putting  the  shadow  for  the  substance,  the  emblem  for 
the  thing  signified  !  Grasp  the  substance,  then  you  are  sure  to 
have  the  shadow.  Hold  the  substance  in  the  light  of  God's  truth, 
the  shadow  is  sure  to  follow,  as  it  follows  a  form  in  the  sun.  If 
you  hold  Christ  as  you  ought,  you  will  surely  place  the  proper 
value  on  the  blessed  ordinances  which  He  has  appointed. 

But  He  is  exalted,  not  only  as  a  Prophet  and  Priest,  but  as  a 
King, — and  this  brings  us  to  the  next  consideration.  His  suprem- 
acy over  all  the  powers  of  heaven  and  earth  and  hell,  "  far  above 

ALL  PRINCIPALITY  AND  POWER  AND  MIGHT  AND  DOMINION,  AND 
EVERY  NAME  THAT    IS  NAMED,   NOT  ONLY  IN    THIS  WORLD,  BUT 

ALSO  IN  THAT  WHICH  IS  TO  COME."     The  angcls,  all  the  host  of 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  119 

heaven,  are  commanded  to  worship  him.     So  we  have  in  Phil.  ii. 
9,  10,  speaking  of  the  exaUation  of  Christ,  "  God  also  hath  highly 
exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  naine  that  is  above  every  natne, 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  shoidd  boiv,  of  things  in 
heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  raider  the  earth"     An- 
gels, men,  and  devils,  must   bow  before   him,  ^^  and  that   every 
tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of 
God  the  Father.'^     So  in  Heb.  i.  6,  ''■when  he  bringeth  in  the  first 
begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith,  and  let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him."     Angels  are  to  worship  him,  men  are  to  worship 
him,  so  the  Lord  Jesus  tells  us,  "  that  all  men  shoidd  honor  the 
Son,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father."     John  v.  23.     How  is  that  ? 
It  is,  with  the  supreme  adoration  of  Jehovah,  "  with  all  their  heart, 
and  mind,  and  soul,  and  strength;" — "Ae  that  honoreth  not  the 
Son,"  thus,  "  honoreth  not  the  Father  that  hath  sent  him."     There- 
fore, Ye  Socinians,  who  pride  yourselves  on  the  knowledge  of 
what  you  call  the  one  God, — your  God  is  an  idol — he  is  no  God 
at  all ;  the  thing  you  call  God  is  no  God,  for  if  you  honor  not  the 
Son  as  you  honor  the  Father,  you  honor  not  the  Father,  but  de- 
spise the  God  of  the  Bible.     The  being  you  worship  is  a  god  of 
your  imagination,  it  is  not  the  God  that  is  revealed  in  the  Bible, 
because  the  God  that  is  revealed  in  the  Bible  is  Jehovah,  that 
God  who  "  loas  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself." 
So,  the  devils  are  called  to  worship  Him,  and  they  do  worship 
Christ.     You  see,  in  St.  Luke,  iv.  34,  when  the  man  with  the 
spirit   of  an   unclean   devil  cried   out,    saying,    ''what  have  ive 
to   do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus   of  Nazareth  ?     Art  thou   come  to 
destroy  ns  ?"     He  adds,  in  the  same  breath,  "  /  knoio  thee,  loho 
thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God."     The  devil  knew  Him.     The 
devils  are  better  theologians  than  the  Socinian  !     Ask  the  Socin- 
ian,  who  Christ  is  ? — he  will  tell  you,  He  was  a  good  man,  a  great 
man,  a  holy  man,  a  great  prophet,  one  gifted  with  the  Spirit  of 
God.     Ask  the  devil,  who  Christ  is  ? — the  devil  will  tell  you,  "  the 
Holy  One  of  God,"  as  it  is  said  in  verse  41,  "  And  devils  also  came 
out  of  many,  crying  out  and  saying,  thou  art  Christ,  the  Son 
^of  God."     Oh,  it  is  an  awful  faith  which  is  not  so  sound  as  that 
of  the  devils !     It  is  an  awful  faith,  I  say,  which  is  not  so  sound 
even  as  the  faith  of  devils  !     But  the  devil  only  knows  Christ  to 
tremble,  for  there  is  no  salvation  in  Christ  for  the  devil.     But  you, 
O  Socinian,  who  have  neither  known  Him  or  trembled  at  Him — 
you — though  you  are  more  ignorant  and  unbelieving  than  the 
devil — there  is  salvation  in  Christ  for  you !     O  come,  look  to  Him 
to-day,  with  faith — with  hope — nay,  come  to  Him  to-day,  with 
confidence— look  to  Him  to-day  for  mercy,  for  "  all  manner  of 
sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men."     Mat.  xii.  31. 
Remember  what  a  blasphemer  Saul  was,  persecuting  Christ, — yet 
remember,  what  mercy  Jesus  showed  him.     Look  unto  Jesus,  and 
be  ye  saved.     Come  to  Him,  whatever  you  are, — whether  Socin- 
ian, Deist,  Infidel,  Atheist, — whatever  be  your  grade  of  ignorance, 
presumption,  or  blasphemy.     You  are  a  poor,  guilty,  condemned, 


120  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

miserable  sinner,  "  the  wrath  of  God  ahideth  on  you^'' — but  the 
proclamation  of  the  Gospel  is,  Christ  is  exalted,  "  far  above  all 

PRINCIPALITY,  AND  POWER,  AND  DOMINION,  AND  EVERY  NAME 
THAT   IS  NAMED,  NOT  ONLY  IN  THIS  WORLD,  BUT  ALSO  IN  THAT 

WHICH  IS  TO  COME."  And  '•'•He  is  exalted  to  give  repentance 
and  forgiveness  of  sins^^''  Acts  v.  31. — through  him  is  ^'^  jyroclainied 
unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins P  Acts  xiii.  39.  Then,  look  unto 
Him,  "  Repent,  and  believe  the  GospelP  Remember  that  those 
who  "  with  tvicked  hands  had  crucified  and  slain^''  the  Lord  of 
Glory,  were  yet  pardoned  through  the  very  blood  that  they  had 
shed ;  (see  Acts,  ii.  23,  37-41)  and  the  fountain  that  cleansed 
them  from  their  guilt  is  still  open  for  sin  and  imcleanness. 

Sinner,  think  of  this  !  And  may  the  Lord  give  you  "  the  spirit 
of  ivisdoin  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him,  that  the  eyes  of 
your  understanding  being  enlightened  you  may  know  what  is  the 
hope  of  his  calling^ 

But  the  Apostle  speaks,  not  only  of  the  exaltation  of  our  blessed 
Lord,  but  of  his  absolute  power  and  authority,  "  he  hath  put 
ALL  THINGS  UNDER  HIS  FEET,"  SO  the  Loid  Jesus  Christ  tells  us 
in  St.  Mat.  xxviii.  18,  "  all  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and 
in  earthP 

What  a  blessed  thing  it  is  then,  if  "  the  spirit  of  ivisdom  and 
revelation^''  is  given  to  a  believer  to  have  knowledge  of  Christ  in 
this  character,  to  see  him  ruling  and  overruling  all  things, — di- 
recting,— controling — restraining — subduing  ;  eliciting  good,  even 
out  of  evil.  "  Surely,  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee,  and 
the  retnainder  of  wrath  thou  shalt  restrain."  Ps.  Ixxvi.  10.  No 
wrath  of  man  shall  go  one  step  farther,  than  He  who  hath  all 
things  under  His  feet  shall  overrule  it  at  the  last,  to  His  own 
praise  and  glory.  What  a  blessing  it  is  to  the  believer  to  remem- 
ber, that  in  the  midst  of  all  the  turmoils  and  confusion  of  this 
world,  the  troubles  and  disasters  of  private  circumstances,  and  the 
shakings  of  kingdoms,  there  is  one  overruling  power  who  watches 
over  it  all.  Christ  has  "  all  poicer  in  heaven  and  earthP  Re- 
member, believer,  what  He  says,  when  He  commands  you  not  to 
be  careful,  He  tells  you,  "  even  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are 
all  numbered.''''  Luke  xii.  7.  A  single  sparrow  can  no  more  fall  to 
the  ground  without  His  permission  and  His  providence,  than  a  world 
could  burst  from  its  sphere,  and  leave  the  orbit  in  which  He  com- 
manded it  to  roll,  ^'■for  all  things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him, 
and  he  is  before  all  things  and  by  hi  mall  things  consist.'^  Col.  i. 
16,  17 — they  are  all  held  in  the  eye  and  in  the  hand  of  Christ,  the 
Lord  of  Glory. 

But  consider  now  the  blessedness  of  the  next  step  in  our  Lord's 
exaltation,  that  is,  the  headship  of  Christ  to  his  Church.     ''  And 

HATH  PUT  ALL  THINGS  UNDER  HIS  FEET,  AND  GIVEN  HIM  TO 
BE  HEAD  OVER  ALL  THINGS    TO    HIS  CHURCH."       This    is    fuU  of 

solemn  warning  to  the  outward  professing  Church  and  full  of 
solid  comfort  to  the  true  believer.  Let  those  where  the  candle- 
stick is  burning  prize  its  light  while  they  have  it  and  fear  its  le- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  121 

moval.  '^  Let  Ephesiis  remember  iDhence  she  is  fallen  and  re- 
pent.''^  Rev.  ii.  5.  "  Let  Smyrna  fear  none  of  the  things  that  she 
shall  suffer"  v.  10,  "  Let  Pergamos  beware  of  them  that  hold 
the  doctrine  of  Balaam,:'  v.  14,  "  Let  Thyatira  tre^nble  at  her 
enconragement  of  Jezebel,"  v.  20,  "  Let  Sardis  be  watchful  and 
strengthen  the  things  that  remain"  Rev.  iii.  2.  " Let  Philadel- 
phia hold  fast  that  no  man  take  her  croivn"  v.  11.  '■^ Let  Lao- 
dicea  hear  the  counsel  of  her  Lord,  that  the  shame  of  her  naked- 
ness do  not  appear."  v.  18.  Let  all  remember  that  the  promise 
is  "  To  him  that  overcometh."  Rev.  ii.  7, 11,  17,25,  iii.  5,  12,  21 ; 
and  "  He  that  hath  an  ear  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  nnto 
the  Churches."  Rev.  ii.  7,  11,  17,  29,  iii.  6,  12,  22. 

Believer !  remember  thou  that  all  things  are  in  the  hands  of 
our  precious  Lord  and  Master,  and  that  all  things  are  working 
together,   for   good  to  His  people,  because  He  is  given    "  to  be 

HEAD  OVER  ALL  THINGS  TO  HIS  CHURCH."  ^^  All  things."  No- 
thing is  too  small  for  Christ  to  attend  to — nothing  too  minute  for 
the  notice  of  His  love,  and  the  exercise  of  His  power,  who  num- 
bereth  "  the  hairs  of  our  head."  That  blessed  Spirit,  whose  office 
it  is  to  glorify  Christ,  meant  what  he  said,  when  He  inspired  the 
Apostle  to  testify  and  encourage  His  people,  thus,  "  casting  all 
your  care  upon  him,  for  he  careth  for  you."  1  Pet.  v.  7.  Oh, 
that  we  did  but  feel  and  exercise  our  happy  privilege  !  Then  all 
our  afflictions  would  seem  to  be  w^hat  they  really  are,  blessings 
sent  to  us  from  the  hand  of  a  Father's  love.  Then  whatever 
trials  might  befall  us,  we  should  be  enabled  to  say  in  spirit  and 
truth,  what  alas,  we  so  often  repeat  while  our  hearts  belie  our 
lips,  "  thy  idHI  be  done."  However  gloomy  and  surcharged  with 
clouds  our  horizon  might  appear,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  seen 
by  the  eye  of  faith,  in  the  firmament  beyond,  would 

"  Tinge  our  dark  cloud,  and  turn  it  all  to  gold." 

Believing  that  all  things  work  together  for  our  good,  we  should 
enjoy  the  solid  happiness  expressed  in  the  words  of  the  hymn — 

"  Sweet  in  the  confidence  of  faith, 
To  trust  His  firm  decrees  ; 
Sweet  to  lie  passive  in  His  hands, 
And  know  no  will  but  His." 

That  we  may  enjoy  this,  let  us  remember,  it  is  our  privilege  to 
do  so,  if  we  are  looking  to  Christ,  for  "  he  is  head  over  all 

THINGS  TO  HIS  CHURCH." 

And  the  eye  will  not  see  a  danger,  into  which  the  foot  would 
step,  or  the  hand  would  plunge — the  sagacity  of  the  head  will  not 
more  readily  direct  the  members  to  avoid  it,  than  the  providence 
and  power  of  Him  who  is  the  Head  of  His  Church,  will  foresee 
every  evil  and  guard  against  every  danger,  with  which  a  single 
member  of  His  mystical  body,  could  be  threatened. 

But  if  indeed  you  are  in  trouble  and  affliction,  and  are  not  look- 
ing to  Christ,  if  you  are  not  resting  on  Him  who  is  the  Hope  and 


122  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Refuge  of  the  guilty,  then  however  afflictive  or  overwhehning  your 
sorrows  may  seem  to  be,  they  are  all  of  little  consequence  com- 
paratively to  you.  Alas  !  what  is  all  your  sorrow,  if  you  are  under 
the  weight  of  your  sins  ?  What  is  your  grief  as  to  temporal  afflic- 
tions if  you  are  not  looking  to  Jesus,  to  deliver  you  from  the  wrath 
to  come  ?  Oh,  leave  your  grief  and  go  to  Jesus,  with  your  guilt. 
Saul's  father  forgot  his  anxiety  for  the  loss  of  his  asses,  when  he 
began  to  fear  for  his  son,  and  you  will  soon  forget  to  mourn  for 
your  sorrow,  when  you  begin  to  feel,  and  to  fear  for  your  soul. 

I  remember  reading  once  a  little  book,  in  which  the  author  says, 
"  I  was  very  much  bowed  down  with  sorrow  the  other  day ;  my 
father-in-law  came  unto  me,  "  ah  John,"  said  he,  "  when  sorrow  is 
heavy,  sin  is  light."  If  we  feel  our  sin  as  we  ought,  whatever  our 
sorrow  be,  it  will  be  light,  compared  with  our  sin,  and  if  we  bring 
our  sin  to  Jesus,  joy  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin.  will  soon  dispel  the 
gloom  of  sorrow. 

The  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  exhales  the  tears  of  grief 
from  our  eyes,  as  the  light  of  the  morning  sun  exhales  the  tear- 
drops of  the  night  from  the  dewy  drooping  flowers.  Then  we  vm- 
derstand  what  it  is  to  have  Christ  as  "the  head  of  all  things 
TO  his  church,"  then  it  is  our  privilege  to  look  at  every  dispensa- 
tion of  Providence,  as  a  dispensation  of  love,  and  to  see  all  things 
working  together  for  our  good,  and  that  therefore,  no  evil  that  is 
really  an  evil,  can  happen  unto  us. 

The  believer  may  say,  how  can  that  be?  Surely,  I  have  suffered 
under  many  evils. 

Let  me  pause  then  here  for  one  moment,  believer,  and  let  me 
ask  you  this  question.  Look  back  at  all  the  course  of  your  life,  at 
all  the  trials  and  afflictions  which  you  have  ever  encountered — and 
let  me  ask,  did  you  ever  encounter  a  trial,  since  you  know  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  the  Lord  did  not  make  your  trial  a  blessing  7 
Did  it  not  show  you  more  of  your  sins  ?  Did  it  not  show  you  more 
of  your  own  vileness  ?  Did  it  not  bring  you  nearer  to  the  feet  of 
Jesus  ?  Did  it  not  wean  you  more  from  the  things  of  the  world  ? 
Did  it  not  make  your  heart  ache  more,  over  your  broken  cisterns  ? 
and  did  it  not  drive  you  from  them,  to  the  '^fountain  of  living 
waters  ?"  Jer.  ii.  13. 

I  anticipate — yea,  I  know  your  answer.  It  is  this — "  Yes — He 
hath  done  all  things  well." 

Oh,  then,  remember,  that  "  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday^ 
to-day,  and  forever. ^^  Heb.  xiii.  8, — and  since  you  must  know 
that  all  things  have  been  working  together  for  your  good,  re- 
meml)er  that  they  are,  and  shall  continue  so  to  work — so  nothing 
can  be  really  evil  to  you,  for  things  that  are  evil  in  themselves 
will  be  over-ruled  to  you  for  a  blessing,  because  Jesus  is  "  the 
HEAD  over  all  THINGS  TO  HIS  CHURCH."  Think  of  this,  and 
remember  the  reasoning  of  the  Apostle  in  the  very  passage,  Rom. 
viii.  28,  where  he  asserts  that "  all  things  work  together  for  good, 
to  the'/n  that  love  God,  to  them  that  are  the  called  according  to  his 
purpose'^ — recollect  he  asks,  "  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  123 

charge  of  God's  elect  7  it  is  God  that  justijieth  :  who  is  he  that 
condemneth  ?  it  is  Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen 
again,^' — (you  see,  it  is  the  same  truth  which  he  mentions  here  to 
the  Ephesians,  in  teaching  them  to  look  to  Jesus  as  a  risen  and 
exalted  Saviour)  "  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen 
again,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  tts^  Then  he  boldly 
asks,  ^^who  shall  separate  lis  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  trib- 
ulation, or  distress,  or  persecntion,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,  or  sioord  ?" — shall  anything  within  or  without  ? — any 
trouble,  any  want,  any  affliction,  any  evil  ? — "  Nay,  in  all  these 
things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us; 
for  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  7ior  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  poioers,  nor  things  present,"  (however  much 
they  may  press  upon  us) — ^hior  things  to  come," — (however  much 
we  may  fear  them)  "  7ior  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  crea- 
ture shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  ivhich  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,"  Rom.  viii.  33-39 — Now  why  ?  because 
He  is  "given  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  his  church." 
And  the  Head  must  die,  or  be  cut  off,  before  the  same  stream 
of  vital  sympathy  and  power  that  warms  that  Head  shall  cease  to 
flow  through  every  member  that  is  vitally  united  to  it.  How  fre- 
quently have  his  express  revelations — His  actual  deliverances — 
His  inward  supports  and  consolations,  strengthened  the  hearts  of 
His  servants,  and  carried  them  through  countless  trials.  Observe, 
in  the  very  Lesson  we  had  this  day,  (Acts,  xviii.,)  when  Paul  went 
to  Corinth — when  he  was  in  the  midst  of  an  idolatrous  city,  and 
in  the  midst  of  those  who  opposed  and  blasphemed,  and  who  would 
be  glad  to  have  persecuted  him  or  put  him  to  death—"  Then 
spaJce  the  Lord  to  Paul  in  the  flight  by  a  vision,  be  not  afraid, 
hut  speak,  and  hold  not  thy  peace.  For  I  am  with  thee,  and  no 
man  shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee.  For  1  have  much  people  in 
this  city."  Acts,  xviii.  9,  10. 

So,  in  Acts  xii.,  when  Herod  was  determined  to  bring  Peter  out 
and  slay  him, — he  "  delivered  him  to  four  quaternions  of  soldiers, 
to  keep  him,"  and  put  him  "  sleeping  between  two  soldiers,  bound 
with  two  chains."  v.  4-6. — But  what  was  Herod  ?  or,  what  the 
quaternions  of  soldiers  ?  or,  the  chains  ?  or,  the  guards  ?  or,  the 
prison  ?  What  were  they,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  was  determined  to 
deliver  His  servant  out  of  their  hand  ? — the  chain  was  snapped  in 
sunder — the  prison  doors  were  burst  open,  and  he  was  brought 
out  by  the  power  of  his  Lord  and  Master,  for  "  He  is  head  over 
ALL  THINGS  TO  HIS  CHURCH,"  aiid  He  is  as  much  so  now  as  He 
was  then. 

Look  to  Daniel,  iii.,  when  the  King  Nebuchadnezzar  said  to 
the  three  servants  of  the  living  God,  when  he  had  set  up  a  golden 
image  to  worship  in  the  plains  of  Dura,  "  i/"  ye  worship  not,  ye 
.^hall  be  cast  the  same  hour  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  fur- 
nace, and  who  is  that  God  that  shall  deliver  you  out  of  m,y 
hand  ?"  And  they  refused,  as  you  know,  and  said,  "  Our  God 
ivhom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  Jie?y  furnace, 


124  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  he  will  deliver  ns  out  of  thy  hand,  O  Kiyig^  verses  15-17. 
And,  you  remember,  Nebuchadnezzar  got  the  strongest  men  in  his 
army,  and  heated  the  furnace  seven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to 
be  heated,  and  commanded  these  strong  men  to  cast  these  three 
men,  bound,  into  the  furnace.  What  did  the  heating  of  this  fur- 
nace?— he  made  the  furnace  so  hot  that  it  slew  his  own  soldiers, 
the  strongest  men  in  his  army.  What  harm  did  it  do  the  children 
of  God  ? — it  burned  off  their  bonds,  and  Nebuchadnezzar  was  tlie 
first  to  cry  out,  "  Did  not  we  cast  three  men,  hound,  into  the  midst 
of  the  fire  ?  They  answered  and  said  unto  the  King,  true,  O 
King.  He  answered  and  said,  Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose  icalkiiig 
in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no  hurt !  And  the  form 
of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God."  And  so  it  was  the  Son  of 
God,  for  "  He  is  the  head  over  all  things  to  his  church." 
And  His  promise  is,  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I 
will  he  with  thee^  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow) 
thee ;  when  thou  jjassest  through  the  fire,  thou  shall  not  be 
hurned  ;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee.''"'  Isai.  xliii.  2. 
This  is  His  promise,  and  remember,  it  is  the  promise  of  "  Jesus 
the  sam,e  yesterday,  to-day,  arid  forever."  Heb.  xiii.  8. 

Then,  the  last  point  is  the  union  of  Christ  with  his  church,  He 
"gave  him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church." 
But  what  is  the  church  ?  "  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness 
op  him  that  filleth  all  in  all."  Recollect  the  Church  of 
Christ  is  His  body — those  who  believe  His  blessed  Gospel — those 
who  are  leaning  on  His  mighty  arm — those  who  are  servants 
of  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords— ^they  are  members  of 
Christ's  body,  none  else.  His  Church,  is  His  body,  a  part  of  Him- 
self, every  member  of  that  body  is  a  member  of  Christ, — therefore 
all  the  images  in  the  Scripture  that  refer  to  the  union  of  Christ 
with  His  Church,  refer  to  a  real  vital  union  between  them,  a  union 
commensurate  with  their  existence.  Such  a  union  as  between 
the  vine  and  its  branches,  vitally  united.  Such  a  union  as  exists 
between  husband  and  wife, — one.  Such  a  union  as  exists  be- 
tween a  house  and  its  foundation — inseparably  connected  together. 
Between  the  head  and  the  members  of  the  body.  You  see  this  in 
various  pages  of  Scripture,  so  he  says,  "  he  that  toucheth  you,  touch- 
eth  the  apple  of  his  eye."  Zech.  ii.  8.  What  a  tender  member 
that  is  !  So  he  says  to  Saul,  Acts  ix.  4,  "  7vhy  j)ersecutest  thou 
me  7"  so  he  says  to  the  whole  company  of  his  redeemed,  "  inas- 
m>uch  as  you  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  meP  Mat.  xxv.  40.  His  union  with  His 
Church,  as  one  with  them,  assures  the  full  blessedness  of  all  his 
power  and  offices,  as  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  to  be  the 
Prophet,  Priest  and  King  of  His  people, — "  all  power  given  to  him 
in  heaven  and  earth"  "He  the  head  over  all  things  to 
HIS  church." 

Brethren,  it  is  well  to  preach  about  these  things,  and  it  is  well 
to  hear  of  these  things, — but.  Oh,  what  are  they  if  we  do  not  real- 
ize them  in  our  hearts  ?     Pray,  I  beseech  you,  for  the  spirit  of 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  125 

wisdam  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,— Y>ray,  that 
the  Lord  may  teach  you,  that  you  may  know  these  things  experi- 
mentally, so  that  in  hfe  and  death,  you  may  be  one  with  Christ, 
that  "  neither  death  nor  life,  may  be  able  to  separate  you  from 
the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Rom.  viu.  39. 
Amen. 


ELEVENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II. — 1,  2,  3. 


"  And  you  hath  he  quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Wherein,  in 
time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air,  the  Spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 
Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh, 
fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath,  even  as  others." 

You  recollect  it  was  remarked,  that  the  sense  of  this  passage  to 
the  10th  verse,  was  to  be  taken  in  connection  with  the  19th  verse 
of  the  preceding  chapter.  You  recollect  we  have  been  dwelling 
on  the  Apostle's  prayer,  which  commences  at  the  17th  verse, 
"  That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory, 
may  give  unto  you  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the 
knowledge  of  him,  the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  en- 
lightened, that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and 
what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and 
what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward,  who  be- 
lieve, according  to  the  loorking  of  his  m^ighty  power,  which  he 
wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead."  This 
prayer  may  be  considered  with  respect  to  Christ  himself,  and 
with  respect  to  believers  as  united  to  Christ,  their  living  and  risen 
liead. 

In  the  last  verses  of  the  preceding  chapter.  We  have  consid- 
ered how  God's  power  was  manifested  in  reference  to  our  Lord, 
when  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead.  The  Apostle  there  confines 
his  observations  to  Christ,  his  exaltation.  His  glorious  majesty, 
His  mighty  power,  His  sovereign  rule  over  all  things  which  are 
put  under  His  feet,  being  given  to  be  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
church,  and  the  church  being  His  body.  Now,  we  are  to  consider 
how  this  power  is  manifested  in  reference  to  believers,  and  for  this 
purpose,  the  Apostle  shows  us  two  things.  First. — ^The  state  of 
all  believers,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  by  nature  ;  and  next,  their 
state  by  grace.  He  shows  their  state  by  nature,  in  these  first  three 
verses  ;  he  shows  their  state  by  grace,  in  the  subsequent  part  of 


126  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  chapter.  These  two  conditions,  the  Apostles  keep  continually 
before  the  mind  of  believers, — in  fact,  they  are  as  inseparable  from 
the  real  existence  of  spiritual  life,  as  the  necessities  and  the  sup- 
plies of  nutriment  are  indispensable  to  the  being  of  our  animal 
frame. 

Now,  the  passage  before  us  contains  the  first  of  these  impor- 
tant truths,  that  is,  a  description  of  the  state  of  Jews  and  Gentiles 
by  nature,  and  it  is  in  their  deliverance  from  this,  that  the  great- 
ness of  God's  power  toward  them  is  manifested. 

"  And  you  hath  he  quickened^  avho  were  dead  in  trespasses 
AND  sins."  You  perceive,  on  looking  at  the  text,  that  the  words, 
"  hath  he  quickened^''  are  in  Italics,  therefore  they  are  not  in  the 
original.  The  words  that  are  not  in  the  original  Greek  are  sup- 
plied in  Italics,  to  mark  that  they  are  inserted  by  our  translators, 
for  the  purpose  of  showing,  more  clearly,  the  sense. — These  words, 
"  YOU  HATH  he  QUICKENED,"  botli  refer  back  to  verse  19,  of  the 
preceding  chapter,  and  onward  to  verse  5,  of  this  chapter.  The 
Apostle  prays,  verses  19,  20,  that  God  might  show  them,  "  What 
is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward^  loho  believe, 
according  to  the  icorking  of  his  mighty  power ^  which  he  wrought 
in  Chr-ist,  ichen  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his 
mvfi  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places.'''  In  the  last  three  verses 
of  the  chapter  the  Apostle  follows,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  His  glorious  exaltation  in  His  offices,  and  now  re- 
verting to  the  subject  of  his  petition  in  the  19th  verse,  he  com- 
mences to  show  what  the  "  exceeding  greatness  of  God^s  power, 
which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead^^ 
had  been  to  those  who  believed,  "  He  is  the  head  of  the  Church, 
which  is  his  hodyP  "  And  you,  (members  of  that  body,)  hath  he 
quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,^'  He  then  en- 
larges on  their  fallen  condition. — Having  diverged  from  his  imme- 
diate subject,  in  the  21st,  22nd,  and  23d  verses,  to  dwell  on  the 
exaltation  and  glory  of  Christ ;  he  does  the  same  in  the  2nd  and 
3rd  verses  here,  to  dwell  on  their  degradation  and  misery  as  sin- 
ners, then  in  the  4tli,  5th,  and  6th  verses,  he  resumes  the  subject 
of  his  prayer  and  shows  how  the  power  of  God  in  raising  Christ 
from  the  dead,  and  setting  him  at  his  right  hand,  had  been  equally 
manifested  in  raising  up  them.  If  we  leave  out  both  digressions 
as  to  Christ  and  to  them,  and  read  the  passage  without  them,  we 
shall  more  clearly  see  the  Apostle's  meaning : — "  That  ye  may 
know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  his  power  to  tis-ivard  who  believe,  according  to  the 
working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrovght  in  Christ,  when 
he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand 
in  the  heavenly  placesP  Chap.  i.  18,  19,  20.  *  *  *  for  you 
too  hath  he  quickened,  who  ivere  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins 
*  *  *  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  ichereioith 
he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us 
together  tvith  Christ,  (by  grace  ye  are  saved,)  and  hath  raised  us 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  127 

up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ, 
that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace  in  Ids  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus." 
Chap.  ii.  1,  4,  5,  6,  7.  This,  I  think,  will  show  the  meaning  of 
the  Apostle.  But  we  shall  see  this  more  fully  in  the  next  Lec- 
ture ;  and  we  now  return  to  the  verses  immediately  before  us,  to 
consider  the  state  of  those  by  nature  who  are  called  by  Grace  into 
the  Church  of  Christ. 

Mark  the  Apostle's  description,  "dead  in  trespasses  and 
SINS."  Was  this  peculiar  to  the  Ephesians  ?  Nay,  it  is  univer- 
sally true,  for  they  were  only  "walking  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world." 

Again,  under  the  dominion  of  Satan,  "  according  to  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now 

WORKETH    IN    THE  CHILDREN  OF    DISOBEDIENCE."       Observe   in 

this,  the  subtlety  of  his  agency,  and  the  extent  of  his  domination. 
Again,  "fulfilling  the  desires  of  the   flesh   and   of 
THE  mind."     This  was  their  state.     Then  mark  its  fatal  conse- 
quences,— the  wrath  of  God  abiding  upon  them — they  "  were 

BY  NATURE  THE  CHILDREN  OF  WRATH,  EVEN  AS  OTHERS." 

Now,  as  surely  as  this  is  the  word  of  truth,  so  certainly  is  it  a 
description— God's  description — of  each  and  every  one  of  us  by 
nature.  It  is  the  picture  which  the  pencil  of  inspiration  draws 
of  us.  Look  into  this  as  into  a  mirror,  behold  your  own  face. 
Look  into  this  sacred  page  for  the  exact  delineation  of  yourselves, 
— see  if  you  can  recognize  your  natural  character — ^"  dead  in 
TRESPASSES  AND  SINS," — -dead,  doubly  dead. 

First,  in  a  state  of  utter  spiritual  insensibility,  as  insensible  to 
all  spiritual  things,  as  a  dead  body  to  the  things  of  time. 

Secondly,  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  sentenced  to  death  both 
in  body  and  in  soul.  The  curse  pronounced  on  man's  disobe- 
dience was,  you  see  in  Gen.  ii.  17,  '■^  in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof, 
thou  shalt  surely  die,^^  now,  he  says,  "  in  the  day,"  therefore,  death 
must  have  passed  on  our  first  parents  even  the  very  day  they  eat 
of  the  forbidden  fruit.  It  was  a  state  of  spiritual  death,  they  be- 
came utterly  insensible  of  the  real  nature  of  God's  character  and 
of  their  own,  their  eyes  were  opened  indeed,  to  see  good  and  evil, 
but  alas  !  it  was  a  fatal  vision,  that  arose  before  them,  it  was  more 
than  vision,  it  was  the  horrible  experience  of  evil — blindness, 
darkness,  sin,  and  misery,  in  their  own  souls  !  You  have  only  to 
see,  how  instantly  fallen  Adam  was,  and  into  what  a  state  of 
spiritual  darkness  and  death  he  must  have  been  precipitated,  when 
he,  who  had  conversed  before  with  the  Omniscient,  Omnipresent 
God,  ran  to  hide  from  His  presence  among  the  trees  of  the  garden, 
ignorant  of  his  Creator  as  one  of  the  beasts  that  perish.  Such  is 
the  state  of  death  in  which  man  is  represented  throughout  the 
Scripture. — ^So  in  the  1st  chap,  of  St.  Luke,  where  the  Gospel  is 
spoken  of  as  shining  upon  the  people,  it  is,  "  to  give  light  to  them 
that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death"  Luke,  i.  79. 
And  so  you  have  in  1  Tim.  v.  this  description  of  a  woman  of  the 


128  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

world,  6th  verse,  "  she  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead  while  she 
livethJ^ 

Oh,  consider  this,  any  of  you  who  are,  Avhat  you  call,  perhaps, 
"  enjoying  lifeP  "  Let  us  enjoy  life,"  persons  say  ;  let  us  live 
while  we  live.*  That  enjoyment  of  life,  as  you  call  it,  is  another 
name  for  living  "  after  the  course  of  this  world,  and  fulfilling  the 
desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ;"  while  you  are  enjoying 
life,  as  you  think,  God  marks  you  as  dead  while  you  live.  If  you 
saw  an  individual  in  the  midst  of  a  gay  assembly,  of  whom  a 
physician  told  you,  "  look  at  that  person,  in  the  thoughtless  circle 
of  this  fashionable  crowd,  that  man  to  my  knowledge  has  got  a 
disease  of  which  he  is  insensible,  but  which  renders  it  impossible 
he  can  outlive  a  week."  Suppose  you  saw  such  an  individual  in 
the  centre  of  such  a  throng,  engaged  in  what  the  world  would 
call  enjoying  life, — what  would  you  think  of  him  ? — would  you 
consider  this  enjoyment  of  life  ?  Suppose  he  were  to  live  ten  days, 
— what  difference  would  that  make  ?  Add  another  day,  another, 
and  another,  after  which  it  was  impossible  he  could  survive, — and 
at  what  day  would  your  compassion  for  him  cease  ?  If  you  are 
living  without  God  in  the  world,  "  thou  art  the  man,"  death  is  in 
that  body — and  if  you  are  living  without  God  in  the  world  death 
is  in  that  soul.  The  sentence  of  death  is  passed  upon  you — it  is 
the  state  of  all  unawakened  men — it  is  the  state  of  all  mienlight- 
ened  sinners ;  and  while  they  are  in  this  state,  all  spiritual  truth 
comes  to  their  ears,  exactly  as  all  the  objects  or  the  sounds  of  na- 
ture affect  the  tenant  of  the  silent  tomb.  In  vain  the  wintry 
storm  howls  around,  in  vain  the  thunders  roll,  and  the  lightnings 
flash  across  the  grave.  In  vain  the  sun  arises  and  declines,  in 
vain  the  smiling  spring  revisits  them,  and  decks  with  flowers  the 
sod  that  is  spread  over  their  form.  Darkness  and  light,  storm  and 
sunshine,  winter  and  spring,  to  them  are  all  alike,  they  never 
pierce  the  gloom  to  the  eye,  or  break  the  silence  to  "  the  dull  cold 
ear  of  death."  So  it  is  with  the  Gospel,  so  with  the  law,  so  with 
all  the  appeals  of  God's  eternal  word  to  man, — the  sinner  is  "  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,^^  no  threatenings,  no  warnings,  no  judg- 
ments, can  awaken  him,  no  voice  of  love  and  mercy,  no  message 
of  peace  and  pardon,  no  sound  of  God's  Almighty  grace,  no  invita- 
tion from  a  dying  Saviour,  can  reach  his  ear  or  touch  his  heart, 
he  is  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.^^  Perhaps,  it  is  so  with  some 
—with,  alas  !  too  many  of  those  whom  I  address.  No  matter 
what  we  preach,  if  God  leaves  you  to  your  own  corrupt  and  har- 
dened heart,  you  go  away  unmoved.  If  you  seem  to  attend  dur- 
ing the  few  moments  you  are  in  church — if  when  you  leave  it, 
you  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  solemn  service,  or  on  the  sermon, 
it  will  not  be  on  the  public  professions  you  yourself  have  made, 
nor  on  the  awful  warnings,  or  the  gracious  mercies  you  have  heard, 
but  perhaps  it  may  be  on  the  manner  in  which  the  service  has 
been  read,  or  the  sermon  has  been  delivered.  God's  judgments, 
God's  mercies,  have  no  effect  upon  you,  you  cast  them  all  without 

*  Dura  vivimus  vivamus. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS.  129 

compunction  or  care  behind  you,  and  go  back  into  the  world  to 
follow  the  course  that  is  described  in  these  verses. 

It  is  enough  for  your  destruction  that  you  go  on.  "according 
TO  THE  COURSE  OF  THIS  WORLD."  The  vciy  principle  by  which 
men  console  themselves,  the  very  ground  on  which  they  build 
themselves  up  in  their  sins,  and  entrench  themselves  up  in  their 
iniquity,  the  very  source  of  their  satisfaction  and  self-complacency 
in  their  career,  ought  to  be  the  ground  of  their  apprehension,  their 
fear,  their  terror  of  eternal  judgment,  and  that  is  this, — 

"  Oh,  sure,  we  only  do  what  the  whole  world  does, — sure  we 
only  live  like  the  rest  of  the  world, — -every  one  does  this, — every 
one  says  this, — everybody  thinks  so, — why  should  not  we? — you 
would  not  have  us  to  be  singular, — surely  the  whole  world  cannot 
be  wrong."  Have  j^ou  not  often  heard,  perhaps  used  these  and 
similar  expressions?  Nevertheless,  what  saith  the  Scripture, 
"  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness.''''  1  John  v.  19, — or  as  it  is 
more  correctly  interpreted  by  the  context,  "  lieth  in  the  wicked 
one,"  lieth  under  the  power  of  the  devil,  as  the  Greek  idiom  would 
imply,  or  lieth  in  thii  devil's  arms,  as  the  English  would  seem  to  in- 
terpret such  a  phrase — but  it  is  a  strict  parallel  to  this  passage. 
But  did  you  never  read  of  a  time  when  the  world  said  the  same 
thing,  and  when  the  world  found  too  late  its  awful  mistake  ?  The 
Lord  Jesus  in  St.  Luke  xvii.  26,  27,  refers  us  to  a  time  when  all 
men  thought  and  spoke  and  acted  just  as  you  do.  "  As  it  was  in 
the  days  of  Noe,  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man, 
they  did  eat,  they  drank,  they  married  rvives,  they  were  given  in 
marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noe  entered  into  the  ark,  and  the 
flood  came  and  destroyed  them  all.''''  For  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years  did  God  spare  the  world  from  the  time  he  denounced 
his  judgment  against  it ;  and  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  years 
did  Noe  preach  righteousness,  judgment  and  salvation,  to  that 
guilty  world  that  surrounded  him  ;  but  they  went  on  in  their  usual 
avocations,  mocking  Noah  for  his  singularity,  and  strengthening 
each  other  in  their  wickedness,  eating  and  drinking,  buying  and 
selling,  planting  and  building,  marrying  wives  and  giving  in  mar- 
riage, till  the  flood  came  and  swept  them  all  to  ruin.  So  again, 
he  says,  28,  29  verses,  "  Likewise  also,  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Lot, 
they  did  eat,  they  drank,  they  bought,  they  sold,  they  planted, 
they  builded,  but  the  same  day  that  Lot  ivent  out  of  Sodom,  it 
rained  fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven  and  destroyed  them  alf^ 
What  consolation  in  these  fearful  judgments  did  the  world  bestow 
on  its  votaries  ?  Did  those  who  strengthened  each  other  in  their 
sin,  console  one  another  under  the  wrath  of  God  ?  Did  the  world 
afford  an  ark  to  rescue  its  victims  as  they  were  being  engulphed 
in  the  rising  flood  of  the  deluge  ?  or  shield  their  devoted  heads 
from  the  falling  fire  of  Sodom  ? 

"Oh,  but  then,"  you  will  say,  "  they  had  not  the  light  that  we 
have,  they  had  not  all  the  light  and  knowledge  that  is  diffused 
among  us  in  our  day,  they  were  not  Christians,  as  we  are ;  we 
are  baptized,  we  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church,  we  enjoy 

9 


130  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

all  these  privileges,  therefore  we  are  not  like  them."  Does  Christ 
say  so  ?  Does  the  Lord  Jesus  afford  this  consolation  to  those  who 
are  called  by  his  name  ?  he  says, — "  even  t/ms,^^ — as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Noe,  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Lot, — "  even  thus  shall  it  be 
in  the  day  lohen  the  Son  of  Man  is  revealed."  Luke  xvii.  30. 
The  outward  privileges  which  men  have  enjoyed,  the  spiritual 
blessings  which  God  has  heaped  upon  them,  shall  only  rise  in 
judgment  to  condemn  the  soids  of  those  who  have  made  light  of 
that  Gospel  of  their  salvation.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  shall  ap- 
pear as  witnesses  against  them — Bibles,  Sacraments  and  ordi- 
nances, the  rejected  means  and  testimonies  of  salvation — like  the 
sun  shining  on  corruption,  shall  but  generate  in  their  guilty  souls 
"  the  worm  that  d'leth  not^''  and  call  divine  justice  to  pour  down 
on  them  "  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched.'''' 

The  course  of  this  world  is  according  to  the  god  of  this  world, 

"according  to  THE  PRINCE  OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  AIR,  THE 
SPIRIT  THAT  NOW  WORKETH  IN  THE  CHILDREN  OF  DISOBE- 
DIENCE." Now,  here  is  another  point.  Men  think  that  to  say, 
persons  are  acting  under  the  dominion  of  the  devil  is  to  imply, 
that  they  must  be  some  notorious  criminals.  They  think  that 
persons  who  commit  some  flagrant  offence,  some  awful  ciiines,  and 
that  only  such  as  these  are  instigated  by  the  devil.  So  our  law 
speaks,  in  certain  acts  of  parliament,  and  some  of  our  legal  indict- 
ments, referring  to  grievous  offences,  "  Whereas,  such  and  such  a 
person,  not  having  the  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes,  but  being  in- 
stigated by  the  devil,"  &.c.  &c.  That  is  all  very  true,  but  persons 
think  it  is  only  to  be  applied  to  those  who  are  guilty  of  flagrant 
offences ;  and  to  tell  them  that  if  they  are  themselves  living  "ac- 
cording TO  THE  course  OF  THIS  WORLD,"  they  are  under  the 
power  of  the  devil,  would  be  a  gross  aflfront.  But  if  you  are  not 
brought  by  grace  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  you  are  under  the  domin- 
ion of  Satan,  in  the  smooth,  quiet  discharge  of  what  you  imagine 
to  be  your  regular  duties,  and  which  really  are  so,  just  as  certainly, 
though  not  in  the  sajne  manner,  as  those  who  commit  the  most 
flagrant  offences.  Do  you  imagine  that  the  devil  always  exercises 
his  power  and  presents  his  snares  in  a  startling  and  revolting  point 
of  view  I  Mankind  would  shudder  generally  at  flagrant  crimes, 
and  do  you  think  their  enemy  presents  destruction  to  them  under 
this  alarming  aspect  ?  Far  from  it.  How  did  he  bring  "  death 
into  the  world  and  all  our  woe  ?"  Was  it  by  any  astounding  act 
of  daring  wickedness  ?  Was  it  by  what  seemed  to  man,  or  what 
men  in  general  would  even  now  pronounce  a  flagitious  crime? 
Nay,  multitudes  would  now  consider  the  act  a  very  insignificant 
offence.  It  was  not  an  alarming  sin,  but  the  smooth  promise  of 
good  that  tempted  Eve,  "  thon  shall  not  surely  die ;" — Nay,  he 
said,  '•  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof^  then  your  eyes  .shall  be  opened, 
and  ye  shall  be  as  Gods,  knmving  good  and  evil."  Gen.  iii.  4,  5. 

Many  persons  object  to  this  very  fact  against  the  Bible,  and  say, 
"  surely,  the  smallness  of  the  sin  is  enough  to  show  us  that  it  can- 
not have  entailed  the  dreadful  consequences  you  speak  of  on  man- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  131 

kind."  You  see  how  Satan  works  in  the  minds  of  men  to  make 
them  beheve,  that  that  sin  was  but  a  small  one.*  God  gave  our 
first  parents  a  test  of  obedience  and  of  love  to  a  holy  God, — a 
light,  a  little  test,  so  light,  so  little,  that  the  very  lightness  of  the 
test  that  God  had  laid  on  man,  enhanced  the  guilt  of  man's  viola- 
(ion  of  it,  and  aggravated  the  act  of  rebellion  against  his  God. 
Satan  came  quoting  Scripture  to  our  Lord,  and  tempted  him  to 
manifest  his  own  divinity  and  power ;  and  he  often  comes,  quot- 
ing Scripture  to  deceive  and  tempt  men  now.  He  comes,  taking, 
as  it  were,  the  Sacraments  in  his  hands,  he  tells  you  of  them,  that 
these  are  your  salvation.  He  comes  extolling  the  Church  to  the 
very  skies,  and  he  will  tell  you,  too,  that  the  Church  is  your  sal- 
vation. He  will  come,  and  laud  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  will 
tell  you  these  are  the  successors  of  the  Apostles,  that  you  must 
bow  your  ear,  your  heart,  your  conscience,  to  their  words,  for  they 
are  God's  appointed  channels  of  salvation.  The  devil  does  not 
always  come  with  blood  and  slaughter  in  his  train,  he  becomes  an 
angel  of  light  more  frequently  than  he  appears  as  the  Prince  of 
darkness— he  brings  the  rites  and  ceremonies  and  ordinances  of 
religion.  He  comes  with  these  as  well  as  with  ungovernable  lusts 
and  furious  passions  "to  work  in  the  children  op  disobe- 
dience," to  hide  their  own  sin  and  misery,  and  to  hide  Chrisrt 
from  their  eyes,— he  comes  not  only  himself  like  an  angel  of  light, 
but  he  transforms  his  ministers  into  angels  of  light,  testifying 
falsehood  in  morals  and  religion,  and  turning  man  from  the  only 
hope  that  God  has  given  him  in  the  Gospel.  The  Pharisees  were 
as  much  under  the  power  of  the  devil  as  Judas  Iscariot.  What 
said  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  them  in  St.  John  viii.  ? — to  those 
smooth  hypocrites  who  brought  their  own  morality  and  virtue  and 
religious  services  to  God,  who  thanked  him  they  were  "  not  as 
other  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers."  Luke  xviii.  11. — and 
rejected  the  testimony  of  God  against  their  souls. — Our  Lord  tes- 
tifies they  were  as  here  described,  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,''^ 
"  under  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air^  Mark,  how  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  addresses  them,  verses  44,  45,  "  Ye  are  of  your 
father,  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do  ;  he  was 
a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  be- 
cause there  is  no  truth  in  him.  When  he  speaketh  of  a  lie,  he 
speaketh  of  his  own,  for  he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  it.  And 
because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  notP 

The  very  reason  they  ought  to  have  believed  him,  was  the  very 

*  It  is  a  singular  and  awful  fact,  that  in  the  doctrines  of  Popery,  the  very  theft  of 
an  apple  is  specified  as  being  but  a  venial  sin. — Dr.  Doyle  in  his  Christian  Doctrines. 
Coyne,  1828,  chap.  8,  p.  46,  says: — 

"  A  venial  sin,  for  example,  a  vain  word,  an  officious  or  jesting  lie,  which  hurts  no- 
body— the  theft  of  a  pin  or  an  apple,  is  not  of  weight  enough  to  break  charity  between 
man  and  man,  much  less  between  God  and  man." 

And  page  63,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "  When  is  theft  a  mortal  sinl"  he  says: — 

"  When  the  thing  stolen  is  of  considerable  value,  or  causeth  a  considerable  hurt  to 
our  neighbor" — as  if  the  value  of  an  article,  and  not  the  law  and  will  of  God  were 
the  standard  of  sin  and  duty. 


132  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

reason  they  rejected  him,~-tliercfoie  he  said,  "  Ye  are  of  your 
father,  the  devil,  and  the  works  of  your  father  ye  will  do ;"  and 
if  the  devil  can  persuade  a  sinner  to  reject  God's  truth,  to  disbeHeve 
God's  testimony;  he  lias  that  sinner  just  as  much  in  his  power  as 
if  he  instigated  him  to  imbrue  his  hands  in  his  brother's  blood. 
Mark   what   God   declares — He   is    "the    spirit    that    now 

WORKETH   IN  THE  CHILDREN  OF    DISOBEDIENCE."       All  who    are 

disobedient  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  are  under  the  power  of  Satan. 
Now,  you  perceive  the  same  testimony  borne  here  of  both  byth*^ 
Apostle,  speaking  alike  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  Observe  the  iden- 
tity in  this  respect,  between  them  in  this  passage.  He  is  writing 
to  Gentiles,  to  the  Ephesians,  who  were  idolaters,  worshippers  of 
the  goddess  Diana. — ^^  wherein  in  times  past  yeP  (Ephesians,) 
"  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  worldJ^  And  now  look 
at  verse  3,  "among  whom  also,  we  all  had  our  conversa- 
tion IN  times  past,  in  THE  LUSTS  OF  OUR  FLESH,  FULFILLING 
THE  DESIRES  OF  THE  FLESH  AND  OF  THE  MIND,  AND  WERE  BY 
NATURE  THE  CHILDREN  OF  WRATH,  EVEN  AS   OTHERS,"  WC  JcWS, 

were  "  hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath^,''  even  as  you,  Gentiles. 
This  is  St.  Paul's  description  of  himself  and  his  brethren.  Let 
me  entreat  you  to  compare  this  with  the  description  he  gives  of 
himself  at  the  same  time  in  Philippians  iii.  You  will  find  there, 
Paul's  description  of  his  own  character,  as  an  unregenerate  man,  4tli 
verse,  "  if  any  other  man  thinketh,  that  he  hath  whereof  he  mi gltt 
trust  in  the  flesh,  ImorcT  Then  he  tells  them  what  he  was,  "  cir- 
cumcised the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of  Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benja- 
min, an  Hebrew  of  the  Hebreics,  as  touching  the  law  a  Pharisee, 
concerning  zeal,  persecuting  the  church,  touching  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  in  the  law,  blameless.''^  Now,  I  pray  you  to  observe 
this,  he  says,  "  if  any  other  man  thinketh,  he  hath  whereof  he  may 
trust  in  the  flesh,  I  more  f^  if  he  thinks  he  has  any  righteousness, 
any  morality,  any  virtue,  any  excellence  which  he  can  bring  before 
God,  I  meet  that  man,  and  I  challenge  him,  saith  Paul,  I  have  more. 
Yet,  what  was  he,  at  that  time  ?  See  his  description  of  himself 
in  my  text, — "  we  had  our  conversation  in  times  past,  in 

THE  LUSTS  OF  OUR  FLESH,  FULFILLING  THE  DESIRES  OP  THE 
FLESH  AND  OF  THE  MIND,  AND  WERE  BY  NATURE  THE  CHIL- 
DREN OF  WRATH,  EVEN  AS  OTHERS."  How  could  he  be  Walking 
in  the  lusts  of  his  flesh,  when  he  was  so  moral  and  so  virtuous, 
and  so  outwardly  observant  of  religion  ?  There  is  nothing  more 
gratifying  to  the  flesh,  than  the  indulgence  of  its  spiritual  pride. 
Spiritual  pride  and  self-righteousness,  are  among  the  most  delight- 
ful enjoyments  of  the  flesh, — and  the  man  who  will  deny  himself 
the  indulgence  of  some  lust,  in  order  that  he  may  look  down  upon 
his  neighbor  who  falls  into  it,  and  say,  "  stand  by,  I  am  holier 
than  thou,^''  the  man  who  does  so,  indulges,  perhaps,  a  deeper  lust, 
in  the  denial  of  the  sin  on  such  a  principle,  than  the  other  man  who 
falls  into  the  sin  that  he  denies  himself  There  is  no  greater  in- 
dulgence of  the  flesh  than  spiritual  pride,  or  self-righteousness  ; 
therefore,  while  Paul  was  such  a  character  as  he  describes  himself 


« 

LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  133 

to  have  been,  in  Philip,  iii.,  he  was  also  such  a  character  as  he 
describes  himself  here  to  have  been,  in  Ephesians  ii.  While  he 
was  selected  by  the  chief  priests,  as  the  most  pious,  devoted,  and 
admirable  engine  of  their  persecution  of  the  church,  he  was,  as  he 
tells  us,  "  a  persecutor  and  blasphemer,  not  meet  to  be  called  an 
apostle,^^  (even  after  he  had  been  chosen  one,)  "  because  he  perse- 
cuted the  church  of  GodP  1st  Cor.  xv.  9 — therefore,  the  being 
under  the  power  of  Satan,  and  "fulfillingj  the  desires  of  the 
FLESH  AND  OF  THE  MIND,"  is  uot  at  all  coiifiued,  you  see,  to  open 
criminals  and  profligates,  but  just  as  much  applies,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  though  not  in  that  of  man,  to  every  sinner  on  the  face  of  this 
earth,  who  knows  not  his  own  guilty  character,  and  flies  not  to 
the  refuge  that  God  has  proclaimed  through  Christ.  This  is  a 
picture  of  man,  and  if  we  do  not  know  it  to  be  a  picture  of  our 
own  character,  we  do  not  take  our  character  from  the  Bible,  there- 
fore let  me  entreat  you  to  ^'-  judge  yourselves  that  ye  be  not  judged 
of  the  hordP  Let  us  be  assured  that  God  will  not  pronounce 
one  judgment  on  man  now  in  His  word,  and  another  judgment 
when  He  comes  in  His  glory.  Nay,  He  expressly  testifies,  "  The 
word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  sa?7ie  shall  judge  you  in  the  last 
day."  John  xii.  48. — that  Word  which  He  has  given  to  us  to  be  a 
"  latnp  unto  our  feet,  and  a  light  unto  our  path,"  testifies  to  us  what 
we  are,  and  such  as  the  Bible  describes  us  to  be,  such  shall  we  be 
found  when  God  shall  come  to  sit  in  judgment  on  us.  If  it  were  not 
so,  you  know,  God  as  a  Judge  must  contradict  God  as  a  Law-giver. 
God  in  His  Word  and  sentence  spoken  when  He  shall  come  in  His 
glorious  majesty,  to  judge  the  quick  and  dead,  must  contradict 
God  in  His  inspired  truth  which  He  has  given  to  lead  our  souls 
from  death  to  life.  This,  you  know,  must  be  impossible,  there- 
fore, if  we  do  not  take  our  character  from  the  Bible,  we  are  blind  ; 
but  these  verses  in  this  passage  are  the  testimony  of  God  as  to  our 
real  state  and  character  by  nature — and  not  ours  alone,  but  that 
of  the  whole  human  race,  there  is  no  exception  ;  therefore  the 
conclusion  is  of  necessity  the  consequence  of  our  sin,  we  are  "  by 

NATURE   CHILDREN    OF  WRATH,  EVEN    AS    OTHERS," tllOSe  who 

are  children  of  grace,  being  called  by  the  blessed  Gospel  of  Christ, 
had  been  by  nature  children  of  wrath.  "  The  rvages  of  sin  is 
death"  Rom.  vi.  23^and  they  had  incurred  the  penalty,  "  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  tuhich  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  Gal.  iii.  10. 

But  what  must  be  the  actual  state  of  man  as  under  sentence 
of  the  wrath  of  God?  Who  can  justly  appreciate  the  misery  of 
his  condition  ?  How  is  it,  that  the  announcement  of  the  awful 
fact,  has  no  effect  on  our  hearts  ?  that  the  most  trifling  inconve- 
nience that  could  occur  to  annoy  us,  would  excite  us  more  than 
the  revelation  of  God's  eternal  judgment  against  our  souls  ?  This 
very  fact  demonstrates  the  truth  that  men  are  ''  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins." 

Announce  to  a  man  who  believes  himself  possessed  of  an  enor- 
mous capital,  that  bankruptcy  and  beggary  await  him. — Tell  a 


134  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

prisoner  who  hopes  for  certain  dehverance,  that  the  sentence  of 
death  is  passed  on  him,  and  he  may  expect  the  summons  of  the 
executioner.— Inform  a  man  who  thinks  he  has  got  but  a  shght 
disease,  tliat  it  is  the  symptom  of  a  fatal  plague,  and  advise  him 
to  prepare  for  death. — Thunder  at  a  man's  door,  and  shout  that 
the  house  is  on  fire,  and  bid  him  escape  for  his  life,  and  siuely  no- 
thing but  that  men  had  sunk  in  death  before  these  tidings  reached 
their  ears,  could  prevent  their  being  suitably  affected  by  them.  But 
men  can  hear  of  the  judgments  and  the  wrath  of  God,  as  though 
they  heard  them  not ;  such  announcements  are  like  those  of  the 
destruction  of  Sodom  by  Lot,  "  He  seemed  as  one  that  tnocked 
unto  his  sons  in  lawT  Gen.  xix.  14,  or  like  the  language  of  un- 
believing Israel  to  the  prophet,  when  he  proclaimed  the  fearful 
judgments  to  come,  "  Ah^  Lord  God !  they  say  of  me,  doth  he 
not  speak  jjarahles.^^  Ezek.  xx.  49. 

Yet  what  is  it  to  be  a  child  of  wrath  ?  It  is  to  turn  ever)^  bless- 
ing that  this  earth  can  give,  into  aggravated  misery.  The  hap- 
pier we  see  a  man  the  more  exalted  in  station,  the  more  renowned 
by  fame,  the  more  endowed  with  wealth,  the  more  miserable  is 
his  lot,  when  precipitated  from  them  all  to  everlasting  ruin.  Bel- 
shazzar  was  more  to  be  commiserated  and  contemned,  than  the 
poorest  beggar  within  the  city  of  Babylon,  when  the  hand  of  fire 
came  forth  to  write  his  doom  upon  the  wall ;  the  louder  he  had 
laughed — the  more  triumphantly  he  had  ^^  praised  the  gods  of 
gold,  and  of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood,  and,  of  stone,^' 
Dan.  v.  4 — the  deeper  draughts  of  luscious  wine,  that  he  and  all 
his  court  had  cpiaffed  from  the  golden  vessels  of  Jehovah's  temple 
— the  deadlier  was  the  livid  paleness  of  his  face,  the  loosening  of 
his  joints,  and  the  smiting  of  his  knees,  when  the  fatal  characters 
of  death  and  judgment  were  traced  before  his  eyes.  What  profit 
in  the  vast  domains  of  wealth,  when  the  trumpet  of  eternal  judg- 
ment shall  awake  their  haughty  owners  from  the  death  of  tres- 
passes and  sins  J  When  they  shall  call,  but  call  in  vain,  upon 
those  lofty  mountains,  of  which,  in  their  pride  of  heart,  they  had 
boasted  as  their  own,  to  fall  on  them,  and  cover  them,  and  hide 
them  from  the  wrath  of  that  God,  whom  they  have  dishonored  and 
despised  ? 

Oh !  what  is  a  miserable  sinner,  while  he  is  a  child  of  wrath — 
and  such  are  you  who  hear,  if  you  have  not  fled  from  the  wrath 
to  come.* 

My  subject  closes  here.  The  Apostle  is  speaking  but  of  human 
guilt  and  condemnation,  and  I  am  not  called  to  speak  of  the  de- 

*  The  writer,  in  publishing  these  Expository  Lectures,  ought  perhaps  to  apologize 
for  a  digression  from  the  text  such  as  is  presented  in  the  remainder  of  this  Lecture — 
but  he  hopes  that  his  object  in  reference  to  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed  as 
hearers  may  excuse  him  likewise  to  those  wlio  read  them.  It  may  be  true  of  some 
who  shall  read  this  Lecture,  as  of  some  who  heard  it.  that  perhaps  it  is  the  last  treatise 
on  religion  that  may  ever  reach  their  eye — and  surely  it  is  needful  to  the  reader  as  to 
the  hearer  that  if  he  is  awakened  to  a  sense  of  sin,  he  may,  at  the  same  time,  read  the 
message  of  salvation — and  if  he  is  led  to  feel  the  extent  and  danger  of  his  disease,  that 
he  may  also,  through  mercy,  see  the  skill  and  power  of  the  Great  Physician. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  135 

liverance  until  I  shall  next  address  you,  but  I  dare  not  wait  until 
then ;  who  can  tell  what  a  day,  much  less  a  week,  may  bring 
forth ;  I  may  never  be  allowed  to  speak,  nor  you  to  hear  again — I 
know  not  but  some  sinner  may  have  come  to  hear  this  day,  who 
even  until  this  hour  has  been  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sinsJ'  I 
know  not  but  that  even  now  his  heart  may  be  awakened  to  feel 
his  want  and  misery,  and  that  even  now  his  spirit  cries  within 
his  breast,  "  What  shall  1  do  to  be  saved  'P  I  dare  not  leave  such 
sinner  comfortless,  perhaps,  this  very  day,  the  Lord  saitli  to  him 
as  to  Zaccheus,  ^'- this  day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house"  Luke  xix. 
5  ;  perhaps  like  Zaccheus,  this  day  his  soul  may  receive  him  joy- 
fully. 

The  Lord  Jesus  never  sent  any  away  empty,  who  came  to  seek 
His  mercy.  Yea  "  Thou  O  Lord  hast  not  forsaken  them  that 
seek  thee."  Psalm,  ix.  10.  Perhaps  then  this  day  that  some  one 
who  hears  this  description  of  the  state  of  sinners,  may  be  taught 
to  feel  the  weight  and  burden  of  his  sin,  and  now  listens  with  a 
very  heavy  heart. — Yes,  if  you  believe  the  testimony  of  God, 
concerning  your  own  state  as  a  sinner,  your  heart  must  be  sad 
and  heavy  indeed.  But  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  intended  to  come 
to  lift  the  load  off  the  weary  and  heavy-laden  heart  of  man,  and 
therefore,  if  there  be  any  of  you  here  who  say— 

"  Alas  !  that  is  my  case.  Ah  !  yes,  that  is  a  description  of  me  ! 
I  feel  I  have  been  just  such  a  sinner  as  is  mentioned  here,  "  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins"  oh,  how  hard,  how  callous,  how  insensi- 
ble, my  heart  has  been  !  How  have  I  slighted  God's  mercies  ! 
made  light  of  and  neglected  His  blessed  Gospel ! — how  often  has 
it  sounded  in  my  ears,  and  my  heart  has  been  as  hard  as  the  nether 
mill-stone!     Yes,  I  have  indeed  been  " walking  according  to 

THE  COURSE    OF    THIS  WORLD,"  "FULFILLING    THE    DESIRES    OF 

THE  FLESH  AND  OF  THE  MIND  !"  Tlio  devil  has  led  me  away 
captive  at  his  will !  I  have  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  God.  "  Yes, 
this  is  a  description  of  me, — my  God,  this  is  a  true  description  of 
me  !" 

Well  my  friend  and  fellow-sinner !  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation 
are  the  same  to  you  that  Saul  rejoiced  in,  when  they  reached  his 
ears,  and  when,  from  having  been  a  persecutor  and  blasphemer, 
he  arose,  went  forth,  "  and  preached  Christ  in  the  synagogues." 
Acts,  ix.  Remember  the  invitation  of  your  blessed  Redeemer, 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden  and  I  will 
give  you  rest."  Mat.  xi.  28.  No  matter  how  heavy  is  the  load 
that  presses  on  your  heart — how  long  you  have  been  "  walking 

IN  THE  COURSE  OF    THIS   WORLD,   FULFILLING    THE    DESIRES  OF 

THE  FLESH  AND  OF  THE  MIND,''  or  liow  loiig  the  enemy  of  your 
soul  has  had  you  under  his  power,  Jesus  is  the  mighty  God,  and 
stronger  than  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil  I  As  sure  as  you 
are  taught  by  Him  to  feel  your  state  of  misery  and  sin  this  day, 
so  surely  He  is  loosing  the  chain  of  Satan  from  your  neck,  and 
you  shall  see  that  Christ  is  anointed  to  "  preach  deliverance  to 
the  captives."  Isa.  Ixi.  1,  and  Luke  iv.  18.     His  word  is  ^'■look 


136  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

unto  me,  and  he  ye  saved,''  Isa.  xlv.  22,  '•  the  Lord  hath  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all,''  Isa.  liii/  6,  '■^  He  bare  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,"  1st  Pet.  ii.  24.  All  the  Church  of  Christ 
have  felt  their  load  of  sin  like  you,  and  it  was  through  the  riches 
of  the  salvation  of  Christ  that  they  have  been  delivered,  and  en- 
abled "  to  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God."  Why  should 
you  not  rejoice  ?  Christ  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for- 
ever." Heb.  xiii.  8.  It  may  be  you  are  a  poor  backslider — what 
does  He  say?  '■^Return  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I  will  heal 
your  backslidings."  Answer  then,  with  those  to  whom  He  spoke, 
"  Behold,  we  come  unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God." 
Jer.  iii.  22.  You  have  destroyed  yourselves,  it  is  true,  but  He 
saith,  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself  but  in  m,e  is  thy 
help."  Hosea  xiii.  9.  Yes,  God  hath  "  laid  help  on  one  that  is 
mighty."  Psahn  Ixxxix.  19.  Wherefore,  "  lift  up  the  hands  that 
hayig  down,  and  the  feeble  knees,"  Heb.  xii.  12,  lift  up  your  bur- 
dened heart  and  look  unto  Jesus,  and  let  your  soul  rejoice  in  "  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ."  Eph.  iii.  8. 

"  Be  it  known  unto  you,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this 
man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  by  him 
all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  thitigs,  from  ivhich  you 
could  not  be  justified  by  tlie  law  of  Moses." — Acts  xiii.  38,  39. 
"  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is 
God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ 
that  died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the 
right  hand  of  God;  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us."  Rom. 
viii.  33,  34.     Good  news,  good  tidings  of  great  joy  ! 

No  doubt,  with  all  your  ignorance  and  sin  j^ou  have  flattered 
yourself  that  you  were  righteous,  and  perhaps  the  Lord  has  left 
you  to  see  how  guilty  you  are — left  you  to  follow  the  devices  and 
desires  of  your  own  heart — left  you  to  sink  in  your  own  misery 
and  wretchedness,  in  order  that  He  may  show  you  the  more,  how 
glorious  a  Saviour  He  is  to  deliver  you  from  the  depths  of  sin  and 
sorrow.  Lift  up  your  eyes  then,  and  look  mito  Jesus.  Here  you 
are,  to-day,  within  the  reach  of  His  mercy — He  has  sent  His  glo- 
rious Gospel,  inviting  you  to  come  to  Him,  and  do  you  think  he 
will  cast  you  out  ?  Oh,  no,  "  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  vnll  in 
noivise  cast  out."  John  vi.  37.  Go  not  then  away  with  a  heavy 
heart,  go  away,  casting  all  your  burthen  on  the  Lord,  and  the 
more  guilty  and  self-condemned  you  are,  rejoice  the  more  in  hear- 
ing the  glad  tidings  of  pardon  and  salvation.  Do  you  not  remem- 
ber the  two  debtors?  "  owe  owed  five  hundred  pence,  and  the  other 
fifty," — remember,  when  they  are  both  forgiven,  whicli  will  love 
him  most?  Then,  if  you  feel  you  have  much  to  be  forgiven,  re- 
joice much  in  the  glorious  pardon  tliat  is  in  Christ  Jesus  for  your 
soul. 

Yet,  O  Lord  Jesus,  who  can  speak  of  thy  mercy  !  who  can  tell 
of  thy  righteousness  !  who  of  the  deptlis  of  the  fountain  of  thy 
blood  !  Avho  of  thy  long-suffering,  thy  patience,  thy  tenderness, 
thy  grace,  thy  compassion  !     How  have  we  "  made  thee  to  serve 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  137 

idWi  oift  sins,  and  toearied  thee  with  our  iniquities  /"  Yet  thy 
glorious  Gospel  is,  •'  /,  even  /,  am  he  that  hlotteth  out  thy  trans- 
gressions for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remeinher  thy  sinsP 
Isa.  xliii.  24,  25.  Oh  !  the  depths  of  the  riches  of  his  grace ! 
Angels  and  archangels,  and  those  who  know  Him  better,  even 
guilty  sinners,  redeemed  by  His  precious  blood,  never  through 
eternity  can  tell  His  love !  May  God  the  Spirit  write  it  on 
our  hearts,  and  make  it  manifest  in  our  lives  that  "  The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they 
ivhich  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  hut  unto 
kirn  who  died  for  them,  and  rose  again.''^  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. — Amen. 


TWELFTH    LECTURE. 


Efhesians  it. — 4,  5,  6. 


"  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  Even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quicliened  us  together  with  Christ,  (by  grace  ye  are 
saved  ;)  And  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  .Tesus." 

These  verses,  as  we  have  seen,  explain  the  latter  clause  of  the 
Apostle's  prayer,  in  the  19th  and  20th  verses  of  the  preceding 
chapter,  He  is  praying,  that  God  would  reveal  to  the  saints  at 
Ephesus,  "  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  pouwr  to  W5- 
ward,  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power, 
ivhich  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead." 
I  suggested  that  this  did  not  mean  the  mere  pledge  or  assurance 
of  their  resurrection,  that  they  were  to  rise,  as  certainly  as  Christ 
had  risen,  but  that  it  meant  the  present  power  and  glory  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  given  now  to  those  who 
believe  His  Gospel. 

In  these  verses  the  Apostle  explains  this,  he  shows  what  was 
"  the  exceeding  greatness  of  God^s  poiver  towards  those  who  be- 
lieve ivhich  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the 
dead."  In  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  we  see  the  state  of 
the  idolatrous  Gentiles,  and  of  the  Jews,  we  see  them  involved  in 
the  same  common  ruin  by  nature,  and  the  passage  shows  the  dif- 
ference between  their  state  as  believers,  and  as  unbelievers.  The 
three  former  verses  show  their  state  as  unbelievers,  by  nature  ; 
the  three  latter  show  their  state  as  believers  by  grace.  Their 
state  as  unbelievers,  was  that  of  "  death  in  trespasses  and  siMS," 
they  were  walking  "  according  to  the  course  of  this  ivorld,"  they 
were  under  the  power  of  Satan,  they  were  '■'■fulfilling  the  desires 


138  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

of  the  flesh  and  of  the  inind^  and  they  were  hy  nature  the  children 
of  wrath,  even  as  othersP  That  was  their  condition  as  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins. 

Now,  what  is  their  condition  as  behevers  by  grace?  what  has 
Christ  done  1  They  were  by  nature  dead  in  sin,  Christ,  in  their 
place,  died  for  sin.  Christ  was  reckoned  dead  in  sin  for  them,  and 
they  are  reckoned  dead  for  sin  in  Christ.  So  the  Apostle  explains 
in  Romans  vi.,  where  he  shows  that  those  who  believe  are  dead 
with  Christ  and  adds,  verse  7,  "Ae  that  is  dead,  is  freed  from  sin.^^ 

Christ  who  owed  nothing,  becomes  their  heavenly  surety,  makes 
himself  a  debtor  for  them,  and  fully  pays  their  debt.  They  who 
owed  that  mighty  debt  which  they  could  never  pay,  are  cleared  of 
their  deljt  through  the  payment  of  their  Redeemer. 

Christ  "  who  knew  no  sin  was  made  sin"  treated  as  a  criminal, 
and  bears  the  penalty  for  them.  They,  the  real  criminals  are  de- 
livered from  the  penalty  due  to  their  crimes,  and  treated  as  right- 
eous through  Him  who  hath  borne  it  for  them. 

Christ  was  actually  raised  from  the  dead  for  them.  The  Surety 
leaves  the  prison,  having  discharged  the  debt,  and  is  exalted  to 
glory,  they  are  reckoned  as  raised  from  the  dead  with  Him,  their 
debt  being  paid  in  Him,  and  by  Him,  and  they  are  exalted  to 
glory  too. 

Christ,  the  spotless  Son  of  God,  was  degraded,  punished,  slain 
as  a  vile  malefactor,  before  God  and  men,  for  them.  They,  the 
children  of  the  devil,  and  of  wrath,  vile  malefactors  before  God 
and  men,  were  thus  rescued  from  the  penalty  of  all  their  crimes, 
received,  honored,  rewarded,  exalted  as  the  spotless  sons  of  God, 
in  Christ  their  Lord. 

Thus  Christ  was  one  with  them,  bearing  all  their  sin  and  pen- 
alty, their  guilt  and  degradation,  judgment,  curse  and  death, — 
they  are  reckoned  one  with  Christ,  receiving  all  His  merits,  His 
righteousness,  and  His  reward.  His  honor,  dignity  and  everlasting 
life  and  glory.  "  WJio  his  ownself  hare  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree,  that  tee,  being  dead  unto  sins,  should  live  unto  right- 
eousness :  hy  lohose  stripes  ye  were  healed.''''  2  Pet.  ii.  24.  For  he 
hath  made  him  to  he  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  2  Cor.  v.  21 — "  Oh, 
the  depths  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knoicledge  of 
God .'"  Rom.  xi.  33.  If  you  do  not  understand  this,  you  do  not 
know  the  very  foundation  of  a  sinner's  hope,  you  do  not  know  the 
only  spot  on  which  you  have  to  rest  for  salvation  in  time  or  eter- 
nity. If  you  do  understand  it,  then  you  can  comprehend  some- 
thing of  the  meaning  of  these  verses,  "God,  who  is  rich  in 

MERCY,  FOR  HIS  GREAT  LOVE  WHEREWITH  HE  LOVED  US,  EVEN 
WHEN  WE  WERE   DEAD  IN  SINS,  HATH  QUICKENED  US  TOGETHER 

WITH  Christ."  Well  might  the  Apostle  pray  that  God  would 
reveal  to  them  "  ivhat  ivas  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  poiver 
toivards  them  who  believe  which  he  tvrought  in  Christ,  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  otvn  right  hand  in 
the  heaveiily  places."     If  we  ask  what  was  the  meaning  of  that  ? 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  139 

what  wa^  the  exceeding'  greatness  of  God's  power  towards  them 
that  beheve,  which  He  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him 
from  the  dead  !  the  answer  is  in  these  verses,  that,  as  He  raised 
Him  from  the  dead,  so  He  raised  them  up  together  with  Him. 
Mark  tlie  plain  words — "God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his 

GREAT  LOVE  WHEREWITH  HE  LOVED  US,  EVEN  WHEN  WE  WERE 
DEAD  IN  SINS,  HATH  aUICKENED  US  TOGETHER  WITH  ChRIST, 
AND  HATH  RAISED  US  UP  TOGETHER,  AND  MADE  US  SIT  TO- 
GETHER IN  HEAVENLY  PLACES  IN  CHRIST  JESUS," — now  refer  to 
19th  and  20th  verses  of  the  preceding  chapter, — -"  according  to 
the  ivorklng  of  his  might]/  power,  ivhich  he  wrought  in  Christ, 
when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  placesP  Now  to  those  who  understand  the 
original,  the  terms  will  be  still  more  explicit  and  clear, — •'■lie  raised 
him  from  the  rfeaf/,"  or '•  having  raised," — eyeiQu;.  ^^  hath  raised 
us  up  together,''^ — aurfyetof.  ^^  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,^'  - 
txadiuer.  '•  hutJi  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places" — 
nvvexaQiatr.  ^'raised  him  iip^''  '•'•raised,  us  up  together  with  himP 
•^  set  him  at  his  right  hand''  in  glory,  set  believers  along  with  him 
at  his  right  hand  in  glory.  Language  cannot  more  explicitly  set 
forth  ideas. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  passage  more  particularly.     It  points  out 

L — The  cause  of  salvation. 

H. —  The  means  of  salvation. 

HI. —  The  effects  of  salvation. 

The  effects  of  salvation  are  but  partially  set  forth,  viz.,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  believer's  privileges  ;  the  Apostle  shows  them  fully 
out  afterwards,  as  well  in  reference  to  his  duties  as  his  privileges, 
which,  if  the  Lord  permit,  we  shall  consider  hereafter. 

I. — The  cause  op  salvation. 

What  is  the  cause  why  an}^  sinner  is  saved?  How  is  this  to 
be  answered  from  the  Bible  ?  The  answer  most  unquestionably 
is — God's  rich,  free,  sovereign  grace.  There  is  no  other  source  of 
salvation  to  guilty  man.  So  the  Apostle  says  here,  as  in  other 
places,  "  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love, 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  auicKENED  US  TOGETHER  WITH  Christ."  There 
is  no  moving  cause,  no  moving  power  in  man  to  save  himself  A 
dead  body  cannot  walk.     A  dead  soul  cannot  move  itself 

This  is  set  forth  in  the  Scripture  as  the  only  cause  of  salvation 
being  given,  or  proclaimed  to  men  in  general — so  we  have  in  St. 
John's  Gospel,  iii.  16,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  hut  have  everlasting  life,"  and  so  in  his  1st  Epistle,  iv.  10, 
"  herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,"  (for,  "  the  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  God,"  Rom.  viii.  7,)  "  but  that  he  loved  us,  and 
sent  his  ^'on  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  And  so  with 
respect  to  the  salvation  of  each  individual  sinner,  while  the  pro- 
clamation of  God's  mercy  is  made  to  every  man  to  whom  the 
Gospel  is  preached ;  if  any  man  receive  the  proclamation  of  that 


140  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

mercy,  it  comes  of  God's  free  and  sovereign  grace,  to  the  soul  of 
that  sinner.  So  we  hear  from  the  Prophet  Jeremiah,  xxxi.  3,  "  / 
have  loved  thee  toith  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  icitli  loving 
kindness  have  I  drawn  thee^''  and  our  Lord  applies  the  same  ex- 
pression to  every  sinner.  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the 
Father,  u^ldch  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  John,  vi.  44.  And  so 
the  Apostle  St.  Peter  says,  in  his  1st  epistle  i. — 3,  "  Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which,  according  to 
his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lioelij  hope, 
by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead^''  and  St.  James 
illustrates  this  again,  "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  loord 
of  truths  James  i. — 18.  And  so  we  had  it  in  this  epistle,  i.  3,  4, 
"  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings,  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ,  according  as  he  hath  choseti  us  in  him  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  ivithout  blatne  before 
him  in  love." 

Man's  condition,  we  have  seen,  is  that  of  death  in  sin,  and  all 
who  are  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  know  their  own  heart, 
know  and  feel,  that  not  only  in  the  first  instance,  when  their  eyes 
were  enlightened  to  see  the  truth,  but  that  now,  every  day,  every 
moment,  it  is  alike  true  of  them,  "  no  man  hath  quickened  his 
own  soul."  They  know  that  as  at  the  first  they  were  "  called  out 
of  darkness  into  his  7narvellous  light,"  1  Pet.  ii.  9,  because  "  God 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  had  shined 
into  their  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  knoivledge  of  the  s'lory 
of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  2  Cor.  iv.  6 ;  so  they  are 
still  indebted  to  the  same  Almighty  power  that  first  kindled  the 
light  of  faith  and  love  to  keep  it  alive  in  their  souls. 

There  is  nothing  to  attract  love  in  a  dead,  corrupting  carcase, — 
and  there  is  nothing  to  attract  God's  love  in  a  dead,  corrupting 
soul.  An  old  woman,  once  speaking  on  this  subject,  made  a  very 
just  and  pertinent  remark,  "  I  am  sure,"  said  she,  "  if  God  did  not 
see  something  in  me  to  love  before  I  was  born,  he  never  saw  any- 
thing since."  Most  true,  and  there  is  not  one  of  us  who  knows 
his  own  heart,  wlio  does  not  know  that  this  is  true,  as  applied  to 
our  own  case.  Can  you  ever  remember  anything  that  God  has 
ever  seen  in  you  to  recommend  you  to  His  favor  ?  Look  back — 
retrace  your  whole  existence — go  back  to  your  childhood,  remember 
the  iniquities  of  your  youth, — come  to  your  present  time  of  life, 
whatever  it  be, — and  answer  in  your  own  conscience.  Do  you 
ever  remember  a  time  when,  if  even  your  fellow-men  had  seen 
the  workings  of  your  heart,  and  all  that  was  within  you,  from  the 
deceitfulness  and  falsehood  of  your  childhood  to  the  deceitfulness 
and  wickedness  of  your  manhood  and  womanhood, —  do  you 
ever  remember  a  time  when,  if  those  who  are  nearest  to  you, 
could  have  seen  the  working  of  your  sinful  heart,  as  you  saw  it 
yourself,  that  they  would  love  you?  Do  you  not  rejoice  that 
man  does  not  see  you  ?  Do  you  not  rejoice  that  your  heart  is 
concealed  from  your  friends  ?  are  not  you  thankful  to  God  that  no 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  141 

eye  can  see  you,  no  being-  on  earth  can  know  you  but.  yourselves  ? 
— I  am  sure  I  am, — I  am  thankful,  that  none  l3ut  God  can  see  the 
corruption  of  my  vile,  sinful  heart, — and  so  must  it  be  with  you, 
if  you  know  yourselves  ;  for  "  as  in  water,  face  answer  eth  to  face, 
so  the  heart  of  man  to  tnanP — Prov.  xxvii.  19.  God's  testimony 
of  the  heart  is,  that  it  is  "  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  despe- 
rately wicked?''  Jer.  xvii.  9, — and  God's  testimony,  borne  in  His 
eternal  word,  will  not,  as  was  shown  before,  be  reversed  Ijefore 
His  glorious  tribunal,  when  He  shall  bring  the  thoughts  of  every 
sinner's  heart  into  judgment,  and  weigh  them  in  the  balances  of 
the  sanctuary.  Then,  if  you  know  that  your  fellow-man  could  not 
love  you,  if  he  saw  you  as  you  are,  nay,  if  you  must  even  "  abhor 
yourself  and  repent  in  dnst  and  ashes,^''  Job  xlii.  6, — Avhat  must 
you  seem  in  the  sight  of  a  pure  and  holy  God,  "  to  whom  all  hearts 
are  open,  all  desires  known,  and  from  whom  no  secrets  are  hid  ?" 
"  Who  can  stand  the  thought  of  that  expression,  "  Thou  hast  set 
our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy  coun- 
tenance f  Psalm,  xc.  8,  who  must  not  cry,  "  Enter  not  into  judg- 
ment with  thy  servant,  O  Lord  'P  If  we  are  saved,  it  is  by  God's 
free,  sovereign,  rich,  eternal  grace  and  mercy.  We  would  never 
turn  one  step  from  the  broad  way  of  eternal  death,  if  God  did  not 
arrest  us  by  His  Almighty  power,  and  bring  us  to  Himself.  Yes, 
it  is  by  God,  "  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  where- 
with he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ.''''  Observe  the  Apostle  in  his  parenthesis, 
("  BY  GRACE  ARE  YE  SAVED.")  Mark  tliis  parenthesis,  as  much 
as  to  say,  do  not  forget  this,  do  not  forget  the  true  interpretation 
of  this  text,  it  proves  that — by  grace  are  ye  saved — -Mark,  I 
pray  you,  this  parenthesis. 

n.  Now  we  come  to  consider  the  means  of  salvation. 
"He  hath  quickened  us  together  with  christ." 

This  implies,  you  know,  the  death  of  Christ.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  the  Apostle,  in  his  reasoning,  especially  as  he  is  refer- 
ring, as  I  have  shown  you,  to  the  merc}^  that  God  bestowed  on 
them,  and  to  the  greatness  of  His  power  exercised  when  He  raised 
Christ  from  the  dead, — it  is  not  necessary,  I  say,  that  he  should 
recapitulate  continually,  the  atonement,  the  redemption,  by  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Of  course,  the  resurrection  of  Christ  implies  His 
death,  but  you  remember,  how  he  had  set  that  forth  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  6th  verse,  "  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his 
grace,  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved,  in  whom 
we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ac- 
cording to  the  riches  of  his  graceP  Therefore,  the  means  of  a 
sinner's  salvation  are  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Now,  we  must  again  dwell  on  the  contrast  and  at  the  same 
time  the  union  between  Christ  and  the  sinner,  as  mutually  inter- 
changing their  condition  each  with  the  other.  The  sinner  trans- 
ferring through  God's  grace,  or  rather  God  transferring  through 
His  grace,  and  the  sinner  embracing  with  gratitude  by  faith  the 


142  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

blessed  transfer,  of  all  his  guilt  and  misery  and  curse  to  Jesus, — 
"  The  Lord  hath  caused  to  meet  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all ;" 
— and  Jesus  transferring,  God  the  Father  imputing,  and  the  sinner 
by  faith  with  joyful  gratitude  receiving  all  the  riches  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  redemption  and  salvation,  put  down  to  His  account 
as  a  guilty  sinner.  If  you  understand  this,  then  you  know,  that 
the  only  means  of  your  salvation,  are  the  obedience  unto  death 
and  the  resurrection  of  Jesus. 

Alas  !  if  you  are  looking  to  any  other  means  of  salvation, — I 
beseech,  I  implore  you,  for  God's  sake,  pause,  and  consider  how 
vain,  and  false  your  hope  is  !  "7/"  righteousness  come  by  the 
laio,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain." — Gal.  ii.  21.  If  man's  works  could 
save  him,  Christ's  death  is  of  no  value.  If  then,  you  are  looking 
to  other  means  of  salvation,  let  me  beseech  you  to  turn  from  them 
all,  to  the  hope  that  God  sets  before  you  in  Christ, — "  Repent  and 
believe  the  Gospel." 

Are  you  looking  to  your  Church  for  salvation  ?  What  is  to 
save  the  poor  Church  ? — One  set  of  lost  sinners  looking  to  another 
set  of  lost  sinners  for  salvation  !  One  poor  debtor  who  cannot 
pay  one  farthing  of  his  debt,  looking  to  other  poor  bankrupts  like 
himself  to  discharge  it ! — one  starving  wretch,  turning  to  others, 
starving  like  himself,  for  a  morsel  of  bread  !  Such  is  man  looking 
for  salvation  to  his  church. 

Are  you  looking  to  the  Sacraments  for  your  salvation  ?     To 
what  are  you  looking?     Is  it  to  the  outward  sign  in  the  ordi- 
nance ?     Or  is  it  to  the  truth  which  it  represents  ?     Oh  beware  ! 
Can  water  wash  away  your  guilt  ?     Can  bread  and  wine  atone 
for  it  ?     Are  these  your  Saviours  ?     The  glorious  Lord  hath  left 
them  to  us  as  precious  emblems,  as  blessed  memorials  of  Christ 
the  substance  of  salvation, — but  if  the  sinner  looks  from  Christ  to 
them,  he  turns  his  eyes  from  the  substance  to  the  shadow,  from 
truth  to  falsehood,  from  the  only  hope  that  God  has  given  to  man, 
to  emblems  and  memorials  of  that  hope !     You   might  as  well 
take  a  picture,  and  embrace  that  picture,  and  bestow  all  your 
affections  on  it,  and  call  it  the  being  or  thing  it  represents,  and  put 
it  in  the  place  of  that  being  in  your  affections,  and  in  your  house, 
as  depend  your  salvation  on  sacraments  or  anything  that  man 
can  do  for  you,  instead  of  on  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory.     Oh  think 
of  this.     Salvation  by  sacraments  in  the  Church  of  England  is  as 
great  a  falsehood  as  salvation  by  Sacraments  in  the  Church  of 
Rome.     A  shadow  is  a  shadow,  whether  it  is  projected  by  the  sun 
in  Italy,  or  by  the  sun  in  England,  and  sacraments  can  no  more 
save  the  soul  in  Britain  than  they  can  in  Rome.     Christ,  the  glo- 
rious Redeemer,  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory.  He  is  the  only  Saviour 
of  the  lost.     You  must  stand  on  that  Rock,  if  you  ever  hope  to 
stand  firm  amidst  the  coming  floods  and  storms. — If  you  ever 
hope  to  rest  with  peace  upon  your  dying  bed,  or  to  lift  up  your 
eyes  when  the  clouds  shall  be  rent  asunder,  and  when  the  Lord 
Himself  shall  be  revealed, — if  you  hope  then  to  join  the  chorus  of 
the  redeemed,  and  say,  "  Lo^  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  143 

him,  and  he  anil  save  us,  this  is  the  Lord,  ice  have  waited  for 
him,  ive  ivlll  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvationP  Isai.  xxv.  9. 
If  you  hope  for  these  things,  you  must  not  be  looking  to  miserable 
shadows  and  miserable  fallen  sinners  to  save  your  souls,  instead 
of  Christ. 

I  am  sorry  to  say,  it  is  too  necessary  to  preach  on  these  topics 
in  our  pulpits.  I  am  grieved  to  think  that  falsehood  and  heresy 
should  creep  into  the  Church  of  England  to  corrupt  our  congre- 
gations from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ.  May  the  Lord  keep 
us  "  looking  unto  Jesus," — continually  looking  to  Christ  alone 
for  salvation,  for  this  is  His  word,  "  Look  unto  me,  and  he  ye  saved, 
all  ye  ends  of  the  earth,  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  no?ie  else.'^ 
Isa.  xlv.  22. 

When  the  Apostle  saitli  then,  "  he  hath  auicKENED  us  to- 
gether WITH  CHRIST."  He  sets  forth  the  means  of  salvation, 
God  quickens  the  sinner  together  with  Christ,  implying,  of  course, 
the  death  of  Christ,  for  Jesus  to  be  quickened  must  have  been 
dead.  Now  forgiveness  of  sins  is  set  forth  through  the  Scriptures, 
as  being  proclaimed  and  secured  through  the  resurrection,  as  well 
as  the  death  of  Immanuel,  so  we  are  told  in  Romans,  iv.  25,  He 
"  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justifl' 
cation."  It  was  a  proclamation  that  God  had  accepted  the  work 
of  Jesus,  the  atonement  of  Jesus  for  the  salvation  of  rebellious 
man.  So,  the  Apostle  speaking  to  the  Corinthians,  of  some  of 
those  in  that  Church,  who  had  set  forth  heresies ;  (for  there  are 
always  heresies  springing  up  in  the  Church,  there  always  have 
been,  and  always  shall  be,  until  the  Lord  himself  shall  come  to 
reign  over  His  kingdom,  and  Satan  shall  be  bound,)  referring  to 
those  who  denied  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  1  Cor.  xv.— 17.  "  If 
Christ  be  not  raised  your  faith  is  vain,  ye  are  yet  in  your  sinsP 
The  Apostle  uses  an  expression,  similar  to  this  5th  verse,  in  Co- 
lossians,  ii. — ^13.  "  You  being  dead  in  your  sins  and  the  uncir- 
cumcision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  ivith  him, 
having  forgiven  you  all  your  trespasses."  raised  up  with  Christ, 
and  your  sins  buried  in  his  grave  and  forgotten,  never  to  be  men- 
tioned again.  Therefore,  the  means  of  salvation  which  the 
Apostle  speaks  of  here,  are  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  he  asserts  the  interest  His  people  have  in 
Him,  in  virtue  of  their  union  with  Him,  being  raised  together  with 
Him. 

III. — Now,  we  come  to  consider  the  effects  of  salvation, 
the  effect  of  their  being  saved  in  Christ,  "  and  hath  raised  us 
UP  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 
PLACES  in  CHRIST  JESUS."  Let  US  ask,  what  meaneth  this? 
Where  were  the  Ephesians  at  that  time  ?  They  were  at  Ephesus, 
walking  about,  engaged  in  their  ordinary  occupations,  or  perhaps 
engaged  at  home,  or  in  the  congregation,  as  you  are  sitting  in 
Church,  occupied  with  the  word  of  God,  and  I  hope  lifting  up 
your  hearts  to  ask  for  a  blessing  on  it.  Then,  what  does  the 
Apostle  mean  by  saying,  he  "  hath  raised  us  up  together, 


144  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

AND  MADE  VS  SIT  TOGETHER    IN  HEAVENLY  PLACES   IN   CHRIST 

JESUS?"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that?  How  can  men  on  earth 
be  said  to  io  have  been  raised  with  Christy  and  to  have  been  made 
to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  iinth  hi??i  ?  Behevers  are  spoken 
of  and  deemed  to  be  now  as  they  shall  be.  Their  blessed  inheri- 
tance in  reversion,  is  spoken  of  as  in  possession,  and  their  faith  in 
God's  promises  of  what  they  shall  be,  enables  them  through  His 
grace  to  rejoice  in  what  they  are.  What  are  they  called  ?  "  Chil- 
dren of  God."  "  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God,  by  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus."  What  is  their  inheritance  as  children?  The 
Apostle  tells  us,  in  Romans,  viii.  17,  as  indeed  we  are  told  in  va- 
rious other  passages  of  Scripture,  "  If  children,  then  heirs,  heirs 
of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ.'''' 

Your  children,  you  would  say,  are  your  heirs,  they  are  to  pos- 
sess your  property.  Men  make  their  eldest  son  the  heir  of  their 
properties.  The  law  which  subverts  that  of  primogeniture,  which 
divides  estates,  and  necessitates  that  property  be  divided  among 
all  the  members  of  a  family,  soon  reduces  the  family  to  beggary, 
for  our  poor  earthly  properties,  are  easily  exhausted.  But  the 
children  of  the  King  of  kings,  are  all  heirs  of  eternal  glory.  The 
rays  of  the  sun  are  undiminished  in  their  bright  effulgence,  the 
lustre  of  that  luminaiy  is  not  dimmed,  although  the  beams  of  his 
glorious  orb  have  been  diffused  throughout  the  world  from  the  first 
moment  of  the  morning  when  God  set  him  in  the  firmament  of 
the  heavens  to  rule  the  day ;  he  still  poius  forth  from  his  redun- 
dant fountain  floods  of  unexhausted,  and  exhaustless  light,  and 
every  creature  that  basks  beneath  his  beams  enjoys  the  fulness 
of  their  power  too  much  to  leave  him  room  to  grudge  the  world 
beside.  But  what  is  all  the  glory  of  the  orb  of  day  compared  with 
that  of  Him  whose  fiat  struck  that  orb  but  as  a  spark  from  solid 
darkness?  and  what  is  the  inheritance  of  him  who  is  an  heir  of 
God  and  a  joint  heir  with  Christ  ?  "  The  glory  that  thou  gavest 
me  1  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  ofie  even  as  we  are  oyieP 
John  xvii.  22.  Christ's  inheritance — Christ's  glory  is  their  inherit- 
ance and  their  glory,  and  there  is  not  one  whose  glory  is  dimin- 
ished by  the  fulness  of  glory  that  all  enjoy. 

This  is  the  blessed  hope— this  the  glorious  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light.  Oh,  you  who  perhaps  are  fixing  all  your  thoughts 
and  your  anxieties  on  your  little  earthly  inheritance, — wrapt  up 
in  all  your  comforts,  pleasures  and  enjoyments,  without  one 
thought,  or  fear,  or  hope  as  an  immortal  being,^ — "  what  will  yon 
do  in  the  end  thereof  T  What  will  you  do  when  your  all  is  gone  ? 
You  may  be  obliged  to  ^^  pull  doioi  your  barns,  and  build  greater.'' 
but  what  can  this  avail  when  God  shall  say,  "  Thou,  fool,  this 
night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee."  Luke  xii.  20, — Oh, 
consider  this,  and  ere  it  be  too  late,  receive  the  glorious  inherit- 
ance that  is  freely  given  to  sinners  in  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord. 
Now,  on  the  other  side,  there  may  be  some,  yea,  1  doubt  not  there 
are  some  here,  who  are  oppressed  with  want,  poverty-stricken,  and 
often  not  knowing  one  day  how  their  wants  may  be  supplied  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  145 

next..  Well,  my  poor  friends,  if  you  are  looking  to  Jesus, — if 
Christ  is  your  hope  and  refuge, — think  what  an  inheritance  you 
have  !  think,  what  a  glorious  inheritance  is  secured  to  you  in  Him. 
Remember,  O  poor  believer,  you  are  an  heir  of  God,  a  joint-heir 
with  Christ.  Whether  would  you  rather  be  the  rich  man  or 
Lazarus  ?  Your  days  of  poverty  will  soon  be  past — you  will  soon 
be  beyond  the  reach  of  want,  or  pain,  or  sin,  and  your  Lord  is 
now  watching  over  you,  and  numbereth  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head.  Wherefore  lift  up  your  heart— better  be  poor,  and  have  un- 
searchable riches  in  reversion,  than  be  reigning  on  a  throne  with- 
out Christ.  "  Lift  up  the  hands  which  hang  down^  and  the  feeble 
kneesP  Heb.  xii.  12, — and  remember,  that  "  God  hath  chosen  the 
poor  of  this  icorld.  ?'ich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom.'''' 
James  ii.  5.  This  is  the  inheritance  of  which  Daniel  speaks, 
when  he  says,  "  a  kingdom  and  dominion  and  the  greatness  of 
the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven  shall  he  given  to  the  people 
of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him."  Dan.  vii. 
27. — "  Happy  is  the  people  that  is  i?i  such  a  case,  yea,  happy  is 
that  people  whose  God  is  the  LordP  Psal.  cxliv.  15. 

Believers  then  are  spoken  of,  I  say,  as  they  shall  be,  they  shall  be « 
raised  up  together,  they  shall  be  glorified  together  with  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Apostle  says,  they  are  so.  They  are  so  in 
God's  counsels,  they  are  so  in  God's  purposes,  they  are  so  in  God's 
promises,  they  ought  to  be  so  in  the  joyful  confidence  of  faith  and 
hope,  and  when  they  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  their 
happy  privilege  to  know  they  are  so  in  reality. 

Allow  me  to  enlarge  a  little  more  on  a  former  illustration.  I 
desire  an  architect  to  give  me  an  estimate  for  building  a  church, 
he  draws  his  plan,  he  furnishes  me  with  the  ground,  and  the  ele- 
vation, and  he  gives  me  a  specification  of  all  the  various  expenses, 
and  if  he  be  a  professional  man  who  knows  his  business,  the 
whole  of  that  church  is  just  as  clear  in  that  man's  eye,  while  he 
is  drawing  the  plan  and  estimate  of  it,  as  when  he  beholds  it 
erected  and  completed.  Now  let  me  ask,  does  not  Jehovah  hold 
His  Church,  complete  and  finished  in  His  eye  ?  Is  there  a  single 
stone  in  the  building  that  is  not  marked  in  the  specification  of  His 
counsels,  from  eternity.  The  architect  may  not  perhaps  know 
the  quarry,  where  he  is  to  find  the  stones  to  erect  the  building  he 
proposes,  or  if  he  expects  to  find  them  in  a  certain  quarry,  he  may 
be  disappointed  in  his  expectations, — but  do  you  think  there  can 
be  any  disappointment  in  the  materials  of  the  Church  of  the  living 
God?  The  architect  may  change  his  plan,  perhaps  from  caprice, 
perhaps  from  necessity,  from  some  unforeseen  difficulty,  some  un- 
looked-for contingency,  which  serves  but  to  show  the  imperfection 
of  the  individual  himself,  or  the  unavoidable  difliculties  and  disap- 
pointments that  attend  all  human  plans  and  calculations.  But,  do 
you  think,  can  God  encounter  these  ?  Do  you  think,  can  God's  plans 
be  changed?  Can  unforeseen  contingencies  arise  to  make  Him 
vary  from  the  course  laid  down  in  the  plans  of  His  Omniscient  wis- 

10 


146  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

dom  ?  Can  He  be  disappointed  or  deceived  in  any  quarter  from  which 
the  hving  stones  in  the  mighty  fabric  of  His  spiritual  temple  are 
to  be  collected  ?  Nay,  when  He  gives  His  command  to  His  angels 
to  gather  the  elect  from  the  four  quarters,  from  every  kingdom 
and  nation  and  tongue  and  people, — and  to  bring  them  together 
to  Himself — and  when  He  beholds  the  finished  structure  of  His 
glorious  Church,  and  sees  "  the  top  stone  brought  forth  ivith  shout- 
ings, crying,  Grace,  grace  unto  it,^^  Zech.  iv.  7 — there  shall  not 
be  a  single  individual — not  a  single  saint  in  glory  in  the  building 
that  was  not  marked  in  the  counsels  of  the  eternal  God,  and  his 
very  position  allotted  in  the  Church,  in  which  Jehovah  sees  him. 
Eternal  resurrection  life  and  glory  are  given — received — embodied 
into  being  in  the  word  "  hath."  The  architect  will  point  out  in 
his  plan  to  his  employers — "  There  is  the  aisle — there  the  nave — 
there  the  chancel — there  the  tower,"  (fcc. — he  calls  these  things  of 
his  ideas  and  intentions  as  if  they  were  real  existences,  but  their 
only  being  is  in  his  own  conception,  they  may  perhaps  never 
have  any  other.  But  Omniscience  and  Omnipotence  give  present 
existence  to  the  future.  In  the  fiat  of  His  eternal  word,  He  "  call- 
eth  the  things  that  are  7iot  as  though  they  were.''''  It  is  the  pro- 
vince of  faith  to  embody  the  existences  of  her  Maker's  word,  and 
therefore,  "  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seenP  Heb.  xi.  1.   Therefore  they  are  "  raised 

UP     TOGETHER     AND     MADE    TO     SIT    TOGETHER     IN    HEAVENLY 

PLACES  IN  CHRIST  JESUS." — Tlicsc  are  the  privileges  of  the  be- 
liever— they  are  written  in  the  word  of  his  God. 

And  now,  brethren,  what  shall  we  say  to  these  things  ?  these 
glorious  present  blessings  of  the  Church  of  Christ  ?  Surely  we 
may  say  with  the  Apostle  to  the  Romans,  xii.  1,  "  /  beseech  you, 
therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  you  present  your 
bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  and  acceptable  unto  God,  which 
is  your  reasonable  serviced  Surely  we  may  say  with  St.  Peter, 
2  Pet.  iii.  14,  "  Wherefore,  beloved,  seeing  that  ye  look  for  such 
things,  be  diligent  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him,  in  peace,  without 
spot  and  blafjieless." 

The  Church  of  Rome  is  very  right  in  her  marks  of  the  church, 
— Catholicity,  unity,  apostolicity,  sanctity.  Very  true  they  are 
all  marks  of  the  church,  they  are  marks  of  the  church  of  Christ, — 
not  indeed  of  the  church  of  Rome,  no,  nor  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
land. You  will  see  men  contending  about  the  term  Catliolic,  as 
if  its  real  sense  and  meaning  is  not  that  in  which  it  is  to  be  ap- 
plied to  the  whole  church  of  Christ  through  all  the  world.  That 
is  the  Catholic  Church  ; — -and  so  it  has  that  mark  of  Catholicity, — 
all  believers  in  Jesus  that  have  been,  are,  or  shall  be,  through  the 
whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  globe,  yea,  '^the  whole  family  in 
heaven  and  eartW  are  all  in  Christ,  and  are  all  one  in  Christ. 

And  so  they  have  the  mark  of  Unity.  Recollect  that  blessed 
testimony  that  was  given  to  His  Church  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Him- 
self, in  that  wondrous  prayer  He  offers  up,  commencing,  as  it 
were,  His  glorious  mediatorial  oflnice  on  earth, — St.  John's  Gospel, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  147 

xvii. — 9,  "  /  pray  for  tliem^''  (that  is  for  His  disciples,)  ^'^  I  pray 
not  for  the  tvorld,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me ;  for 
they  are  thine.''''  Now,  O  believer,  look  at  the  glorious  testimony 
in  the  20th  verse,  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone^''  (His  disciples 
were  then  around  Him,)  '■'•hut  for  them  also  lohich  shall  believe  on 
7ne  through  their  word,  that  they  all  m,ay  be  one,  as  thou,  Father, 
art  in  7ne  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us.''^  So 
that  glorious  unity  of  hidden  life  exists  in  all  the  members  of 
His  Church,  and  shall  be  manifested,  when  all  who  have  believed 
on  His  name,  shall  be  gathered  together  at  His  coming  in  His 
glory. 

So  you  may  see  too  the  ApostoUcity  of  the  Church.  Our  Lord 
saith,  ^^for  them,  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word,^^  those  who  shall  believe  the  testimony  of  the  Apostles, 
therefore,  those  whose  principles  and  doctrines  will  stand  the  test 
of  God's  eternal  Word,  and  therefore,  who  are  one  with  Christ 
Jesus,  their  Lord,  ^^ built  on  the  foundat'ion  of  the  Apostles  and 
Prophets,  Jesus  Christ,  Himself,  being  the  chief  corner  stoneP 
Eph.  ii.  20. 

So  is  the  Sanctity  of  the  Church — ^they  are  sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  so,  though  holiness  is  no  part  of  their  hope ;  for  Christ 
is  all  their  hope,  it  is  an  inseparable  part  of  their  character,  an  in- 
separable test  of  their  fidelity  ;  and  therefore,  though  no  man  can 
be  saved  by  his  works,  the  Scripture  tells  us  that  all  men  can  be 
judged  by  their  works,  because  it  is  thus,  and  only  thus,  that  the 
sincerity  of  the  disciples  of  Christ  can  really  be  known.  If  we 
be  servants  of  our  blessed  Master,  we  cannot  be  serving  another 
master,  "  no  man  can  serve  tivo  m^asters  ;  for,  either  he  will  hate 
the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one,  and 
despise  the  other.  Ye  carmot  serve  God  and  Manimon.^^  Mat. 
vi.  24. 

Let  us  then  deeply  consider  these  things.  It  is  diflficult  in  lec- 
turing through  these  consecutive  portions  of  the  Scripture,  not  to 
leave  each  portion  more  or  less  incomplete,  because  in  its  full 
meaning  it  stands  so  connected  with  its  context ;  but  still  it  is,  1 
believe,  the  most  profitable  mode  of  instructing  from  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  It  calls  all  who  hear,  to  study  the  portion  of  God'? 
blessed  Word,  which  is  under  consideration,  to  bring  what  we  say, 
always  to  that  standard  of  truth. 

Recollect  you  are  not  to  be  judged  by  the  sermons  or  the  min- 
istry of  yoiu-  pastors,  you  are  to  be  judged  by  the  Word  of  God, 
itself,  which  it  is  their  province  to  teach  you.  "  The  word.'^  says 
Christ,  '•  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  you  at  tJce  last 
dayP  John  xii.  48. — "  To  the  law  and  to  the  test'imony,  if  they 
speak  not  according  to  this  ivord,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light 
in  them."  Isa.  viii. — ^20.  And  if  we  speak  according  to  that  Word 
of  truth, — woe  be  to  those  who  neglect  our  word,  not  because  it 
is  ours,  but  because  it  is  according  to  the  Word  of  the  living  God. 

The  Lord  write  His  truth  in  our  hearts,  and  sanctify  it  to  our 
souls,  for  His  great  Name  sake. — Amen. 


THIRTEENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II. — 7. 


"  That  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in 
his  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus." 

We  are  now  to  consider  more  fully  the  effects  of  man's  salva- 
tion, as  set  forth  in  this  passage.  In  part  we  have  seen  them  to 
consist  in  this,  the  raising  man  from  the  death  of  sin,  its  curse 
and  condemnation,  and  the  exalting  him  to  be  an  inheritor  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ, —  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  lis  together  with  Christ,  [hy  grace  are  ye  saved,)  and 
hath  raised  ns  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ  Jestcs." 

Another  result  we  see  is  to  follow — namely,  the  manifestation 
of  the  glorious  attributes  of  God,  and  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace,  "that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  ex- 
ceeding RICHES  OF  HIS  GRACE,  IN  HIS  KINDNESS  TOWARDS  US 
through  CHRIST  JESUS." 

I  shall  not  apologize  for  adverting  again  to  the  first  of  these 
subjects  briefly  to-day ;  for,  if  we  be  indeed  the  children  of  God,  it 
ought  to  be  the  theme  of  our  continual  consideration, — as  it  must 
be,  it  alone  can  be  tlie  joy  and  consolation  of  our  hearts. 

Recollect,  then,  that  the  state  of  a  believer,  is  a  state  of  present 
pardon  and  acceptance  with  his  God.  Remember  that.  It  is  not 
a  contingent  future  forgiveness,  as  most  persons,  yea,  as  all  unen- 
Ughtened  sinners  believe  it  to  be.  It  is  not,  I  say,  a  future  for- 
giveness, contingent  upon  their  own  present  morality  and  virtue, 
— this  is  not  the  salvation  of  Christ — but  present  pardon,  present 
forgiveness,  proclaimed  to  them  through  the  blood  of  their  Re- 
deemer, in  the  everlasting  Gospel,  and  ratified  on  the  authority  of 
the  eternal  God  Himself;  therefore,  their  state,  being  a  state  of 
present  forgiveness,  is  a  state  of  present  exaltation  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ, — I  say,  of  present  exaltation.  Though  the  believer  is 
on  this  earth,  living  in  this  world,  a  poor,  helpless  sinner,  yet,  in 
the  covenant  councils  of  his  God,  as  a  believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
Christ,  he  is  raised  up  with  his  Heavenly  Head,  and  as  a  member  of 
Christ,  he  is  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  so  that  the  glorified 
members  of  the  human  body  of  Christ  are  not  more  exalted  with 
Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  God  than  the  members  ofHis  mystical 
body,  that  is,  all  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ  Jesus  are 
raised  up  in  covenant,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  149 

in  Christ  Jesus  their  Lord.  Consider  one  or  two  passages  on  this 
subject. 

In  Acts,  xxvi.  18,  you  see  the  commission  which  the  Lord  gave 
to  the  Apostle  Paul,  speaking  of  His  sending  him  to  the  Gentiles, 
He  says,  '•  unto  lohom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to 
turn  them,  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  poiver  of  Satan 
to  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheri- 
tance  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me." 
You  perceive  here  what  they  were  to  receive.  Now  compare  this 
with  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  to  the  state  of  those  who 
received  the  Gospel.  In  chapter  i.  3,  of  this  Epistle,  we  see  the 
fact,  '"'  Blessed  he  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ," — hath  done  so. — Compare  this  again  with  Co- 
lossians  i.  12,  13,  '•  Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath 
made  us  m,eet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light ;  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  poioer  of  darkness,  and 
hath  translated  us  itito  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Soji." — Now  ob- 
serve, "  hath  made  us  meet," — ^"  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power 
of  darkness," — ^'  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  His  dear 
Son."  This  is  the  actual  state  of  all  who  truly  believe  the  Gospel 
— the  actual  position  in  which  they  should  consider  themselves  to 
be.  Look  again  to  1  Pet.  i.  3,  4,  5,  he  says,  speaking  of  the  state 
of  believers,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  tvhich,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten 
us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  auiay,"  (there  is  their  inheritance,)  ^'■reserved 
in  heaven  for  you,  ivho  are  kept  by  the  poiver  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time." 

Now,  this  inheritance  is  reserved  for  them,  and  they  are  kept 
for  it.  Then  it  is  to  be  revealed.  It  is  as  secure  now  as  when  it 
shall  be  revealed.  So  in  St.  John's  1st  Epistle,  iii.  1,  you  see  the 
same  truth  set  forth,  "  Behold  what  ^nanner  of  love  the  Father 
hath  bestouied  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  : 
therefore  the  world  knoweth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not." 

Ah,  brethren,  these  truths  are  above  the  comprehension  of  the 
unregenerate  world,  "  the  world  knoweth  us  not  because  it  knew 
him  not." — Consider  these  facts,  verse  2,  "  Beloved,  now  are  we 
the  sons  of  God."  If  Jesus  is  indeed  our  refuge,  then,  beloved, 
we  are,  and  must  be  the  sons  of  God  ;  for  "  whosoever  believeth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  1  John  v.  1.  '•  Ye  are 
all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." — Gal.  iii.  26. 
"  But  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  ive  shall  be." — that  is  not  yet 
known — "  but  7/;e  know,  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be 
like  him, ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  When  He  shall  be  re- 
vealed, then  His  redeemed  church  shall  burst  from  the  earth  in 
light  and  glory,  and  in  the  likeness  of  their  blessed  Master,  hav- 
ing their  vile  bodies  '■'■fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body." 
Phil.  iii.  21.  they  "  shall  meet  their  Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  shall 


150  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

they  he  ever  with  the  Lord.'^  1  Thess.  iv.  17.  So,  in  the  last 
verses  of  this  same  chapter,  which  we  are  now  considering,  the 
Apostle,  having  told  them  to  remember  what  their  former  condi- 
tion had  been,  compares  it  with  their  present  state,  and  says, 
verses  19  and  20,  "  Noiv  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and 
foreigners,  hut  fellow-citizens  ivith  the  saints,  and  of  the  house- 
hold of  God,  and  are  hnilt  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  heing  the  chief  corner  stone.'''' 
You  see,  therefore,  this  is  the  effect  of  a  sinner  being  brought  to 
Jesus,  this  is  the  immediate  result  of  a  sinner  embracing  the  glori- 
ous Gospel  of  Christ.  But  this  is  an  exhaustless  subject ;  for  it  is 
a  subject  that  is  to  be  expanded  into  infinity  and  prolonged  to 
eternity.     Oh,  that  it  may  be  so  with  each  of  us  ! 

11.  But  we  come  now  to  consider  another  effect  of  salvation, 
not  merely  individually,  but  collectively,  as  embracing  the  salva- 
tion of  this  whole  church  of  Christ,  which  is  the  passage  before  us 
to-day.  Observe,  how  directly  and  consequentially  it  depends  on 
that  which  precedes  it, — "Ae  hath  raised  ns  up  together,  and 
made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. — that 

IN  THE  AGES  TO  COME,  HE  MIGHT  SHOW  THE  EXCEEDING 
RICHES  OF  HIS  GRACE,  IN  HIS  KINDNESS  TOWARDS  US  THROUGH 
CHRIST  JESUS." 

The  highest  privilege,  the  first  duty,  the  noblest  exercise  of  the 
faculties  of  a  moral  being  as  such,  is  the  setting  forth  of  moral  ex- 
cellence, the  manifestation  of  moral  virtue.  Hence,  the  glory  of 
angels  is  their  holiness — that  which  becometh  the  house  of  God 
forever,  is  holiness.  This  is  clear,  most  especially  in  all  situations 
of  authority,  from  the  father  and  master  of  a  family  to  the  ruler 
and  governor  of  nations,  in  which  not  only  their  OAvn  individual 
existence  is  concerned,  but  also  the  relative  position  which  they 
hold  to  all  that  are  placed  imdei-  them.  But  to  do  this  man  can- 
not set  forth,  or  set  up  himself.  If  he  does,  it  is  ignorance,  it  is 
pride,  it  is  selfishness  and  falsehood.  All  the  faculties,  all  the 
powers  of  a  moral  agent,  to  be  exercised  as  they  ouglit,  must  be 
exercised  in  manifesting,  in  liolding  forth  the  power  and  glory  of 
the  Creator.  The  perfection  of  man  as  a  moral  agent,  would  be 
the  observance  of  the  holy  law  of  God.  In  this,  the  perfection  of 
Jesus,  "  of  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,^''  consisted.  The  perfec- 
tion of  Jesus  was  in  doing  the  will  of  His  Father, — "  my  meat,'''' 
said  He,  "  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his 
work.''^  So  it  must  be  in  all  created  intelligences,  men  or  angels, — 
the  will  of  their  Creator  is  the  highest  summit  of  perfection.  To 
set  themselves  up  or  to  set  forth  themselves  is  to  forget  their  God. 

I  must  then  take  occasion  here  to  remark  on  the  objection,  the 
infidel  objection  that  I  have  heard  made  against  the  Scriptures, 
against  such  passages  of  the  Scripture  as  this,  in  which  God  sets 
forth  His  own  glory  as  the  great  end  of  His  deahngs  with  man. 
They  say — 

"  Surely,  if  man  was  to  set  forth  himself  as  the  end  and  scope 
of  his  actions  would  we  not  call  him  sinful  and  selfish  and  proud  in 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  151 

setting  himself  up.  It  is  in  consideration  of  others  that  men  should 
show  forth  moral  excellence.  Therefore  is  it  not  attributing  to 
God  that  which  we  admit  to  be  moral  evil  in  man,  to  make  his 
own  glory  the  end  and  scope  of  his  government  ?" 

This  is  like  all  the  other  objections  against  God's  word.  It  only 
shows  the  blindness,  the  corruption,  the  ignorance  of  the  uncon- 
verted, proud,  natural  heart  of  man  ; — stupid,  contemptible,  worth- 
less, the  moment  it  is  put  into  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary.  Why 
is  self-exaltation  criminal  in  man  ?  What  is  the  reason  why  he 
ought  not  to  set  himself  up  as  the  end  or  scope  of  his  actions? 
Because  the  standard  of  perfection  is  Jehovah,  therefore,  he  rejects 
that  standard,  if  he  does  not  aim  at  it, — if  he  aims  at  anything 
lower.  But  the  infinite  perfection  of  God's  moral  government  as 
it  really  consists  in  the  exercise,  so  it  can  only  be  exhibited  in  the 
display  of  His  own  glorious  attributes. — I  say,  the  perfection  of 
His  government  can  only  consist  in  this,  in  the  exercise  and  in 
the  manifestation  of  His  own  individual  glory.  Why  ?  Because 
He  can  have  no  higher  standard  of  perfection  than  Himself,  un- 
less there  is  something  above  God.  He  can  have  nothing  less 
than  Himself,  He  cannot  descend  from  the  Creator  to  the  crea- 
ture ;  for  that  would  be  to  descend  from  the  standard  of  perfection 
to  imperfection,  from  the  standard  of  the  glory  of  the  Creator  to 
the  insignificance  of  the  thing  created.  Therefore  that  men  or 
angels  should  make  themselves  the  end  or  scope  of  their  actions 
is  sin.  But  that  God  should  make  Himself  the  end  and  scope  of 
His  actions  is  the  necessary  result  of  His  perfection,  as  the  holy 
God.  It  could  not  be  otherwise, — not  to  do  so,  would  be,  that  He 
must  cease  to  be  God, — it  were  to  abdicate  His  throne — to  take 
up  imperfection  instead  of  perfection,  as  the  standard  of  His  moral 
excellence  and  moral  glory. 

Hence,  all  the  Scripture  testimonies  on  the  subject  of  the  mani- 
festation of  God's  glory,  in  all  His  dispensations  and  all  His  deal- 
ings with  man.  Hence,  the  salvation  of  His  people  should  be  the 
glorious  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  His  grace ;  and  hence,  the 
very  existence  of  sin,  the  wickedness  of  man,  the  rage  and  malice 
of  the  devil,  shall  redound  at  last  to  the  glorious  manifestation  of 
the  attributes  of  Jehovah, — His  justice.  His  power  and  His  mercy, 
— the  power  of  His  justice  in  judgment,  and  the  power  of 
His  mercy  in  salvation.  So  you  must  see — you  must  acknowl- 
edge it,  unless  you  are  blind,  in  all  the  history  of  the  Scripture. 

The  overwhelming  of  a  rebellious  world  by  the  flood,  was  as 
great  a  manifestation  of  the  glorious  attribute  of  God's  righteous 
judgment  and  justice,  as  the  saving  of  Noah  and  his  family  in  the 
ark,  was  of  His  grace  and  mercy. 

The  gaping  of  the  earth,  and  the  swallowing  up  of  Korah, 
Dathan,  and  Abiram,  was  the  righteous  manifestation  of  Jehovah's 
character,  as  much  of  the  sanctification  of  Aaron  to  the  priest- 
hood— the  miraculous  budding  of  his  rod — and  the  setting  up  the 
sacrifices  for  sin, — the  types  of  that  blood  of  "  the  Lamb  of  God 
that  taketh  aicay  the  sin  of  the  xcorld" 


152  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

The  fire  of  Sodom  manifested  the  glory  of  God's  righteous 
judgment,  as  much  as  the  dehverance  of  Lot  exhibited  His  mercy. 
And  the  sentence  of  the  last  day,  when  "  the  secrets  of  all  hearts 
shall  be  disclosed"  in  the  day  of  the  righteous  revelation  of  the 
holy  judgments  of  the  mighty  God, — the  sentence  against  those 
upon  his  left  hand,  "  depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  7iis  ang-els,'^  Matt  xxv.  41,  shall  redound 
to  the  righteous  justice  of  the  eternal  God,  as  much  as  the  glorious 
manifestation  of  His  love  to  those  on  His  right,  "  where  mercy 
and  truth  meet  together,  where  righteousness  and  peace  have 
kissed  each  other,"  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world^'' 
Mat.  xxv.  34.  Yea,  "  the  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth"  of  the 
damned  shall  glorify  the  righteous  judgment  of  Jehovah,  as  much 
as  the  song  of  the  redeemed." 

Oh  think  of  this.  Remember  what  it  shall  be,  when  instead 
of  man  being  everything  and  God  nothing,  "  the  loftiness  of  man 
shall  be  bowed  dowti,  and  the  haughtitiess  of  meti  shall  be  tnade 
low,  and  God  alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day."  Isa.  ii.  17. 
"  Oh,  consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  I  tear  you  in  pieces, 
and  there  be  none  to  deliver  you."  Ps.  1.  22. 

But  our  attention  in  the  passage  which  I  have  read  is  directed  to 
the  glory  of  God's  grace  in  the  ages  to  come,  in  the  redemption, 
the  salvatioii,   the  exaltation,  of  His  Church, — "that  in  the 

AGES  to  come,  he  MIGHT  SHOW  THE  EXCEEDING  RICHES  OF 
HIS    GRACE,   IN    HIS    KINDNESS    TOWARDS    US    THROUGH   ChRIST 

Jesus."  Do  you  ask  the  meaning  of  this, — do  you  ask,  how  is 
this  manifested  ? — how  is  the  "  exceeding  riches  of  God's  grace" 
shown  "  iti  his  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus  ?"  I 
will  endeavor  to  explain  it  and  to  teach  you  how  it  is  to  be  shown 
even  in  this  very  congregation.  I  will  divide  you  this  day — not 
by  persons,  for  that  is  not  man's  province,  but  by  principles,  of 
which  I  must  leave  the  application  to  each  person's  own  con- 
science. I  will  divide  you,  as  you  are  divided  in  fact  and  truth,  if 
there  be,  as  there  are,  alas,  too  many  here,  who  are  not  servants 
of  God, — and  that  is,  I  will  divide  you  into  unconverted  sinners, 
and  the  people  of  God.  You  are  divided,  you  must  be,  into  these 
two  classes.  There  is  not  a  sinner  here,  or  a  sinner  in  all  the 
earth  this  day,  Avho  does  not  belong  to  one  or  the  other.  You 
must  be  an  unconverted  sinner,  or  j^ou  must  be  a.  sinner  that  is 
brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  made  a  servant  of  God. 

I  will  show  you  how  the  riches  of  God's  grace  is  manifested,— 
how,  in  the  ages  to  come,  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  shall 
be  manifested  tow^ards  you  in  Christ  Jesus, — and  I  hope  and  trust 
in  His  blessed  name,  that  it  shalf  be  manifested  this  day  to  the 
ungodly,  unregenerate  heart  and  conscience  of  every  unconverted 
sinner  that  is  here.  For  example, — I  care  not  who  or  what  you 
are — -I  suppose  you  to  be  some  wretched,  guilty  creature,  whom 
all  your  neighbors  know  to  be  a  character  that  ought  to  be 
avoided, — there  are  such  people  who  come  into  church  frequently. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  153 

There  may  be  here  some  this  day  of  whom  those  who  know 
you  say— 

"  Ah,  that  is  a  rogue,  that  is  a  thief,  there  is  no  dependence  to 
)3e  placed  on  that  man." 

Or  again — '•  Look  at  that  poor  wretch,  that  miserable  drunkard, 
he  cannot  keep  himself  sober  a  moment,  he  has  plunged  himself 
and  his  family  into  ruin." 

"  There  is  a  Sabl>ath-breaker, — what  could  have  brought  him  to 
church  to-day?— I  never  saw  him  in  church  before,  what  could 
have  led  him  here  ? — he  spends  his  Sabbaths  in  idleness  and 
wickedness."     Again 

"  There  is  a  liar,  you  cannot  depend  on  one  word  that  comes 
out  of  his  lips, — he  speaks  truth  and  lies,  alike  with  the  same 
facility." 

"  There  is  a  wretch  that  is  a  blasphemer,  cursing  and  swearing 
from  morning  to  night." 

"  There,  there  is  one  whose  hands  are  stained  with  blood — that 
man  ought  to  have  been  hanged  for  murder." 

Again, — '•  xih  !  there  is  a  woman  who  is  a  reproacli  to  modesty, 
and  to  her  sex — one  whom  we  must  shun  as  a  pestilence,  whose 
very  touch  is  contagion." 

Perhaps  there  are  some  such  here  of  various  grades  and  shades 
of  guilt  to-day, — and  some  perhaps  who  have  never  been  detected, 
but  whose  conscience  echoes  the  charge  from  the  pulpit  in  the  ear 
of  God.  Such,  I  say,  may  be  here  to-day,  stained  even  with  blood, 
— yea,  if  your  hands  are  not,  the  hearts  of  many  of  you  are, 
because  it  is  written,  "  whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  mur- 
derer.^^  1st  John,  iii.  15.  And  there  are  murderers  in  this  and 
in  every  congregation,  those  of  wicked  passions,  who  hate,  or  who 
have  often  hated  their  brother. 

How  then  are  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  God  to  be  manifested 
here?  It  is  our  commission  to  proclaim,  in  His  blessed  name, 
salvation  to  every  creature — to  proclaim  mercy  to  the  very  chief 
of  sinners,  and  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  are  manifested 
in  the  magnitude  of  the  guilt  he  pardons,  and  the  mercy  He  ex- 
tends to  those  who  are  ready  to  perish. 

But  there  is  another,  and  perhaps  a  more  common  character, — 
a  white- washed  Pharisee  !  A  man  who  presents  a  fair  exterior, 
of  whom  his  neighbors  say,  and  as  far  as  man  sees,  justly  say, 
that  is  an  upright,  moral,  worthy,  decent,  respectable  man."  But 
God  is  not  in  your  heart,  and  God  is  not  in  your  house, — His  Holy 
Word  is  not  opened  in  your  family,  you  do  not  kneel  down  with 
them,  and  seek  His  pardoning  grace  and  mercy  on  your  souls, — 
you  do  not,  in  your  own  closet,  kneel  down  and  call  upon  God  to 
wash  away  your  guilt  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamlj — you  value  not 
the  fountain  opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness — you  think  you  have 
but  little  sin  to  pardon — your  pride  is,  that  you  are  not  as  other 
men.  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  arn  not  as  other  men  are,  extor- 
tioners, nnjiist,  adidterers,''^— -this  is  your  consolation,  and  this  is 
the  hope  of  your  salvation,  when  you  look  at  such  characters  as  I 


154  LECTURES  ON  THE  EPHESIANS. 

have  been  describing,  to  comfort  yourself  with  the  thought — "I 
am  not  such  a  character." — Alas,  if  this  be  so,  you  are  but  a 
whited  sepulchre.  God  looks  through  the  whitewashing — the  var- 
nish of  the  exterior,  and  He  sees  within,  the  heart  of  His  own 
description,  the  corrupt,  unwashed,  guilty,  rebellious  heart,^ — the 
heart,  "  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wickedP  Jer. 
xvii.  9. — "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God.^^  Rom.  viii.  7. 
But  now,  I  care  not  what  you  are — m  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  I  proclaim  to  you  this  day,  free  and  full  forgiveness. 
Oh  thou  poor,  lilack,  and  guilty  sinner,  who  would  be  afraid  that 
your  fellow-sinners  would  look  at  a  single  movement  of  your  heart, 
— Remember  God  sees  you,  remember  He  sees  every  depth  of  sin 
and  every  winding  of  deceit, — but  God  sends  you  pardon  in  His 
everlasting  word, — this  day  he  commands  you  to  "  repent,  and  to 
believe  the  Gospel.^^  Mark  i.  15.  He  proclaims  mercy  and  for- 
giveness in  your  ears, — '^Goye/^  He  says  to  His  ministers,  '^go 
ye  into  all  the  wor'ld,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature" 
Mark,  xvi.  15 — the  good  news  of  salvation.  Whatever  be  your 
character,  or  whatever  the  cause  why  you  came  into  this  Church 
— whether  to  build  up  a  Babel  of  your  own  righteousness — to  go 
through  an  accustomed  form — to  salve  your  conscience  by  the  dis- 
charge of  a  duty — to  trifle  away  an  hour  of  an  idle  Sabbath,  yea, 
even  to  hear  and  scotf — Yet,  look  unto  Christ,  and  be  ye  saved, 
"  He  came  into  the  tvorld  to  save  siimers"  1st  Tim.  i.  15.  Think 
of  tlie  words  of  that  sacred  Hymn  which  you  repeat  so  often  in 
our  Liturgy,  "  When  thou  liadst  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death, 
thou  didst  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers."  Oh,  it 
is  true — it  is  true — hear  it — believe  it,  and 

"  Let  fools  who  came  to  scoff,  remain  to  pray." 

I  went,  last  week,  to  see  an  old  friend  of  mine,  who  had  been  a 
member  of  this  congregation.  He  is  dying,  and  he  told  me,  "  Oh, 
sir,  I  remember  when  you  preached  on  a  text,  to  illustrate  these 
words,  '  When  thou  hadst  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death,  thou 
didst  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers,'^ — my  heart 
rejoiced  to  see  such  pardon,  grace  and  mercy  in  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord." 

Well — your  hearts  may  rejoice  this  day,  for  you  are,  like  him, 
sinners,  and  Christ  is  the  same  Almighty  Saviour. 

And  is  not  this  "the  exceeding  riches  op  his  grace?" 
and  if  the  Lord  quickens  you  who  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sitis,'' — leads  your  souls  to  know  and  rejoice  in  his  pardoning 
mercy  to-day — if  you  are  enabled,  instead  of  coming  here  next 
Sunday,  a  poor,  blind,  profligate  rebellious  enemy  of  God — or  a 
proud  self-righteous  Pharisee, — if  you  are  enabled  to  come,  as  a 
believer  in  Jesus — a  reconciled  child  of  God — longing  to  hear  the 
word  of  Christ — kneeling  down  in  faith  and  hope,  in  truth  and 
love,  to  call  upon  your  God — not  going  through  the  service  in 
mere  mockery  and  form — but  worshiping  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth" 
that  God  who  "  seeketh  such  to  worship  Him"— if  He  leads  you, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  155 

who  have  hitherto  been  serving  tiie  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
to  serve  and  glorify  your  God — will  not  that  manifest  "  the  ex- 
ceeding   RICHES    OP    HIS    GRACE,  IN    HIS    KINDNESS    TOWARDS 

YOU  THROUGH  Christ  Jesus."  Will  it  not  be  "  to  the  yraise  of 
the  glory  of  His  grace'^  in  time  and  eternity.  Oh,  think  of  this, 
and  may  the  Lord  send  this  message  of  mercy  and  salvation  to 
your  hearts,  to-da}^  my  friends  and  fellow-sinners  !  for  this  is  the 
good  news  of  the  Gospel — it  is  the  same  alike  to  all,  that  which  is 
for  yoa,  is  for  me,  we  are  all  by  nature  vile,  rebellious  sinners, — if 
God  should  enter  into  judgment  with  us,  we  must  all  perish.  Oh, 
then,  "  to-day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hear'tsP 
"  To-day,  while  it  is  called  to-day,"  Heb.  iii.  7,  8,  15,  "■  look  unto 
Tne,"  saith  He,  "  and  he  ye  saved."  Is.  xlv.  22. 

Believer,  you  know  something  of  this,  but,  alas  !  we  know  but 
very  little  of  it,  as  we  ought  to  know.  But  are  you  at  a  loss  to 
understand — are  you  at  a  loss  to  know,  how  God  manifests  the 
riches  of  His  grace,  in  His  kindness  towards  you?  Were  you  not 
such  as  we  have  described,  once  living  without  God  in  the  world  ? 
Do  you  not  remember  what  you  were  ?  Do  you  not  remember 
your  guilt — your  enmity  against  God?  Do  you  not  remember 
when  you  hated,  or  at  least  totally  neglected  His  word  ?  When 
you  never  prayed  in  spirit  and  truth  ? — when  you  turned  a  deaf 
ear  to  the  Gospel? — when  you  disregarded  it,  and  cast  it  from 
you?  Who  remembered  you  in  your  low  estate? — who  found 
you  an  outcast  in  the  wilderness?  Who  ^'■passed  by  you,  and 
said  unto  you,  live  'P  Ezek.  xvi.  6.  Who,  "/o/"  his  great  love 
ivherewith  he  loved  you,  even  ivhen  you  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  you  together  with  Christ"  ?  Ch.  ii.  5, — Who  '•  sent  his 
word  and  healed  you,  and  delivered  you  frotn  your  destruc- 
tions ?"  Ps.  cvii.  20.  Who  brought  His  word  to  your  heart,  and 
led  you  to  see  Jesus  as  your  refuge,  and  gave  you  hope  and  peace 
in  His  salvation  ?  And  then — when  you  look  back,  and  think  of 
what  you  have  been  since — your  innumerable  provocations — how 
you  have  tempted  Him  to  withdraw  His  grace  from  you, — and 
yet,  up  to  this  hour,  how  His  patience  has  borne  with  you  ! — How 
often  you  turned  back  in  your  heart  "  to  the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt !" 
— how  often  have  you  cherished  in  your  soul,  instead  of  destest- 
ing,  the  very  thought  of  sin — and  yet,  the  long-suffering  of  your 
God  has  not  cast  you  off !  Oh !  how  great  has  been  his 
mercy  to  you  !  How  many  your  backslidings,  your  innumer- 
able sins  ! — Perhaps  the  world  has  seen  them, — perhaps  they 
are  only  known  to  God  and  your  own  conscience ! — but,  Oh  ! 
how  often  have  you  fallen,  and  He  has  lifted  you  up ! — watched 
over  you — -not  Icit  you  to  yourself — not  allowed  you  to  depart  from 
Him — followed  you  with  His  grace.  His  mercy,  His  providences — 
hedged  up  your  way  with  thorns — visited  you  with  stripes,  to 
chastise — to  reprove — to  correct — to  humble  you,  to  bring  you 
back — -sending  a  messenger  to  you.  like  Nathan — bringing  His 
word  to  your  soul  in  a  thousand  different  ways, — and  here  you 
are  to-day,  a  monument  of  grace ! — ^and  in  the  ages  to  come,  when 


156  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

it  is  all  known, — Oh  !  how  shall  every  dealing  of  his  wisdom, 
providence,  and  love  display  "the  exceeding  riches  of  his 

GRACE,  IN  HIS  KINDNESS  TOWARDS  YOU  THROUGH  CHRIST  JESUS." 

When  "  ive  know  even  as  ice  are  known."  1st  Cor.  xiii.  12. 
When  we  see  the  precipices  on  which  we  have  been  standing — 
the  pit-falls  from  which  he  has  rescued  us — the  ruin  into  which 
we  would  have  rushed,  if  God  had  left  us  to  ourselves — if  He  had 
not  taken  us,  and  dragged  us  back — and  held  us  in  His  mighty 
liand — and  not  allowed  Satan  to  pluck  us  out  of  it ! — Oh,  dear 
brethren  in  Christ,  if  there  can  be  a  contest  in  eternity,  it  must 
be,  which  of  us  should  sing  in  tlie  loudest  strain,  "  Unto  him  that 
loved  us.,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  oivn  blood,  and 
hath  made  us  kings  and  jniests  unto  God  and  his  Father  ;  to 
him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen.''''  Rev.  i. 
5,  6.  Well  then,  may  we  understand  in  some  degree,  yea,  I 
know  you  feel  something — when  I  speak  to  you  of  the  blessed 
hopes  and  prospects  of  His  servants,  and  of  that  love  which  has 
opened  them  to  your  ears — something  of  the  meaning  of  these 
words,  "that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  ex- 

CEEDINCi  RICHES  OF  HIS  GRACE,   IN  HIS  KINDNESS  TOWARDS   US 

THROUGH  CHRIST  JESUS."     To  Him  be  praise  and  glory  forever 
and  ever.     Amen. 


FOURTEENTH  LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II. — 8,  9. 


"  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  laith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves ;  it  is  the 
gift  of  God  :  Not  of  vs'orks,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 

We  have  seen,  that  one  of  the  effects  of  the  salvation  of  the  Lord's 
Church,  is  the  manifestation  of  the  glorious  attributes  of  Jehovah 
Himself,  in  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace, — as  we  had  in  verse 
7,  "  that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  exceeding  i^iches 
of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toioards  us  through  Christ  Jesus."' 
The  Apostle  seems  to  introduce  the  8th  and  9th  verses,  as  an  em- 
phatic lepetition,  a  fuller  explanation  of  the  momentous  truth 
which  he  had  inserted  parenthetically  in  the  5th  verse,  "  by  grace 
are  ye  .^avedJ''  He  had  said  "  But  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy  for 
his  great  love  lohereivith  he  loved  its,  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
.nns,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  {by  grace  are  ye 
saved,")  and  here  again  he  evidently  introduces  it,  for  the  purpose 
of  reminding  them  again  of  the  important  lesson,  which  is  neces- 
sary to  be  so  continually  impressed  on  the  heart  of  the  sinner, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  157 

viz.,  that  the  whole  of  man's  salvation  from  first  to  last  is  to  re- 
dound, not  to  his  own  glory,  but  to  the  glory  of  his  God,  as  you 
observe  by  the  word  '■'•forP — "  That  in  the  ages  to  conie,  he  might 
show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toward 
us  through  Christ  Jesus, — for, — by  grace  are  ye  saved 
THROUGH  FAITH," — he  sliows  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace, 
FOR — ^by  grace  alone  are  ye  saved. 

It  is  indeed  necessary  to  have  this  truth  perpetually  reiterated 
to  man  ;  for  it  is  a  truth  of  which,  though  the  heart,  in  its  con- 
stant sense  of  its  own  want  and  sin,  has  continually  need,  yet  the 
believer  is  as  continually  prone  to  turn  from  it.  Therefore,  you 
may  perceive,  how  frequently  it  has  been  introduced,  even  in  this 
short  portion  of  the  epistle  we  have  read, — as  for  instance,  in  verse 
2  chapter  i.  The  Apostle  uses  the  term  as  he  always  does  in  his 
benedictory  salutation,  "  Grace  he  to  you,  and  peace  from  God 
our  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,^''  and  He  repeats 
the  word  in  verse  6,  "  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace," 
wherein  "/ie  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved,''^  and  in  the 
7th  verse,  "  in  whom,  we  have  redemption  through  his  Mood,  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace,"  and 
then  in  verse  5th  of  this  chapter,  as  I  have  already  remarked,  "6y 
grace  ai'e  ye  saved^''  and  in  verse  7,  "  that  in  the  ages  to  come 
he  m,ight  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,"  and  in  the 
verse   now   before   us,   "  by   grace   are    ye    saved    through 

FAITH." 

Now,  when  we  meet  a  truth  repeated  again  and  again  in  God's 
word,  we  are  not  to  pass  over  it  lightly,  and  say,  "  This  is  the 
same  truth  we  met  in  the  other  verse,  we  have  spoken  of  this 
before." — No — ^God  repeats  truths  in  his  holy  word  that  we  may 
continually  reconsider  them,  that  we  may  again,  and  again,  and 
again,  and  again  pray  for  His  Spirit  to  apply  them  to  our  hearts. 
When  we  preach — at  least  for  my  own  part,  I  can  say,  that  when 
I  come  to  preach  or  lecture  on  these  great  truths  to  any  of  my 
fellow-sinners,  I  feel  I  have  need  when  I  have  set  them  forth  to 
others,  to  preach  and  lecture  upon  them  again,  as  it  were  to  my- 
self, that  the  same  truths  may  be  impressed  upon  my  own  heart, 
that  I  have  endeavored  to  impress  on  others,  which,  however  we 
may  know  them  as  abstract  truths,  we  are  continually  ready  to 
forget,  if  God  whose  grace  teaches  them  to  us,  and  keeps  us, 
would  allow  it.  So  the  Apostle  exhorts  in  the  2nd  chap,  of  He- 
brews, verse  1,  "  Therefore  we  ought  to  give  the  more  earnest 
heed  to  the  things  ivhich  we  have  heard,  lest  at  any  time  we  should 
let  them  slipP 

If  one  of  the  members  of  our  body  is  fractured,  or  dislocated,  or 
distorted,  it  can  be  set  and  bandaged  up  and  bound  to  some  sup- 
port, to  keep  it  in  its  natural  and  right  position.  But  Oh  !  what 
human  force — -what  power — what  skill — what  instruments  can 
we  find  to  bind  up  and  heal  those  dislocated,  disjointed,  and  dis- 
torted thoughts  and  hearts  of  ours  !  If  we  are  attracted  for  a  mo- 
ment to  the  holy  word  of  God,  and  if  our  attention  seems  fixed  for 


158  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

a  time  to  the  standard  of  truth  and  sober  wisdom,  alas  !  the  next 
moment  we  fly  off  again,  hke  a  wandering  bird.  '•'  The  wicked" 
saith  the  Prophet,  "  are  like  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest, 
whose  waters  cast  tip  mire  and  dirt."  Isa.  Ivii.  20, — and  we  often 
feel  our  hearts  fluctuating,  like  the  waves  of  the  troubled  sea, 
which,  though,  as  you,  heard  this  day,  at  the  moment  when  the 
voice  of  Jesus  spake,  they  were  hushed  and  stilled  into  a  calm, 
yet  were  again  lashed  and  convulsed  by  the  very  next  storm  that 
swept  over  them,  or  ruffled  and  disturbed  by  the  next  breeze  that 
passed  across  their  surface.  So  it  is  with  the  heart  of  sinful  man. 
So  do  we  require  the  continual  impress,  the  continual  acting  of 
the  word  of  God,  the  grace,  the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  move  over 
the  face  of  the  waters, — so  must  we  have  "  line  upon  line,  precept 
upon  precept,  here  a  little,  and  there  a  little."  Isa.  xxviii.  10, — 
that  we  be  not  "  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrifie,"  Eph. 
iv.  14 — and  turned  from  the  truth  of  God  to  fables.  Therefore, 
may  the  great  God  bless  us  and  teach  us  by  His  Spirit,  and  by 
His  holy  word,  while  we  consider  it  this  day  and  at  all  times. 
The  Lord  tells  us  in  these  words,  expressly  by  the  Apostle, 

How  WE  ARE  SAVED, 

"  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not 
OF  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God," — 

And  how  we  are  not  saved, 

"  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 

We  are  saved  by  grace  through  faith  ;  and  we  are  not  saved  by 
works. 

Grace  is  taken  in  various  senses  in  the  word  of  God, — some- 
times in  a  very  limited,  and  sometimes  in  an  enlarged  sense.  It 
appears  to  me  in  this  passage  to  be  taken  in  its  most  comprehen- 
sive sense,  embracing  within  its  meaning  all  that  is  implied  in  its 
application  to  the  salvation  of  man  in  the  Scripture.  Grace  is 
sometimes  put  to  signify  the  everlasting  love  of  God  to  His  people. 
As  for  instance,  2d  Timothy,  i.  9,  "  ivho  hath  saved  us,  and  called 
us  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  ivorks,  but  accord- 
ing to  his  own  purpose  and  grace  which  ivas  given  us  in  Christ 
Jesus  before  the  loorld  began," — and  you  have  nearly  the  same 
sense  of  it  in  this  Epistle,  i.  5,  6,  "  having  predestinated  us  to  the 
adoption  of  children  by  Jesns  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved." 

Sometimes,  it  signifies  the  effectual  calling  of  the  sinner,  by  the 
operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  quickening  his  soul,  as  we  have  it 
in  this  chapter,  verse  5,  "  even  v)hen  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  {by  grace  are  ye  saved"). 

Sometimes,  grace  signifies  abounding  mercy,  as  in  Rom.  v. 
20,  21,  "  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound,  that 
as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign 
through  righteousness  7i?ito  eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord."  So  you  have  the  same  idea  expressed,  though  the  same 
word   is   not   used,  in  Isa.  xl.  1,  "  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  159 

people^  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem., 
and  cry  unto  her.^  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished.^  that  her 
iniquity  is  j)ai^doned ;  for  she  hath  received  of  the  Lord's 
hand  double  for  all  her  sins.''  Superabounding  grace  for  abound- 
ing sin. 

Sometimes,  it  is  taken  for  the  free  and  full  pardon  of  sin,  as  in 
Romans  iii.  24,  "  behig  justified  freely  by  his  grace.,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus," — and  that  was  the  view  taken 
of  it  in  our  last  Lecture,  in  setting  forth  the  riches  of  God's  grace, 
as  proclaiming  pardon  to  ungodly  sinners,  and  the  continual  exer- 
cise of  love  and  mercy  to  His  redeemed  people. 

Sometimes,  it  means  the  being  in  a  state  of  pardon  and  accept? 
ance  with  God,  as  for  instance,  in  Romans  v.  2, — "  by  whom  also 
we  have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace  luherein  ive  stand,  and 
rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,"  and  you  have  the  same  idea 
in  Romans  vi.  14,  "  you  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace," 
— under  a  covenant  of  grace, — in  a  state  of  gracious  acceptance 
through  the  goodness  of  God. 

Sometimes,  it  signifies  the  final  salvation  of  the  Lord's  people, 
as  in  1st  Pet.  i.  13,  "  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for  the  grace 
that  is  to  be  brought  unto  yon  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Now  here  I  conceive  it  comprehends  all  these  things,  all  the 
blessings  of  the  grace  which  brmgs  salvation  to  the  sinner's  soul. 

"  By  grace   ARE  YE    SAVED    THROUGH    FAITH,  AND    THAT    NOT 

OF  YOURSELVES,  IT  IS  THE  GIFT  OF  cjoD,"  from  first  to  last — from 
beginning  to  end — from  the  grace  that  called  you  to  the  grace  that 
shall  open  the  folding  doors  of  eternal  glory  to  your  view. 

"  By  ciRACE  ARE  YE  SAVED  THROUGH  FAITH."  It  is  important 
to  attend  to  this,  it  is  necessary  to  put  faith  into  its  right  place,  it 
is  indispensable  to  have  the  judgment,  the  understanding  clear  up- 
on this  sul)ject,  for  I  know  of  no  subject  on  which  the  minds  of 
believers  are  more  frequently  in  error,  perplexed  and  harassed  than 
on  this. 

They  are  not  saved  by  works,  they  say,  but  they  are  saved  by 
faith.  But,  when  they  find  their  faith  weak,  when  they  find  doubts 
and  darkness  arise  in  their  minds,  then  their  hope  of  salvation  is 
gone, — they  are  all  agitated,  "  Oh  we  are  saved  by  faith,  but  I  do  not 
believe — I  feel  I  have  no  faith."  Now,  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance 
rightly  to  understand  this,  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through 
FAITH."  Faith  no  more  saves  you  than  works,  considered  in 
itself.  It  is  no  more  the  act  of  your  mind  in  believing,  or  it  is  no 
more  your  strongest  confidence  that  saves  you,  than  it  is  your 
works.  Faith  is  the  channel  through  which  salvation  is  given  to 
you.  Your  salvation  is  Christ, — the  glorious  grace  of  God  in  giv- 
ing Christ ;  Christ's  righteousness,  the  gift  of  grace, — Christ's  blood, 
the  gift  of  grace, — Christ's  glorious  sacrifice.  His  finished  salvation, 
the  gift  of  grace, — all,  is  the  grace  of  God,  all,  the  manifestation  of  the 
riches,  '•  the  e.vceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward 
us  through  Christ  Jesus."  Faith  is  merely,  as  it  were,  the  vessel 
by  which  this  salvation  is  given  to  you.     If  man  rejects  it  and  casts 


160  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

it  off,  of  course  he  must  perish, — if  a  man  receives  it  and  embraces  it, 
*  all  the  blessings  of  it  are  his, — but,  remember,  the  blessings  are 
all  in  Christ,  and  not  in  his  faith.  Faith  receives  and  embraces 
the  blessing,  but  is  not  the  blessing  itself, — because,  salvation  is  in 
Christ,  and  not  in  faith.  It  is  the  medicine  that  heals  the  body, 
and  not  the  cup  in  which  that  medicine  is  conveyed.  If  a  medi- 
cine is  administered  to  you  in  a  vessel  of  gold,  silver,  china,  delph, 
or  glass, — yea,  though  the  vessel  be  not  only  fragile,  but  cracked, 
or  partly  broken, — it  matters  not,  it  is  the  medicine  and  not  the 
vessel,  that  conveys  healing  to  your  body.  And  it  is  the  balm  of 
Christ's  blood,  it  is  the  salvation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  which 
your  soul  is  saved,  though  the  faith  may  be  very  weak  by  which 
you  receive  Him — "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith." 
An  illustration,  perhaps,  will  convey  more  clearly  to  your  minds, 
that  the  important  difference  lies  not  between  a  weak  and  a  strong 
faith,  but  between  a  true  and  a  false  one.  Let  me  suppose  two 
shipwrecked  mariners,  swimming  from  the  waves  to  a  bank  of 
sand,  one  very  confident, — the  other,  trembling  with  fear.  They 
reach  the  bank  of  sand,  but  it  is  a  quicksand,  and  both  are  en- 
gulphed.  Why  ?  All  the  spirit,  the  courage,  and  confidence  of 
the  one  could  not  save  him,  because  the  ground  on  which  he  trod 
sunk  under  his  feet, — the  other  perishes,  not  by  his  fears  or  appre- 
hensions, but  because  the  ground  on  which  he  stood  sunk  beneath 
him  too.  So  it  is  with  sinners.  //  is  not  the  strength  or  weak- 
ness of  their  faith,  but  it  is  the  truth  of  their  faith,  that  is,  the  truth 
of  the  object  in  which  they  believe.  It  is  not  the  strength  or  con- 
fidence with  which  one  believes,  or  the  weakness  with  which  an- 
other believes, — but  it  is  this, — that  the  thing  which  we  believe  is 
God's  eternal  truth.  So  if  two  men  believe  a  lie  as  the  hope  of 
their  soul, — one  going  on  with  the  utmost  possible  confidence,  and 
the  other,  trembling  and  fearing, — they  shall  both  perish  in  the 
lie  they  have  believed  ;  for  they  have  not  ^'■Jledfor  refuge  to  lay 
hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them,^^  Heb.  vi.  18,  but  they  have  fled 
to  a  refuge  of  lies. 

Let  me  speak  affectionately,  and  entreat  their  attention,  if  I  ad- 
dress any  of  my  Roman  Catholic  friends  and  neighbors  to-day. 
No  doubt  there  are  very  different  degrees  of  confidence  with  which 
you  may  believe,  that  the  sacrifice  of  your  Mass  is  a  propitiatory 
offering  that  satisfies  God  for  your  sins,  or  that  your  priest  can  for- 
give you.  So  there  are  different  degrees  of  confidence,  with  which 
many  ignorant  Protestants  may  believe,  that  the  Sacrament  will 
be  an  atonement  for  their  sins,  and  make  their  peace  on  their  death- 
bed, or  that  their  minister  can  do  something  for  their  souls.  But 
it  is  no  matter,  whether  men  Ijelieve  in  such  things  with  confidence 
or  whether  they  believe  in  them  with  trembling  doubt  and  appre- 
hension, they  shall  perish  in  their  iniquity,  if  they  rest  upon  such 
refuges  of  lies,  for  there  is  no  offering  in  either  the  Mass  or  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  nor  in  anything  in  earth  or 
heaven  for  the  sinner  to  save  his  soul,  but  the  blood  of  our  crucified 
Redeemer. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  161 

Now  let  me  again  illustrate  true  faith.  Two  shipwrecked  mari- 
ners buffet  their  way  from  the  wreck  to  a  rock, — one  is  confident  and 
joyous — the  other  trembling  and  fearing,  lest  the  waves  should 
overwhelm  him  and  sweep  him  again  into  the  bosom  of  the  deep ; 
— but  the  rock  is  inaccessible  to  the  waves,  and  both  are  equally 
secure.  Why?  It  is  not  the  courage  or  confidence  of  the  one 
that  saves  him,  but  because  he  is  on  a  rock.  All  the  doubts 
and  fears  of  the  other  cannot  overwhelm  him.  Why  ?  Because 
notwithstanding  all  his  doubts  and  fears,  he  is  on  a  rock. — So 
when  sinners  have  indeed  "  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the 
hope  set  before  them,"  when  they  have  indeed  fled  to  Jesus, — the 
Rock,  the  Fortress  of  their  salvation,  whether  they  believe  with 
joyous,  lightsome  heart,  with  full  assurance  of  faith,  or  whether 
they  are,  as  many  are,  doubting,  trembling,  fearing  in  the  weak- 
ness and  unbelief  of  their  own  hearts, — still  they  are  both  equally 
secure  ; — for  both  are  resting  upon  the  "  Rock  of  ages," — Jesus  is 
the  Hope,  Jesus  is  the  rock,  Jesus  is  the  Salvation  of  them  both. 
Wherefore  the  babe  in  Christ  is  as  safe  as  the  father  in  Christ — • 
the  weakest  believer  is  as  safe  as  the  strongest,^ — because  it  is  not 
their  faith,  but  Christ  that  saves  them — it  is  not  by  faith  you  are 
saved  through  grace,  but  "  by  grace  are  you  saved,  through 
FAITH  ?"  Grace  is  that  which  gives  salvation,  and  therefore,  that 
may  "  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  jioiver  of  his  tnight,^'' 
Eph.  vi.  10,  "  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  JesusJ^  2nd 
Tim.  ii.  1. 

This  may  seem  to  some  of  you  not  very  important, — but  if  you 
are  distressed  and  agitated  with  doubts  and  fears,  as  certainly 
some,  perhaps  many  of  you  who  believe  the  Gospel  are, — you  will 
see,  what  a  blessing  it  is  for  a  sinner  to  be  taught  to  look  out  of 
himself,  and  how  blessed  it  is  for  him  to  see,  that  all  his  salvation 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord.  Oh,  how  hard  it  is,  when  persons 
have  taken  up  a  false  system,  and  have  not  been  rightly  instructed 
in  God's  truth,  to  drive  these  vain  fancies  out  of  their  minds  ! 
How  often  have  I  seen  the  servants  of  God  doubting  and  trem- 
bling, and  writing  bitter  things  against  themselves,  even  on  the  bed 
of  death,  because,  instead  of  looking  to  Jesus  as  their  all,  they 
were  looking  into  themselves  for  confidence,  and  expecting  comfort 
and  courage  from  the  strength  of  their  faith,  instead  of  from 
Christ,  the  strength  of  their  salvation.     Remember  this. 

You  who  are  strong  in  the  faith  of  Christ  Jesus, — you  who  are 
resting  with  joyous  confidence  on  your  Lord, — beware — we  are  in 
an  enemy's  land,  and  always  in  danger.  "  Let  him  that  thinketh 
he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall."  1  Cor.  x.  12.  We  are  often 
encouraged  when  faith  is  strong,  to  look  away  from  Christ  to  our- 
selves, to  transfer  our  confidence  from  Jesus  to  our  faith.  Beware, 
lest  the  confidence  of  faith  should  degenerate  into  confidence  in 
faith.  Remember  David — "  Li  my  prosperity  I  said,  I  shall  never 
be  m,oved,  Lord,  by  thy  favor  thou  hast  m,ade  7ny  mountain  to 
stand  strong."  What  are  the  next  words  ?  "  Thou  didst  hide 
thy  face^  and  I  was  troubled."  Psalm  xxx.  6,  7.     Oh,  brethren. 


162  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

'^ivatch  and  pray'''  If  you  are  strong  in  the  faith  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,  pray  that  the  Lord  may  keep  you  strong,  keep  you 
humble,  and  keep  you  lowly.  Remember,  the  Apostle  says,  "  toheji 
I  am  weak  then  I  am  strong.^^  Strong  faith  is  often  a  very  hard 
tried  faith.  Recollect  strong  faith  ought  to  be  victorious  faith. 
"  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  ivorld,  even  our  faith." 
1  John  V.  14.  If  your  faith  is  strong,  you  may  be  called  upon  to 
put  it  into  exercise  against  a  storm  of  corruption  and  sin  within, 
or  such  power  of  temptation  without,  that  it  may  make  you  trem- 
ble, and  ask  yourselves,  "  Is  it  possible  I  can  be  a  believer  ?"  I 
repeat  then — "  Watch  and  pray."  Mat.  xxvi.  41. 

And  those  of  you  who  are  weak  in  the  faith  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus, 
— trembling  and  doubting, — if  indeed  you  are  looking  unto  Him, 
take  courage.  Look  out  of  your  faith.  It  is  not  your  faith, — it  is 
Jesus  that  saves  you.  It  is  not  the  strength  of  your  own  confi- 
dence, it  is  the  strength  of  Him  in  whom  you  confide.  Think  of 
this. — Lift  up  your  hearts.  Remember  that  Jesus  is  the  same  to 
the  weakest  as  to  the  strongest.  The  Rock  is  the  same  to  the 
man  that  trembles  on  it,  as  to  the  man  who  stands  with  the 
stoutest  heart  upon  it.  Jesus  is  the  same  to  both.  O  weak  be- 
liever !  lift  up  your  hands  that  hang  down, — you  may  be  "  walk- 
ing in  darkness,  and  have  no  light" — ^but  he  that  does  so, — "  let 
him  trufit  in  the  Lord,  and  stay  himself  upon  his  God"  Isa.  1.  10 
— upon  ^'■his  God"  when  he  is  weak  as  well  as  when  he  is  strong, 
— "  his  God"  in  darkness  as  well  as  in  light,—"  his  God"  in  doubts 
as  well  as  in  confidence, — "  his  God"  in  difficulty  as  well  as  in  the 
easy  course  of  prosperity.  Therefore,  "  Lift  up  the  hands  that 
hang  donm,  and  the  feeble  knees."  Heb.  xii.  12.  Let  the  weak 
take  courage, — let  the  strong  "  watch  and  pray."  Remember  the 
character  of  your  Shepherd — remember  what  is  said,  "  he  gather- 
eth  the  lambs  in  his  arms,  and  carrieth  them  in  his  bosom,  and 
gently  leadeth  those  that  are  loith  young."  Isa.  xl.  11.  The 
strong  walk  firmly  and  boldly  on, — he  gathereth  the  w^eak  ones 
in  His  arms, — He  gently  leadeth  those  that  are  weary  and  heavy 
laden  with  burdens  of  anxious  doubts  and  fears — "  /  have  yet 
many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now,"  He 
saith,  JohrTxvi.  12.  You  then  that  are  weak  and  weary,  heavy- 
laden,  burthened  with  a  sense  of  your  sins, — Oh  !  look  out  of 
yourselves  to  Jesus,  cast  your  burden  on  Christ, — He  is  able  to 
sustain  it, — He  is  mighty  to  bear  it.  Remember,  ^'■underneath 
are  the  everlasting  arms."  Deut.  xxxiii.  27.  The  bearer  of  your 
burthen  is  Omnipotent.  What  weight  of  sin  or  sorrow  is  too  great 
for  Christ  to  carry  ?  and  what  burthen  ought  to  be  too  heavy  for 
us  to  cast  on  Him  ?     We  cannot  bear  it,  but  Jesus  can. 

"By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not 
OF  yourselves." — Now,  the  word  "  that"  does  not  mean  either 
grace  or  faith.  The  original  does  not  directly  admit  of  its  refer- 
ence to  either,  but  it  means  both  together,  namely,  salvation  by 
grace  through  faith,  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through 
faith,  and  that"  (namely  your   salvation   by  grace   through 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  163 

faith)  "is  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God:  not 

OF  WORKS,  lest    ANY    MAN    SHOULD  BOAST."       It    is    nOt    by  yOUf 

works  you  are  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation,  and  it  is  not  by 
your  works  you  are  kept  in  it,  for  you  can  do  nothing  to  save  your 
soul,  you  are  a  lost  sinner, — you  are  saved,  not  by  anything  you 
can  do,  but  by  the  work  of  Jesus,  proclaimed  to  you  in  His  blessed 
word,  and  brought  home  to  your  hearts  by  His  mighty  Spirit. 

Some  men  will  go  very  far  indeed  in  ascribing  salvation  to  a 
being  they  call  Christ,  and  to  a  thing  they  call  Grace,  if  you  will  only 
allow  them  to  have  some  little  share  in  their  own  salvation.  Only 
allow,  that  there  is  some  little  credit  due  to  themselves,  and  they 
will  give  to  Christ  and  Grace  as  much  as  you  please.  I  repeat  it 
again,  they  will  ascribe  salvation  to  a  being  they  call  Christ,  and 
to  a  thing  they  call  Grace.  But  they  do  not  really  mean  Christ 
or  Grace.  It  is  neither  the  Christ  nor  the  Grace  of  the  Bible  that 
men  really  call  by  such  names,  when  they  hold  such  principles  in 
their  hearts.  This  is  of  the  greatest  possible  importance  to  con- 
sider, because  such  awful  falsehoods  are  set  forth  with  such  inge- 
nuity and  sophistry,  and  come  recommended  by  such  names  and 
such  authority,  that  if  men  are  not  built  upon  the  "  Rock  of  ages," 
if  their  faith  is  not  established  on  the  Word  of  the  living  God. 
they  will  be  led  away  by  the  "cunning  craftiness"  of  men  who 
"  lie  in  wait  to  deceive." 

I  shall  read  for  you  a  brief  specimen  of  this  system  of  religion 
to  which  I  advert : 

"  Religious  doctrines  and  articles  of  faith  can  only  be  received, 
according  to  certain  dispositions  of  the  heart." — That  is  very  true. 

"  These  dispositions  can  only  be  formed  by  the  repetition  of  cer- 
tain actions." 

This  is  very  false,  and  mark  the  false  principles  engrafted 
on  it. 

"  And  therefore,  a  certain  course  of  action  can  only  dispose  us 
to  receive  certain  doctrines." 

And  here  the  writer  says, 

"  It  is  curious  to  observe,  how  entirely  Aristotle's  system  in  this 
respect  coincides  with  Holy  Scripture."* 

Whether  this  be  the  doctrine  of  Aristotle,  it  is  of  no  import- 
ance to  us  to  investigate  ;  but  if  it  be,  the  writer  of  this  sentiment 
is,  at  least  as  far  as  the  Pagan  author  whom  he  quotes,  from 
either  truth  or  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible. — You  will  perceive  how 
directly  the  principles  here  maintained  contradict  the  express  tes- 
timony of  our  Lord.  This  doctrine  is — make  the  fruit  good,  and 
you  make  the  tree  good.  Our  Lord's  doctrine  is,  "  Make  the  tree 
good  and  his  fniit  goodP  Mat.  xii.  33.  And  our  Lord  expressly 
testifies,  "  Every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit,  hut  a  cor- 
rwpt  tree  hringeth  forth  evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring 
forth  evil  fruit ;  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good 
fruitP  Mat.  vii.  17,  18.     Outward  actions  are  not  in  themselves 

*  Tracts  for  the  Times,  as  cited  by  Mr.  Goode,  in  his  excellent  Tract  '  The  Case  as 
it  is,"  p.  32,  33. 


164  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

really  good — because  they  may  seem  to  be  so — their  goodness 
depends  on  the  motives  and  principles  of  the  heart  on  which  they 
are  performed — ;)ust  as  the  excellence  of  the  fruit  depends  net  ou 
its  outward  appearance,  but  on  the  taste  and  flavor  when  you  try 
it.  You  may  have  seen  apples  that  appeared  beautiful  and  tempt- 
ing to  the  eye  on  the  tree,  but  when  you  tasted  them,  you  found 
them  sour  and  not  fit  to  be  eaten  ;  so  actions  on  false  principles, 
that  are  not,  as  it  were,  flavored  with  the  motive  of  love  to  our 
blessed  Master,  are  only  falsely  tinted  with  the  seeming  glow  of 
virtue.  The  application,  therefore,  of  this  doctrine  is  as  false  as 
the  doctrine  itself.     The  writer  says, 

"  For  instance  charitable  works  alone  will  make  a  man  charita- 
ble and  the  more  any  one  does  charitable  works,  the  more  char- 
itable will  he  become." 

"  He  only  will  be  humble  in  heart  who  does  humble  actions." 

Mark  how  directly  this  transposes  the  order  both  of  truth  and 
Scripture,  as  if  it  were  not  charity  and  humility  of  heart  that 
could  alone  make  men  either  really  charitable  or  humble ;  as  if 
men  might  not  '■^bestow  all  their  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  give 
their  body  to  be  bwned,'^  1  Cor.  xiii.  3,  without  one  spark  of 
charity  in  their  heart ;  or,  "  make  broad  their  phylacteries,  and 
enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments,^''  Mat.  xxiii.  5,  and  stand 
praying  in  seeming  hmnility  at  the  corners  of  the  streets,  with  the 
pride  of  Satan  hi  the  heart — garnish  and  whitewash  the  sepulchre 
without,  while  nought  but  death  and  corruption  were  festering 
within. 

He  adds — "  He  who  most  of  all  practises  these  duties,  will  be 
most  of  all  brought  by  a  necessary  and  moral  consequence  to 
embrace  the  cross  of  Christ."  And  by  forming  men  to  these 
actions,  there  is  to  be  "  a  preparation  of  the  heart  previous  to  the 
imparting  of  the  highest  knowledge"  namely,  "the  doctrine  of 
the  Cross." 

How  )niserably  ignorant  of  divine  truth  is  man  when  not  taught 
by  the  Word  and  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God.  How  clearly  do 
such  doctrines  illustrate  that  the  "  nnlearned  and  nnstahW''  who 
•'  lorest  the  ScrijHures  to  their  own  destruction,^''  2  Pet.  iii.  16,  do 
not  mean  those  who  are  not  learned  in  Classics  or  in  Science,  in 
modern  literature  or  Pagan  Philosophy,  but  those  who  are  un- 
taught in  the  sacred  oracles  of  truth.  For  these  doctrines,  I  am 
ashamed  to  say  are  put  forth  from  learned  men  in  one  of  our 
English  Universities,  and  this  system  is  but  another  edition  of  the 
falsehoods  of  Rome. 

But  this  illustrates  the  use  of  scriptural  terms  in  an  unscriptural 
or  antiscriptural  sense.  For  this  is  a  system  that  sets  forth  a 
thing  that  is  not  grace,  and  a  being  that  is  not  Christ !  Christ 
and  the  cross  are  not  for  the  good,  but  for  the  guilty.  "  They  that 
are  whole  need  not  a  Physician,  but  they  that  are  sickP  Mat.  ix. 
12.  This  is  like  prescribing  to  a  man  in  an  hospital — "  Get  up 
and  make  yourself  better,  and  walk  about  a  little,  and  take  exer- 
cise, and    then  you  will   be  fit   to  be  healed   by  a   Physician." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  165 

This  is  exactly  the  same  thing.  Set  men  to  work,  to  do  some 
good  deeds,  in  order  to  make  them  acquire  good  habits,  and  then 
they  will  come  to  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  by  a  "moral  conse- 
quence" !  Is  this  the  word  of  the  living  God  ?  Is  this  the  salva- 
tion of  Ciirist  for  the  lost  ?  Preaching  Christ  to  men  who  have 
acquired  good  habits — ^preaching  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  to  save 
humble  charitable  men  !  Alas  !  such  a  system  as  this  can  only 
come  from  the  father  of  lies.  Blessed  be  God  it  is  written  in  His 
word  of  truth,  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all 
acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
iiers,^^  1  Tim.  i.  15 — uncharitable  sinners,  proud  sinners,  guilty, 
rebellious,  vile  sinners,  sinners  such  as  are  in  this  and  in  every 
congregation.  The  glorious  Gospel  of  Jesus  is,  that  Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners  such  as  you  and  me.  Oh,  that  is 
the  blessing  of  the  Gospel !  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through 

FAITH,  AND  THAT  NOT  OF  YOURSELVES,  IT  IS  THE  GIFT  OF  GOD, 
not   OP  WORKS,   LEST  ANY  MAN  SHOULD  BOAST." 

If  such  a  system  as  this  were  true,  what  would  be  the  conse- 
quence? Why,  that  man  could  boast,  and  must  boast.  The  man 
who  prepares  himself  by  this  sort  of  system,  by  his  charitable 
works,  and  bumble  works,  and  similar  works,  to  come  to  Christ, 
what  must  that  man's  song  be?  what  must  his  principle  be?  Is 
it  not  this  ?  "  God,  I  thank  thee,  lam  not  as  other  men  are,  extor- 
tioners, unjust,  adulterers,^''  Luke, xviii.  11.  "I  have  done  a  variety 
of  charitable  actions,  and  so  made  myself  charitable — I  have  per- 
formed a  number  of  humble  actions  and  so  made  myself  humble — 
and  therefore,  I  have  prepared  myself  to  profit  by  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross — I  have  prepared  myself  for  the  reception  of  this  "  highest 
knowledge" — this  neighbor  of  mine  has  not  done  so, — therefore, 
"  stand  by  thyself,  come  not  near  to  m,e,for  lam  holier  than  thouJ' 
Such  must  be  their  language  if  they  speak  as  they  think.  But  what 
saith  the  Lord?  "  These  are  asm,okein  my  nose,  afire  that  hurn- 
eth  all  the  dayP  Isaiah  Ixv.  5.  It  is  impossible  to  call  principles 
such  as  these  the  principles  of  the  Church  of  England !  Nay — 
they  subvert  the  very  foundation  of  truth — they  pervert  the  doc- 
trines, not  only  of  the  Bible,  but  of  our  holy  religion  ! — they  deny 
the  truths,  which  those  martyrs  whom  the  Lord  raised  up,  our 
blessed  reformers,  to  deliver  us  from  Apostacy  and  superstition,  em- 
bodied as  the  principles  of  God's  holy  truth  into  the  articles  of  our 
religion,  and  into  the  whole  framework  of  our  Church,  to  raise  a 
bulwark  in  this  land,  against  such  false  and  ignorant  corruptions 
of  the  blessed  Gospel,  as  this.  Hear  our  Article  on  this  sub- 
ject,— 

Article  X. — "  The  condition  of  man  after  Ihe  fall  of  Adam  is  such,  that  he  cannot 
turn  and  prepare  himself  by  his  own  natural  strength  and  good  works  to  faith,  and 
calling  upon  God." 

He  cannot  do  so,  that  is,  by  doing  charitable  or  humble  actions 
or  any  such  thing  as  this,  he  cannot  even  turn  himself  to  faith  and 
prayer,  much  less  give  himself  a  claim  upon  God. 


166  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

The  Article  proceeds  : — 

"  Wherefore  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God. 
without  the  grace  of  God,  by  Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  may  have  a  good  will,  and 
working  with  us,  when  we  have  that  good  will." 

Grace  must  go  before  any  actions  that  the  sinner  can  do,  before 
they  can  be  called  good  ;  therefore  good  actions  cannot  lead  him 
to  faith,  but,  as  we  shall  see,  if  we  are  spared  to  consider  the  next 
verse,  faith  in  Christ  leads  him  to  good  actions,  to  serve  his  God. 
Again,  in  Article  13 — 

"  Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit  are  not 
pleasant  to  God,  forasmuch  as  they  spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Neither  do 
they  make  men  meet  to  receive  grace,  or  (as  the  school  authors  say)  deserve  grace  of 
congruity." 

All  works  that  are  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  are  not  pleasant 
to  God,  because  their  principle  is  false  and  hollow,  and  when  that 
principle  is  on  the  system  of  making  men  meritorious,  and  making 
them  fit  to  come  to  Christ,  fit  recipients  of  His  mercy,  making  them 
deserve  grace  of  condignity,  or  congruity,  (as  the  Popish  authors 
say,)  when  this  is  the  principle  of  such  works — it  is  a  denial  of  the 
Gospel,  it  is  a  total  subversion  of  God's  holy  truth.  The  Article 
continues, — 

"  Yea,  rather  for  that  they  are  not  done,  as  God  hath  willed  and  commanded  them 
to  be  done, — we  doubt  not  but  they  have  the  nature  of  sin." 

And  indeed  they  need  not  doubt  it ;  for  there  is  not  a  shadow 
of  doubt  upon  the  subject.  They  have,  and  must  have  the  nature 
of  sin ;  they  do  not  fulfil  the  law,  and  the  motive  the}"  spring  from 
is  false,  it  cannot  be  love.  The  works  of  a  believer,  although  they 
do  not  fulfil  the  law,  and  all  have  in  them  much  to  be  forgiven — 
yet  they  are  graciously  accepted  by  God,  because  the  man  who 
does  them  is  accepted — the  person  is  accepted,  so  are  his  works — 
and  the  motive  is  accepted,  because  it  is  love.  The  sinner  whom 
Christ  has  washed  in  His  precious  blood  desires  to  serve  his  Lord, 
because  he  loves  Him — so  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the  name 
of  Christ  shall  by  no  means  lose  its  reward.  Love — the  attractive 
power  that  gravitates  to  the  centre  of  all  good — is  that  which  gives 
weight  to  acts  of  obedience.  It  can  cause  "  tivo  mites  vj/ilch  make 
a  fai'thing-"  to  weigh  more  than  "all  the  gifts  of  the  treasury ^^^ 
and  "  a  cup  of  cold  water''''  more  than  "  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil.'^ 

But  the  unconverted  sinner  is  dead  in  sin,  and  be  is  dead  in 
law  ;  his  person  is  condemned,  so  are  his  works  ;  and  all  he  does, 
or  can  do,  will  but  accumulate  sin  on  his  bead  before  God,  when 
God  shall  enter  into  judgment  with  him.  He  must  be  saved  by 
grace,  or  he  must  perish. 

Herein  then  comes  the  glory  of  the  blessed  Gospel, — '•  by  grace 

ARE  YE  SAVED  THROUGH  FAITH,  AND  THAT,  NOT  OP  YOURSELVES, 
IT   IS  THE  GIFT  OF  GOD,  NOT  OF  WORKS,  LEST  ANY  MAN  SHOULD 

BOAST."  It  proclaims  rich  salvation  to  the  very  chief  of  sinners, 
to  man  in  the  depths  of  his  guilt,  and  to  man  in  the  depths  of  his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  167 

proud  imaginary  virtues,  the  pride,  the  self-righteousness  of  the 
natural  rebellious  heart — for  the  one  is  as  deep  an  abyss  as  the  other, 
and  both  alike  are  alienated  from  God. 

If,  then,  I  say  again,  a  man  were  to  be  saved  by  his  works,  or 
if  he  were  to  prepare  himself  for  grace  by  the  merit  of  his  own 
actions,  his  humility,  charity,  or  anything  else,  I  say,  that  man 
must  boast  over  his  fellow  man,  who  had  not  so  prepared  himself 
as  he  has  done.  "  I  do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of  God,^^  says  the 
Apostle,  Galat.  ii. — 21,  "for  if  righteousness  co?tie  by  the  law,  then 
Christ  is  dead  in  vain."  If  righteousness  come  by  anything  a 
sinner  can  do  for  himself,  that  is,  by  his  obedience  to  the  law,  then 
''  Christ  is  dead  in  vain,"  so  in  Romans,  xi.  6,  ''  if  hy  grace  then 
is  it  no  more  of  works,  otherioise  grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if 
it  he  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace :  otherwise  work  is  no 
m^ore  workP  Surely,  a  man  could  not  possiby  be  delivered  from 
death,  both  by  the  verdict  of  a  jUiy,  pronouncing  him  innocent — ■ 
and  by  the  sovereign  sending  him  pardon  for  his  guilt.  If  the  jury 
pronounce  him  innocent,  he  does  not  want  a  pardon,  he  is  saved 
from  condemnation,  because  he  is  not  guilty.  If  the  sovereign 
send  him  pardon,  then  he  must  have  been  pronounced  guilty  by 
the  jury,  and  his  only  hope  depended  on  the  remission  of  his  sen- 
tence. So  it  is,  if  a  man  is  saved  by  his  own  righteousness,  he 
cannot  be  saved  by  Christ.  Christ  has  nothing  to  say  to  him,  he 
wants  not  Christ, — he  cannot  look  to  Christ, — ^Christ  never  came 
to  save  those  who  can  save  themselves, — there  is  no  salvation  pro- 
claimed to  righteous  men.  A  righteous  man  cannot  need  salva- 
tion,— again,  I  repeat  the  Scripture,  "  they  that  are  whole,  need 
not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick,"  "  I  came,"  saith  Christ, 
"  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentanceP  The  salva- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  salvation  for  sinners,  for  us  who 
know  and  feel  that  we  are  sinners.  Glorious  indeed  is  the  sound 
of  the  gospel  to  us,  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith, 

AND  that  not  of  YOURSELVES,  IT  IS  THE  GIFT  OF  GOD,  NOT  OF 
WORKS,   LEST  ANY  MAN  SHOULD  BOAST." 

Such  a  system  as  this — salvation  by  works,  by  merit,  by  pre- 
paring the  sinner  to  make  himself  worthy  to  receive  pardon  from 
God, — such  a  system  completely  frustrates  the  grace  of  God — 
subverts,  denies  the  Gospel,  and  makes  Christ  dead  in  vain.  It 
turns  away  the  hope  of  the  sinner's  soul  from  Christ  on  earth — -it 
would  reverse  the  song  of  the  redeemed  in  glory ;  for  that  song 
could  not  be  "  Unto  him  who  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,"  but,  "  Unto  me,  who  have  prepared  my- 
self, and  made  myself  fit  for  salvation  and  glory,  and  made  myself 
worthy  to  receive  the  mercy  of  God, — unto  me  be  praise  and 
glory"  ! 

Oh,  blasphemous  abandonment  of  God's  eternal  truth  !  blas- 
phemous subversion  of  the  salvation  of  Jesus,  and  of  all  the  hope 
that  God  proclaims  to  man  in  His  eternal  word  ! 

Blessed  be  God,  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved"  !  Blessed  be 
God,  the  same  grace  is  opened  for  us  to-day  that  was  opened  for 


168 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 


US  when  first  we  believed.  Blessed  be  God,  we  have  a  Saviour 
who  is  "  the  same  yesterday^  to-day^  and  forever ^  Heb.  xiii.  8. 
Blessed  be  God,  we  have  '■^  a  fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  un- 
deanness^''  7a^c\\.  xiii.  1,  and  though  mountains  of  sin  have  rolled 
into  it, — ^it  is  still  as  deep,  as  fathomless  as  ever, — for  it  is  written, 
"  Thoa  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,^'  Micah 
vii.  19.     Oh,  grace  is  the  song  that  we  must  sing. 

'•  Grace  all  the  work  shall  crown, 
Through  everlasting  days ; 
It  lays  in  heaven  the  topmost  stone, 
And  well  deserves  the  praise." 

Yes,  when  the  top  stone  is  laid  in  the  arch  of  the  Spiritual 
Temple,  "  grace,  grace  unto  it,"  Zech.  iv.  7,  shall  echo  through 
the  vault  of  heaven, — "  grace,  grace,  redeeming  grace,  salvation 
to  the  Lamb  for  all  eternity  !" 

"  O  that  with  yonder  sacred  throng, 
We  at  His  feet  may  fall, 
There  join  the  everlasting  song, 
And  crown  Him  Lord  of  all." 

Amen. 


FIFTEENTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II. — 10. 


"  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus,  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them." 

Nothing  can  be  more  opposed  to  true  religion  or  to  common 
sense,  than  to  suppose  that  any  dispensation  could  come  from  God 
to  man,  in  which  he  did  not  provide  for  the  authority  and  observ- 
ance of  his  holy  law.  The  relation  between  Creator  and  crea- 
ture. Governor  and  subject,  God  and  man,  precludes  the  possibility 
of  such  a  monstrous  anomaly  ;  for,  as  long  as  that  relation  sub- 
sists, it  must  be  regulated  according  to  some  rule,  it  cannot  be  un- 
defined. There  must  be  a  rule,  according  to  Avhich  the  governor 
is  to  govern,  and  the  subject  to  obey, — and  that  rule  can  only  be 
the  holy  law  of  God. 

Can  you  imagine  a  sovereign,  ruling  over  his  subjects  without 
any  law  7  Or,  can  you  imagine  a  sovereign  so  absurd  as  to  make 
any  proclamation  to  his  subjects,  which  would  give  them  license 
to  tread  his  laws  underfoot  ?  So  soon  might  you  suppose  the  Al- 
mighty Ruler  of  the  universe  making  any  revelation  of  His  will 
to  man,  in  which  there  could  be  any  dispensation  for  His  holy 
law  or  any  relaxation  of  its  divine  obligation. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  169 

The  objectors  to  the  Gospel  scheme  of  salvation,  by  which  it  is 
provided,  that  "67/  the  deeds  of  the  law^''  (i.  e.  by  man's  obedience 
to  the  law,)  "  no  flesh  can  be  justified,^''  cry  out  against  this  Gos- 
pel, because  they  say,  it  relaxes  obedience  to  the  law,  on  the 
part  of  man  ;  it  relaxes  the  obligation  of  the  law,  on  that  of  God. 
In  this  they  only  show  their  own  ignorance,  both  of  the  law  and 
of  the  Gospel :  for  it  is  because  the  law  cannot  be  relaxed,  it  is 
because  the  perfection  of  its  authority  must  be  maintained,  it  is 
because  "  It  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle 
of  the  law  tofail,^^ — this  is  the  very  reason  why  by  that  law,  no 
flesh  can  be  justified  before  God.  It  is  admitted,  that  if  man  keeps 
the  law,  he  shall  be  saved.  This  is  a  principle  laid  down  in 
Scripture  over  and  over  again,  as  in  St.  Matthew,  xix.  16,  17, 
where  the  young  man  came  to  our  Lord  and  asked  him  "  Good 
inaster,  what  good  thing  shall  I  do  that  I  may  have  eternal  life  7" 
and  our  Lord  answers  him,  "  if  thou  wilt  enter  into  life  keep  the 
coniniandmentsP  If  man  will  attain  eternal  life  by  the  good  that 
he  is  to  do,  that  good  must  be  to  ^^  keep  the  commandments^ 
And  again  in  Romans,  x.  5,  you  see  the  same  principle  stated, 
"  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the 
man  that  doeth  these  things  shall  live  by  them  f^  therefore,  it  is  a 
principle  laid  down  in  the  Scripture,  that  if  a  man  keeps  the  law, 
he  shall  be  saved.— But  if  we  suppose  that  a  man  were  only  to 
break  the  law  in  one  single  instance,  and  that  with  that  single 
exception  he  could  be  justified  by  his  previous  and  subsequent 
obedience  to  the  law,  then  the  law  must  be  relaxed  for  him  in  that 
instance  ; — his  violation  of  the  law  in  that  instance  must  be  passed 
over,  and  his  obedience,  before  or  after,  must  be  taken  as  a  satis- 
faction for  his  disobedience  in  that  one  point.  But  it  is  because, 
this  is  utterly  impossible,  it  is  because  the  law  of  God  cannot  be 
relaxed  in  a  single  particular,  that  therefore,  it  is  Avritten  in  St. 
James,  ii.  10,  "  lohosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  of  end 
in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  allP  So  to  prove  the  impossibility 
of  justification  by  obedience  to  the  law,  it  is  written  in  Gal.  iii.  10. 
Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  themP  And  so,  when  the 
Apostle  proves  in  Rom.  iii.  20,  that  "  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there 
shall  no  flesh,  be  justified  in  his  sight :  for  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin,''^ — and  when  he  concludes  from  his  argument 
in  verse,  28,  "  Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by 
faith,  withoiit  the  deeds  of  the  law^'' — so  far  from  relaxing  the 
obligations  of  the  law  of  God,  the  Apostle  demonstrates  that  it  is 
by  this  alone  the  law  can  be  maintained,— verse  31,  '•  Do  we  then 
m,ake  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid,  yea,  ive  establish 
the  laioP  So  in  this  chapter,  in  the  passage  we  had  under  our 
consideration,  in  our  last  Lecture,  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through 
faith,  and  that,  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God  not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast,^'' — while  the  law  is  there  ex- 
cluded from  the  justification  of  the  sinner,  provision  for  obedience 
to  the  law  is  immediately  set  forth,  as  we  have  it  in  our  text, 


170  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"for  WE  ARE  HIS  WORKMANSHIP,  CREATED  IN  CHRIST  JESUS, 
UNTO  GOOD  WORKS,  WHICH   GOD  HATH  BEFORE  ORDAINED  THAT 

WE  SHOULD  WALK  IN  THEM."  In  the  veiy  place  where  he  tells 
you,  that  the  law  can  have  no  place  whatever  in  the  salvation  of 
the  believer,  he  tells  you  in  the  very  next  verse,  which  we  have 
now  under  consideration,  that  it  must  have  a  place  in  his  conduct 
and  character.  So  that,  though  it  is  clear  from  the  Scripture,  that 
no  man  keeps  the  law  of  God  absolutely,  so  that  he  can  never 
call  himself  a  fulfiller  of  the  law, — on  the  contrary,  it  is  written, 
"  in  many  things  we  offend  all."  James  iii.  2 — on  the  contrary,  it 
is  written,  that  at  any  time  or  under  any  circumstances,  '■Hf  we 
say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
usP  1  John  i.  8, — yet  it  is  as  clearly  set  forth  in  Scripture,  that 
the  believer  must  be  a  keeper  of  the  law  relatively ;  that  is,  in  a 
manner  totally  different  from  his  own  former  life,  and  totally  dif- 
ferent from  the  customs  and  practices  of  an  unregenerate  and 
ungodly  world;  "for,  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  god  hath  before 
ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  So  you  see  this 
is  set  fortli  of  the  believer  in  1  Pet.  iv.  2,  3,  "  that  he  no  longer 
should  live  the  rest  of  his  tifjie  in  the  flesh,  to  the  lusts  of  men, 
but  to  the  will  of  God,  for  the  time  past  of  o2ir  life  may  suffice 
us  to  Jtave  wrought  the  ivill  of  the  Gentiles,  ivhen  ice  tvalked  in 
lasciviousness,  lusts,  excess  of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,  and 
abominable  idolatries."  Such  had  been  their  walk,  but  now  it  is 
changed — and  all  their  former  companions  see  it  to  be  so — ver.  4, 
"  wherein  they  think  it  strange,  that  you  run  not  ivifh  them  to  the 
same  excess  of  riot,  speaking  evil  of  you."  You  did  run  with 
them,  but  now  they  think  it  strange  that  you  do  not  do  so, — and 
that  is  the  very  case  this  moment  with  the  sinner  who  is  brought 
through  grace  to  know  Christ.  He  was  a  merry  pleasant  fellow, 
as  his  companions  thought  him, — but  now,  what  a  great  change 
has  come  over  him  ! — he  will  not  go  with  them  as  he  used  to  do, 
he  no  longer  joins  with  them  in  their  former  pursuits,  he  has  be- 
come a  new  man.  They  tell  him  most  truly,  but  alas  !  for  them, 
in  mockery,  "  He  has  become  a  saint."  He  has  become  a  changed 
character.  It  must  be  so,  it  could  not  be  otherwise.  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  neiv  creature.  Old  things  are  passed 
away  ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new."  2  Cor.  v.  17.  So  you 
see  the  same  thing  in  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10,  11,  "  Know  ye  not,  that  the 
unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  Be  not  de- 
ceived, neither  fornicators  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effem- 
inate, nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor 
covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  iti- 
herit  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  such  icere  some  of  you" — (that 
is,  what  they  were,  their  former  cliaracter) — "  but  ye  are  washed, 
hut  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  narne  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God."  "  Such  were  some  of 
you,"  but  now  you  are  no  longer  such — -you  are  totally  changed. 
So  you  have  it  in  this  very  chapter,  verse  2,  "  ivherein  in  time 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  171 

past  ye  walked,  according  to  the  cojirse  of  this  world,  according 
to  the  jjrince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh 
ill  the  children  of  disobedience  /' — and  then  Paul  includes  him- 
self,— "  among  whom  also  we  cdl  had  our  conversation  in  times 
j)ast,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  fleslt 
and  of  tJie  mind,  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  vjrath,  even 
as  otliers^^ — '■  But'^ — a  mighty  change  hath  passed  on  us — "  God 
ivho  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us, 
even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  tos'ether  with 
Christ,  {by  grace  are  ye  saved,)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together, 
and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,  that 
in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace,  in  his  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus ;  for  by 
grace  are  ye  saved  tJirough  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it 
is  the  gift  of  God  ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boasts* 
But  are  we  now  livuig  as  we  once  were,  among  an  vuigodly  world  ? 
are  we  walking  with  them  as  they  walked  ?  No,  God's  mercy 
hath  been  revealed  to  us.  God  hath  stretched  out  His  hand  over 
us,  He  hath  quickened  us, — and  now,  "we  are  his  workman- 
ship, CREATED  lis  ChRIST  JeSUS  UNTO  GOOD  WORKS,  WHICH 
God  HATH  BEFORE  ORDAINED  THAT  WE  SHOULD  WALK  IN 
THEM." 

Now  we  have  in  this  text — - 

I.  The  power  that  acts  on  the  sinner  to  bring  the  sinner  into 
obedience  to  his  God — "We  are  his  workmanship." 

II.  The  mode  in  tehich  that  power  acts  upon  him,  so  as  to 
produce  this  effect,  "  created   in  Christ  Jesus    unto    good 

WORKS." 

III.  The  certain  security  for  the  operation  of  this  poiver  and 
for  the  effect  it  will  produce, '' wnicn  God  hath  before  or- 
dained THAT  WE  (his  people)  should  walk  in  them."  It  is 
His  appointment — it  is  His  will — it  shall  be  done. 

We  consider  then — 

I.  The  power  that  acts  on  the  sinner  to  bring  him 
INTO  OBEDIENCE  TO  HIS  GoD.  What  is  the  power?  The  power 
of  God  alone, — no  other  power.  Oh  that  men  knew  this  !  then 
instead  of  looking  to  men  and  means,  they  would  look  to  God  ! 
instead  of  resting  on  preachers,  and  running  about,  as  many  do, 
from  one  preacher  to  another,  to  try  and  derive  profit  from  them, 

*  Some  readers  may  think  it  very  unnecessary  to  quote  at  length  these  passages  of 
the  chapter  which  have  been  lately  so  frequently  cited,  and  so  much  dwelt  on,  and 
that  a  mere  reference  to  the  verses  would  be  quite  sufficient.  The  Editor  does  not 
think  so — he  has  often  felt  in  reading  religious  books  that  mere  references  to  the  pas- 
sages in  the  Word  of  God  on  great  principles  of  doctrinal  or  practical  truth,  lose  their 
power  and  effect  when  not  fully  inserted — for  few  will  open  their  Bibles  to  refer  to 
them,  they  take  them  for  granted,  and  pursue  the  thread  of  the  subject — but  the  Editor 
is  persuaded,  that  the  greatest  blessing  to  be  hoped  for  in  any  work,  is  to  he  found 
most  especially  in  this,  how  far  the  Author  in  his  work,  may  be  able  throucrh  grace  to 
set  forth,  in  truth  and  faithfulness,  the  mind  of  God  by  His  own  blessed  word.  Here 
the  whole  course  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning,  which  had  been  considered  in  its  doc- 
trinal meaning,  is  now  brought  forward  in  its  practical  bearing  on  the  subject  of  this 
Lecture,  so  that  the  truth  is  applied  which  was  before  explained. 


172  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

— and  turning  from  one  religious  book  to  another,  and  often  from 
one  error  to  another, — Oh  !  that  they  would  remember  that  the 
only  real  profit  a  sinner  can  find  for  his  soul,  is  not  to  be  derived 
from  his  fellow-man,  but  from  God  ! — that  "  tnen  are  bo?'n,  ?iot  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  tior  of  the  will  of  man,  hut  of 
God:'  John  i.  13. 

There  is  no  truth  more  clearly  set  forth  in  Scripture,  than  that 
it  is  impossible  for  man  to  reform  himself — "  Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?  then  7nay  ye  also  do 
good  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil^^  Jer.  xiii.  23.     And  now, 
consider,  how  opposite  this  is  to  your  own  natural  sentiments,  be- 
cause there  is  not  a  single  person  in  this  congregation  who  is 
not  brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  admits  this  principle. 
You  do  not  believe  it, — you  think  you  can  amend  your  life,  you 
think  you  can  reform  your  character.     You  might  as  well  im- 
agine that  an  Ethiopian  could  wash  himself  white,  or  a  leopard 
change  his  skin  !     God  who  knoweth  all  things  tells  you,  that 
"  then''' — when  they  do  so — "  then  may  you  do  good  who  are  ac- 
cnstomed  to  do  evil."     This  is  repeatedly  shown  in  those  portions 
of  this  Epistle  which  we  have  been  considering.     We  should  con- 
sider them  over  again,  to  prove  the  principle  from  them.     Man  is 
represented   as   dead,   and   God   as    the   quickener.      The    same 
power  must  be  put  forth  to  quicken  the  dead  soul,  that  Jesus 
Christ  put  forth  to  quicken  the  dead  body,  when  he  said,  "  Lazarus 
come  forth."  John  xi.  43.     If  man  cannot  quicken  his  own  soul, 
how  can  he  reform  his  own  life  ?     If  man  cannot  set  the  cause  in 
operation,  how  shall  he  be  able  to  produce  the  effect  ?     If  you 
cannot  make  the  tree  good,  how  will  you  make  the  fruit  good  ? 
and,  if  you  cannot  generate  in  yourselves  good  principles,  how 
can  you  possibly  produce  in  yourselves,  the  conduct  that  flows 
from  good  principles?     It  is  impossible.     "We  are  his  work- 
manship."    God's  power  alone  can  produce  holiness  of  life.    -So 
we  have  this  repeatedly  set  forth  in  God's  holy  word,  as  for  in- 
stance in   Jeremiah   xxxi.  33,  where   the   Lord   speaks  of  men 
becoming  new  creatures, — what  does  he  say,  "  I  will  put  iny  law 
in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and  tvill  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people."     ^^  I  will  do  it,"  saith 
the  Lord.     There  is  the  royal  fiat  of  the  King  of  kings,  ^^  I  will 
put  my  lato  in  their  hearts,  I  will  be  their  God,  they  shall  he  my 
people."     And  again,  xxxii.  39,  40,  ^^  I  will  give  them  one  heart 
and  one  way,  that  they  may  fear  m,e  forever,  for  the  good  of 
them  and  of  their  children  after  them.     And  I  will  make  an 
everlasting  covenatit  ivith  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from 
them  to  do  them  good,  but  I  will  put  m^y  fear  in  their  hearts,  that 
they  shall  not  depart  from  me."     "  1  do  it," — they  do  not  do  it 
for  themselves, — it  is  God's  work,  "we  are  his  workmanship." 
So  you  have  in  2d  Cor.  v.  5,  "  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  this 
selfsame  thing  is  God,  who  also  hath  given  unto  us  the  earnest 
of  the  Spirit."     And  so  in  Philippians  i.  6,  "  being  confident  of 
this  very  thing,  that  he  who  hath  begun  a  good  ivork  in  you,  ivill 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIAI4S.  173 

jierform  it  unto  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.''^  He  does  not  say,  I 
am  confident,  that  as  you  have  begun  to  reform  your  hves,  you 
will  continue  to  do  so.  No,  but  "  being  confident  of  this  very 
thing,  that  he  who  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will  jierform 
it  unto  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.''''  Oh,  what  a  blessing, — what  a 
blessing  it  is,  that  it  is  God's  work. 

All  of  you  who  are  ignorant  of  this,  in  the  pride  of  your  heart 
are  angry  at  it,  you  think  that  it  is  an  unreasonable  thing  to  sup- 
pose, that  you  are  not  to  have  some  strength  in  your  own  power 
— some  share  in  quickening  your  own  soul, — in  your  own  deliver- 
ance— you,  I  say,  are  displeased.  But  you  who  know  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  and  you  who  know  the  corruption  of  your  own  hearts, 
— you  thank  God,  that  it  is  God's  work — you  bless  God,  that  it  is 
His  power  you  have  to  look  to,  and  not  your  own — your  hearts 
rejoice  when  you  pray  to  Him  and  say  :  '■'■forsake  not  tliou  the  toork 
of  thine  own  hands .'"  Ps.  cxxxviii.  8.  Yes,  those  who  know  their 
own  helplessness,  know,  that  if  they  had  not  the  Almighty  hand 
of  God  to  take  them  and  keep  them,  and  bring  them  to  Zion,  they 
must  perish  forever. 

Now  we  consider — H.  The  mode  in  which  the  power  op 
GOD  acts  upon  the  SINNER.  It  is  God's  power  that  brings  the 
sinner  to  obedience.  "  We  are  his  workmanship" — this  is 
His  power.  Then  "  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works," — this  is  the  mode  in  which  His  power  acts  on  the  sinner, 
he  is"  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works," and  thus 
brought  in  Christ  to  serve  his  God. 

Now  this  is  again  opposed  to  the  natural  sentiment  of  the  un- 
regenerate  Christian  ;  I  use  the  term  unregenerate  Christian ;  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  that  a  vast  mass  of  those  who  are  called  Chris- 
tians, are  so, — so  false  is  the  principle,  that  men  are  spiritually 
regenerated  by  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  (who  live  and  die,  alas  ! 
what  countless  thousands  of  them)  ignorant,  impenitent,  unbe- 
lieving, and  consequently  unregenerate  and  unredeemed  to 
eternity  ! 

Now,  I  say,  this  is  totally  opposed  to  their  opinion,  for  what  do 
they  think?  They  directly  reverse  the  truth.  They  think  that 
they  are  created  in  good  works  unto  Christ  Jesus. — not  that  they 
are  ^'■created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  ivorks"  Pray  con- 
sider this. 

They  think  that  they  are  created  in  good  works  unto  Christ 
Jesus. 

Ask  them  how  are  they  to  be  saved  ?  They  will  say,  "  we  must 
endeavor  to  make  ourselves  fit  to  come  to  Christ." 

Do  you  depend  on  Christ  ? — Have  you  a  solid  hope  that  your 
soul  is  saved  in  Christ  ?  "  No.  I  trust  I  shall  have,  but  I  have 
not  now." 

Why  1     "  I  am  not  yet  worthy  of  Christ." 

I  beg  of  you  to  consider  whether  or  not  this  is  the  religion  of 
many  of  you  ? 

"  I  am  not  fit.     I  am  not  worthy.     I  must  be  a  different  crea- 


174  L*;CTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ture  before  I  can  have  that  hope.  I  must  make  myself  fitter  to 
come  to  Christ.     I  must  prepare  myself  to  come  to  Christ." 

What  will  you  do  ?  "  Well,  I  will  endeavor  to  read  more — to 
pray  more,— I  will  attend  the  ordinances  of  grace  better,  and  I 
trust  that,  after  I  have  persevered  in  this  for  some  time,  then  I 
•  may  have  some  hope." 

Now  all  these  things  are  very  right  to  do.  It  is  right  to  read,  it  is 
right  to  pray, — it  is  very  right  to  attend  the  ordinances  of  grace, — all 
these  are  very  important — but  when  you  do  this  as  a  means  of  mak- 
ing yourselves  fit  to  come  to  Christ, — do  you  not  see  what  your  re- 
ligion is  ?  It  is  this  : — "  we  are  created  in  good  ivorks  unto  Chi'ist 
Jesus"  or  loe hope  to  be.  Now  you  perceive  this  is  the  very  reverse 
of  the  truth ;  for  the  Scripture  is.  We  are  "  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works."  When  we  are  enlightened  by  divine 
grace  to  believe  the  Gospel,  and  thus  united  by  faith  to  Christ — 
grafted  into  the  Living  Vine — then  "We  are  his  workmanship 
created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  So  the  Apostle 
tells  us  in  2nd  Cor.  v.  17,  "  if  any  man  he  in  Chi'ist  he  is  a  neiv 
creature^'' — a  new  creation ;  he  must  be  in  Christ,  to  become  a 
new  creature.  Would  you  expect  fruit  from  a  branch,  before  it 
was  grafted  into  a  tree,  or  after  ? — this  is  a  simple  question.  Con- 
sider it  simply.  What  would  you  think  of  a  gardener  who  should 
take  a  branch  which  was  to  be  grafted  into  a  tree,  and  expect  to 
find  fruit  on  the  branch  before  it  was  grafted  into  the  tree? 
Would  you  think  him  a  wise  man  or  a  fool?  Certainly  a  fool. 
Such  are  you,  when  you  think  you  can  bring  forth  fruit  before 
you  are  grafted  into  Christ.  What  saith  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself  ? 
St.  John  XV.  3.  "??ow  are  ye  clean  through  the  word  which  I  have 
spoken  unto  you.''''  Mark  that,^ — they  do  not  make  themselves 
clean,  they  are  clean  through  His  Word,  through  His  Gospel. 
Verse  4.  "  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye,  except 
ye  abide  in  me."  You  must  be  grafted  into  Him,  and  abide  in 
Him,  ere  you  can  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  So,  though  your 
works  can  never  produce  justification,  justification  must  produce 
works.  Bearing  fruit  will  never  graft  you  into  the  vine,  but  being 
grafted  into  the  vine,  then  afterwards  you  are  to  bear  fruit ;  so  we 
have  in  the  text,  "we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  The  sinner  that  is  brought 
to  Christ,  washed  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  clothed  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  must  necessarily  produce  fruit  unto  God.  Thus 
you  see  m  Romans  vi.  17,  18,  how  clearly  this  is  set  forth,  "  God 
be  thanked,  that  ye  ivere  the  servants  of  sin,  but  ye  have  obeyed 
from  the  heart  that  form,  of  doctrine  that  was  delivered  tmto 
you ;  being  then  made  free  from  sin,  (through  tlie  Gospel  of 
Christ)  ye  became  the  servants  of  righteousnessJ^  Then  in  verse 
21,  "  What  fruit  had  you  then  in  those  things  whereof  ye  are 
now  ashamed ;  for  the  end  of  those  things  is  death ;  but  now 
being  made  free  from  sin,  (that  is,  being  delivered  from  its  curse, 
being  delivered  from  its  condemnation,)  and  become  servants  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  175 

(xod,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting 
lifeP  So  ill  the  Epistle  to  Titus  ii.  11,  12,  13,  14,  "  The  grace 
of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teach- 
ing us,  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  ive  should 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world,  looking 
for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great 
God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  ns,  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself 
a  pecidiar  people  zealous  of  good  worksP  The  Gospel  brings 
salvation  first,  and  then  teaches  men  to  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly.  They  are  redeemed  from  all  iniquity,  and  so  they 
are  purified  unto  Christ,  and  thereby  made  zealous  of  good  works. 
So  in  1st  Peter  i.  15,  16.  "  as  he  which  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so 
be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation :  because  it  is  ivritten, 
be  ye  holy ;  for  I  am  holy ;" — therefore,  I  say,  as  it  is  utterly  im- 
possible that  God  could,  by  any  dispensation,  relax  the  obligation 
of  His  law,  so  it  is  only  by  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  that  provision  for 
the  observance  of  that  law  is  made  by  God  for  sinners, — they 
must  be  "created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works." 

The  law  of  God,  proclaimed  to  the  sinner,  in  its  spirituality  and 
its  justice,  shows  his  guilt,  his  condemnation,  his  state  of  death 
and  ruin.  So  it  was  with  the  Apostle  Paul  "  ivhen  the  command- 
7nent  came,  sin  revived  and  I  diedP  Rom.  vii.  9,  10.  Then,  the 
Gospel,  proclaiming  Christ  as  our  glorious  surety,  fulfilling  the  law 
for  sinners — bearing  its  curse — proclaiming  thereby,  deliverance 
from  the  wrath  to  come — staying  the  sentence  of  eternal  judg- 
ment,— satisfying  the  demands  of  eternal  justice  through  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb — speaking  peace  and  pardon  to  the  sinner's  con- 
science, leads  his  heart  by  the  Spirit  to  know  the  love  of  his  Re- 
deemer, and  draws  his  heart  to  respond  to  that  love.  Wliat  is 
that  response  ?  That  response  is  love.  And  what  is  that  love  } 
"  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.''"'  Love  is  a  spontaneous 
movement  of  the  heart,  it  can  neither  be  enforced  nor  restrained 
by  obligation.  The  practical  glory  of  the  Gospel  is  that  it  leads 
the  sinner  into  the  Law,  because  it  draws  him  into  love.  The  im- 
pulses of  gratitude  and  afllection  become  identified  with  the  obli- 
gations of  obedience.  "  /  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the 
inward  manP  Rom.  vii.  22.  An  obligation  embraced  by  the  heart, 
and  the  affections,  turns  duty  into  happiness,  and,  therefore, 
our  glorious  Deliverer  and  Benefactor  saith,  "  my  yoke  is  easy, 
and  7ny  burden  is  lights  Mat.  xi.  30.  Holiness  is  the  burden 
of  the  unconverted  sinner,— sin  is  the  burden  and  the  cross  of  the 
redeemed  saint. 

HL  What  now  is  the  security  for  this  ?  How  is  it 
THAT  IT  MUST  BE  SO?  God  hath  ordained — ^God  hath  appointed 
it.  God  hath  ordained  that  His  people  should  walk  in  good  works. 
We  are  "created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in 
them."  You  have  this  set  forth  in  this  Epistle,  i.  3,  4,  "  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed 


176  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

lis  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ, 
according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  love^  So  you  have  in  1st  Peter  i.  2,  "  Elect,  acco7'ding  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Chrisf — ''  elect  unto  obedience''' — "  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  ivalk 
in  themP  Therefore,  you  perceive,  why  throughout  the  Scrip- 
tures, the  works  of  man  are  made  the  test  of  his  salvation.  He 
is  not  to  be  justified  by  them,  but  he  is  to  be  judged  by  them  ; — 
and  this  is  a  difficulty  that  often  occurs  to  the  mind, — how  is  man 
to  be  judged  by  his  works  if  he  is  not  to  be  justified  by  them  ? 
because  they  are  taken  as  the  test  of  his  faith,  they  are  taken  as 
the  proof  of  his  sincerity.  A  cup  of  cold  water  could  not  purchase 
salvation  for  the  sinner, — but  "  a  cup  of  cold  watef  given  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  "  shall  in  no  wise  lose  its  reicard,^^  Mat.  x.  42, 
because  it  is  the  test  that  the  believer  loves  his  Master. 

An  act  from  the  principle  of  love  to  Christ  never  was  done,  and 
never  can  be  done,  by  the  imcon verted  sinner.  Of  all  the  motives 
to  moral  action,  which  can  influence  the  heart  of  man  (and  there 
are  innumerable  motives,)  the  love  of  Jesus  can  have  no  place 
among  them  ;  for  man  by  natiue  does  not  know  what  to  love  Him 
for, — he  fears  and  hates  Him  as  his  Judge.  The  brightness  of 
Christ's  example,  so  far  from  alluring,  repels  the  heart  of  man. 
So  it  was  in  His  own  day.  You  see  how  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees hated  Him,  because  He  was  holy.  So  He  is  just  as  hateful 
this  moment  to  the  natural  heart  of  man. — But  when  the  sinner 
is  enlightened  to  see  that  Jesus  is  the  Refuge  for  his  soul, — that 
Jesus  is  the  Friend  of  sinners, — that  he  can  come  to  Christ  as  a 
Saviom", — that  he  can  pour  out  his  heart  at  His  feet, — that  He 
can  depend  upon  His  blood  to  wash  away  all  his  sin, — that  he  can 
come  as  a  vile  sinner,  as  we  had  in  the  language  of  the  Psalm 
to-day,  "/o/'  thy  7iame's  sake,  O  Lord,  pardon  mine  iniquity,  for 
it  is  greaV — Psal.  xxv.  11,  instead  of  thinking,  as  the  sinner  in 
his  natural  state  thinks,  that  he  can,  at  least  in  some  degree, 
make  himself  clean,  and  come  with  the  prayer,  '■^pardon  Tnine 
iniquity,  for  it  is  little," — when  he  knows,  he  can  say,  ''■pardon 
m,ine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great '^ — when  he  knows,  he  can  thus 
come  to  Christ,  with  his  sins,  and  cast  them  into  the  fathomless 
ocean  of  eternal  love,  '■'■  the  fountain  that  is  opened''^  in  the  blood 
of  Jesus  for  the  guilt  of  sinners, — when  he  knows  this — then  he 
loves  his  Lord  and  Master ;  and  then,  the  least  work  of  love 
becomes  the  test  of  his  faith,  and  is  certain  of  acceptance  and  of 
reward, — not  for  its  own  value,  for  it  is  nothing  ;  but  because  it  is 
a  proof  that  this  man  is  a  disciple  of  Jesus — that  he  had  fled  to 
Jesus  as  the  salvation  of  his  soul— ^^  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on 
the  hope  set  before  him^''  Heb.  vi.  18. 

The  act  that  brought  sin  and  death  into  the  world  was.  not  in 
itself,  an  act  of  good  or  evil.     There  was  no  moral  good  or  evil  in 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  177 

the  act  of  eating  the  fruit  of  a  certain  tree  more  than  of  any  other 
tree ; — but  whon  that  act  was  made  a  test  of  the  law,  that  is,  of 
love  to  Him  who  commanded  it,  then  the  very  hghtness  of  the 
test  itself  aggravated  its  guilt  ten  thousand  fold,  and  it  became 
sin,  pregnant  with  death  and  ruin  to  the  world.  So,  the  act  that 
is  a  test  of  love  to  God, — that  act,  however  httle,  is  graciously 
received  and  rewarded. 

Allow  me  to  entreat  you  to  consider  again  the  articles  of  our 
church  on  this  subject,  that  you  may  compare  and  see  how  sound 
and  scriptural  they  are.     Our  text  says,  "we  are  his  work- 

'mANSHIP,  CREATED  IN  ChRIST  JeSUS  UNTO  GOOD  WORKS." 

ARTICLE    X. 

"The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such,  that  he  cannot  turn  and  pre- 
pare himself,  by  his  own  natural  strength  and  good  works  to  faith  and  calling  upon 
God." 

Now,  is  not  this  an  epitome  of  the  instruction  I  have  been 
endeavoring  to  give  you  ? 

"  Wherefore,  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God, 
without  the  grace  of  God,  by  Christ,  preventing  us,"  (that  is,  going  before  us,)  "  that 
we  may  have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have  that  good  will." 

So  again  in  Article  xiii.,  the  same  principle  is  laid  down. 

"  Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ  and  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit,  are  not 
pleasant  to  God,  forasmuch  as  they  spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 

They  want  the  motive,  they  want  the  test,  they  want  the  true 
principle  of  moral  action. 

"  Neither  do  they  make  men  meet  to  receive  grace,  or,  (as  the  School  authors  say,) 
deserve  grace  of  congruity ;  yea,  rather  that  they  are  not  done  as  God  hath  willed 
and  commanded  them  to  be  done,  we  doubt  not  but  they  have  the  nature  of  sin." 

Now,    "we    are     his    workmanship     CREATED    IN    ChRIST 

Jesus  unto  good  works."     Consider  Article  xii. 

"  Albeit,  that  good  works  which  are  the  fruit  of  faith,  and  follow  after  justification, 
cannot  put  away  our  sins,  and  endure  the  severity  of  God's  judgment." 

We  cannot  be  justified  by  them,  nor  challenge  God  to  enter  into 
judgment  with  us  for  them. 

"  Yet.  are  they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  and  do  spring  out  neces- 
sarily of  a  true  and  lively  faith;  insomuch,  that  by  them  a  lively  faith  may  be  as  evi- 
dently known,  as  a  tree  discerned  by  the  fruit." 

They  necessarily  flow  from  it.  It  must  be,  that  a  man  if  he  is 
a  believer  in  Jesus,  must  show  that  he  is  so.  It  is  impossible  that 
the  heart  can  love  any  human  being,  if  it  have  an  opportunity 
of  showing  that  love,  and  that  it  will  not  show  it.  We  cannot 
conceal  our  affection,  if  we  love  any  one.  Much  less,  if  the  heart 
is  filled  with  love  to  Jesus,  when  we  love  our  blessed  Redeemer,  we 
cannot  but  endeavor  to  prove  it  by  our  life.  Therefore,  all  who 
are  grafted  into   the   Living  Vine,  are  "created  in   Christ 

12 


178  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Jesus  unto  good  works,"  "  insomuch,  as  by  them  a  hvely  faith 
may  be  as  evidently  known  as  a  tree  discerned  by  the  fruit." 

You  see,  how  sound  the  articles  of  our  church  are  on  this  sub- 
ject,— and  therefore,  it  is  no  wonder,  that  those  who  endeavor  to 
subvert  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  our  communion,  should  endeavor 
to  explain  away  the  articles  with  sophistry  and  falsehood.  They 
are  a  solid  bulwark  for  the  faith  of  the  church,  because  they  stand 
the  test  of  comparison  with  the  word  of  God,  and  because,  when 
you  search  the  Scriptures,  and  bring  them  "  to  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony,^''  Isa.  viii.  10 — there  you  find,  that  they  are  sound  in 
the  faith. 

I  would  now  address  unbelievers  in  this  congregation.  My  dear 
friends,  what  is  all  your  morality,  if  you  are  not  in  Christ  Jesus  ? 
Whatever  be  your  character  before  men,  you  are,  alas!  guilty, 
condemned  sinners  before  God, — and  it  is  in  vain  you  struggle  to 
deliver  yourselves  from  your  sin.  You  cannot  do  it, — all  these 
efforts  that  you  make,  and  that  you  think  you  are  making,  for 
which,  as  you  expect  God  will  give  you  credit,  and  which  you  shall 
have  put  down  to  your  account,  are  all  vain,  they  can  profit  you 
nothing,  they  evince  nothing  but  this,  that  you  are  ignorant  of 
yourselves  and  ignorant  of  God. 

What  are  you  to  do  ?  Hear  the  glorious  proclamation  of  divine 
gi'ace  and  mercy  to  you  in  Christ  Jesus, — The  Gospel  addresses  us 
all,  each  and  every  sinner  only  in  one  character — as  sinners.  It 
makes  no  allowance  for  our  morality.  Whatever  we  may  have, 
comparatively  before  men,  we  have  none  before  God, — "  there  is 
none  righteons,  no,  not  oneP  Psalm  xiv.  3— Rom.  iii.  10.  God's 
judgment  is  proclaimed  against  us — God's  judgment  is  written  in 
this  book  against  us.  Read  your  Bible.  There  you  read  the 
sentence  of  God  against  your  souls,  when  you  think  of  your  sins, 
and  your  deserts  in  His  sight.  Now  we  do  not  mean  to  drive  you 
to  despair,  by  such  testimony  as  this,  but  on  the  contrary  to  bring 
you  out  of  despair, — a  state  of  real  despair,  though  yet  not  felt ; — 
to  bring  you  out  of  that,  to  the  hope  of  the  Gospel.  For  Oh,  my 
friends,  when  you  read  that  Bible,  you  see  also  the  good  news, 
that  the  sentence  has  been  executed  on  Him  who  came  into  the 
world  to  bear  it  for  sinners.  How  mad  a  man  would  be,  who  was 
indictable  for  a  capital  crime,  if  there  were  conclusive  proofs  against 
him — if  it  were  wholly  impossible  he  could  escape  when  brought 
to  trial — whose  sovereign  should  issue  a  command  that  he  might 
go  free,  and  not  be  indicted  or  prosecuted  to  conviction, — how  mad 
lie  would  be  to  say,  "  I  will  insist  on  a  trial,— I  demand  a  prosecu- 
tion." That  is  the  mode  in  which  you  act.  Depending  on  your 
own  claims — your  own  morality — your  virtue — your  own  miserable 
efforts  to  save  your  soul, — you  are  going  on  to  judgment,  challeng- 
ing God  to  condemn  you,  and  refusing  the  glorious  deliverance 
that  is  proclaimed  to  you  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  David  says, 
"  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,  O  Lord,  for  in  thy 
sight  shall  no  9nan  living  be  justified.''^  Ps.  cxliii.  2.  Now  we 
proclaim  to  you  mercy,  that  God  has  entered  into  judgment  with 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  179 

Christ  for  you.  Some  will  say,  '•  you  speak  of  this  very  often,  you 
preach  this  doctrine  continually,"— most  certainly  I  do  so ;  God 
forbid,  I  should  ever  leave  the  pulpit  without  preaching  it — for  as 
there  is  no  other  hope  of  salvation,  so  there  is  no  other  sound  prin- 
ciple of  Christian  conduct.  Do  you  not  come  here  as  sinners  ? — 
Do  I  not  address  some  Avho  are  under  the  wrath  of  God  ?  some 
who  have  not  fled  to  Christ  for  salvation  ?  some  who  come  here 
vainly  endeavoring  to  save  their  own  souls,  rejecting  the  hope  of 
the  Gospel  ?  and  must  I  not  set  that  Gospel  before  them  again  and 
agam  ?  How  many,  alas  !  shall  never  hear  its  blessed  sound  once 
more.  Besides,  I  want  to  keep  it  ever  upon  my  own  heart ;  every 
day  of  my  life,  I  want  to  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  my  own 
soul.  May  the  Lord  bring  it  home  to  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Are  you  looking  to  Christ  for  salvation  ?  Remember  if  you  are 
not  in  Christ,  you  cannot  bring  forth  good  works.  You  who  are 
indeed  looking  unto  Christ  as  your  hope  and  refuge,  remember  this, 

"we  ARE  HIS  WORKMANSHIP,  CREATED  IN  CHRIST  JESUS  UN- 
TO   GOOD    WORKS,     WHICH     GOD     HATH    BEFORE     ORDAINED    WE 

SHOULD  WALK  IN  THEM."  Remember,  that  the  same  testimony 
of  God's  word  that  gave  you  hope  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  gives 
you  also  directions  for  the  walk  of  those  who  embrace  that  faith. 
The  same  word,  the  same  Gospel  which  tells  you,  that,  "  there  is 
no  conde?nnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesiis,^^  tells  you  too 
that  they  "  walk  not  after  the  fleshy  hut  after  the  Spirit.^'  Rom. 
viii.  1, — tells  you  that  they  who  are  in  Christ  are  "  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before 
ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them." 

Remember  my  friends,  my  beloved  brethren,  that  if  you  are 
walking  carelessly  with  God,  you  cannot  be  walking  safely  or 
peacefully  with  God.  If  you  are  not  watching  against  your  own 
sins,  you  are  not  enjoying  confidence  in  your  Lord.  Do  you  re- 
member what  the  Apostle  says  ?  "  /  therefore  so  run.  not  as  un- 
certainly ;  so  fight  /,  not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air."  1st  Cor. 
ix.  26.  There  is  great  uncertainty  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  the 
believer,  where  there  is  unsteadiness  in  the  walk  of  the  believer. 
Our  own  experience  tells  us  so,  I  know  it  from  my  experience, 
and  you  know  it  from  yours, — and  therefore,  though  there  is  no 
reward  for  the  works  of  the  law,  considered  in  themselves, — there 
is  an  amazing  reward  in  the  works  of  the  believer,  '•  in  keeping 
of  them.,  there  is  great  reivard."  Psalm,  xix.  11.  Even  the  un- 
godly world  will  tell  you,  that  "•virtue  is  its  own  revrard," — ^and  if 
that  is  a  maxim,  even  of  those  who  know  not  Christ,  how  much 
more  do  those  who  know  Christ,  feel  that  in  walking  carefully 
with  their  Lord  and  Master,  they  are  walking  happily  and  confi- 
dently ?  This  is  what  the  Apostle  means,  when  he  says,  "  If  our 
heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our  hearts,  and  knoioeth 
all  things,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence 
toiDard  God."  1  John  iii.  20,  21.  It  is  not  if  our  heart  condemn 
us  not  of  sin,  for  our  heart  must  always  condemn  us  of  sin, — but 
if,  instead  of  coming  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  our  sins,  and 


180  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

pouring  them  out  at  his  feet,  and  crying  for  strength  against  them, 
we  cherisli  any  of  them  in  our  heart, — we  must  feel  the  bitter  con- 
sequence, the  Lord  wiU  made  us  feel  it.  He  loves  his  people  too 
much,  not  to  make  them  feel  it.  Thus  He  visits  them  with  the 
rod, — this  is  the  reason  why,  "  whom,  the  Lord  loveth,  he  chasten- 
eth,  mid  scour geth  every  son  lohom  he  receivethP  Heb.  xii. — 6. 
Therefore,  dear  friends,  if  we  are  under  the  chastening  of  the 
Lord,  let  us  take  the  chastening  thankfully,  gratefully ;  remem- 
bering how  much  we  need  it — remembering,  how  much  we  have 
drawn  it  on  ourselves — remembering,  how  tender  our  Father  is  to 
chasten  us,  to  humble  us,  to  prove  us,  that  we  may  know  what  is 
in  our  heart,  and  to  bring  us  again  out  of  the  furnace,  strength- 
ened and  refreshed,  to  His  feet,  that  we  may  "  run  in  the  way 
of  his  commandments^  when  he  shall  enlarge  our  heartsJ^  Ps. 
cxix.  32. 

Oh  think  of  this,  and  may  the  Lord,  in  His  great  mercy  supply 
the  innumerable  defects  and  deficiencies  of  these  instructions,  and 
bring  home  His  own  truth  with  demonstration  of  His  own  Spirit 
and  with  power  to  our  hearts  and  consciences  for  Jesus'  sake. 
Amen. 


SIXTEENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II.— 11,  12,  13. 


"  Wherefore  remember,  that  ye  being  in  time  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who  are 
called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which  is  called  the  Circumcision  in  the  flesh  made  by 
hands ;  That  at  that  time  ye  were  without  Christ  being,  aliens  from  the  commonwealth 
of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and  without 
God  in  the  world.  But  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who  sometimes  were  far  off  are  made 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ." 

It  is  a  common  exhibition  of  the  evil  of  the  human  heart,  that 
when  a  man  has  been  raised  from  some  low  condition  by  the  favor 
of  his  sovereign,  and  placed  in  one  of  rank  and  influence,  he  is 
apt,  as  we  say,  to  forget  himself, — to  forget  the  mean  estate  in 
which  he  formerly  was — to  forget,  that  he  has  been  raised  to  that 
which  he  now  enjoys,  only  by  the  favor  of  his  sovereign — to  forget 
what  he  owes  to  his  benefactor,  what  he  owes  to  his  superiors, 
what  he  owes  to  his  equals,  what  he  owes  to  all  over  whom  he 
is  placed,  in  every  relative  position  of  duty. 

If  this  be  a  common  evil  with  respect  to  our  fellow-men, — how 
much  more  in  reference  to  God.  What  innumerable  mercies  have 
we  all  received  !  what  temporal  mercies  ! — How  could  we  ever 
enumerate  them  ?     What  spiritual  mercies  ! — what  a  mercy  that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  181 

we  are  here  this  day  with  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  in  our  ears, — 
yet,  which  of  them  have  we  remembered  as  we  ought  ?  wliich  of 
them  have  we  not  forgotten  ? 

If  we  were  asked,  what  is  it  that  man  ought  most  to  remember, 
and  what  is  it  that  man  most  forgets  ?  Tlie  answer  must  be — 
His  God.  WeU  may  He  complain,  then,  as  He  does  in  Jeremiah, 
ii.  32,  "  Can  a  inaid  forget  her  ornaments,  or  a  bride  her  attire  7 
Yet,  my  people  have  forgotten  me,  days  tvithoiit  7iumber"  So,  we 
perceive,  when  God  warns  the  Jews  against  departing  from  Him, 
he  warns  them  against  forgetting  Him, — we  see  this  in  Deuteron- 
omy iv. — 9.  "  Only,  take  heed  to  thyself  and  keep  thy  soul  dili- 
gently, lest  thon  forget  the  things  tvhich  thine  eyes  have  seen, 
and  lest  they  depart  from  thy  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life.''^ 
We  have  the  same  in  chap.  viii.  11,  speaking  of  their  readiness  to 
forget  the  blessings  they  have  received  from  God,  "  Beware  that  thou 
forget  not  the  Lord  thy  God  in  not  keeping  his  commandments, 
and  his  judgments,  and  his  statutes,  rohich  I  command  thee  this 
day ;  lest  when  thou  hast  eaten  and  art  full,  and  hast  built 
goodly  houses,  and  dwelt  therein,  and  when  thy  herds  and  thy 
flocks  midtiply,  and  thy  silver  and  gold  is  imdtiplied,  and 
all  that  thou  hast  is  multiplied, — then  thine  heart  be  lifted  up, 
and  thou  forget  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought  thee  forth  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  bondage.''^  And,  as  He 
warns  them  thus  not  to  forget  Him,  so  in  the  promises  of  His  cov- 
enant love  to  tlie  Jews,  to  gather  them  to  their  own  land,  and  to 
pour  upon  them  the  blessiags  He  has  promised ;  He  provides  for 
their  fidelity  by  providing,  that  they  shall  remember  all  their  own 
sin,  and  all  His  mercies  to  them.  You  see  this  in  Ezekiel  xvi. 
60.  "  Nevertheless,  I  will  remember  my  covenant  with  theeP 
(namely  with  the  people  of  the  Jews,)  ''  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, 
and  I  will  establish  unto  thee  an  everlasting  covenant."  then  in 
verse  62  and  63,  "  And  I  icill  establish  tny  covenant  with  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  know,  that  I  am  the  Lord,  that  thou  may  est  re- 
m,ember  and  be  confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any  more, 
because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacifed  toward  thee  for  all 
that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God^  You  see  the  same  in 
Ezek.  chap.  xx.  42,  43,  "  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord, 
iche7i  I  shall  bring  you  into  the  land  of  Israel,  into  the  country 
for  the  lohich  I  lifted  up  my  hand  to  give  it  to  your  fathers. 
And  there  shall  ye  remember  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings 
wherein  ye  have  been  defiled  ;  and  ye  shall  loathe  yourselves  in 
your  own  sight,  for  all  your  evil  that  ye  have  committed."'  The 
same  is  in  chap,  xxxvi.  when  the  Lord  promises  to  give  them  a 
new  heart,  26th  and  following  verses,  '■'■A  new  heart  also  will  I 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  ivill  I  pitt  within  you ;  and  I  will 
take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  yo7i 
an  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  ivill  put  m,y  Spirit  ivithiti  you,  and 
cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  m,y  judg- 
ments, and  do  them.  And  ye  shall  divell  in  the  land  that  I  gave 
to  your  fathers,  and'  ye  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  your 


182  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

God.  I  vjill  also  save  you  from  all  your  tmcleannesses ;  and  I 
will  call  for  the  corn,  and  will  increase  it,  and  lay  no  famine 
upon  you.  And  I  will  multiply  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  the  in- 
crease of  the  field,  that  ye  shall  receive  no  m^ore  reproach  of  fam,- 
ine  among  the  heathenP  Now,  mark, — "  then  shall  ye  remember 
your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and 
shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  your  iniquities 
and  for  your  abominatiojis. 

If  such  is  to  be  the  humility  of  the  saints  in  that  blessed  time  of 
promise  when  the  "  earth  shall  he  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.^'  Isa.  xi.  9, — surely,  it  ought  to 
be  the  humility  of  the  saints  now.  One  of  the  offices  of  the 
promised  blessed  Spirit  is,  that  he  shall  be  a  Remembrancer. 

What  wonder,  then,  that  the  Apostle,  having  enumerated  the 
misery  and  guilt  of  the  saints  at  Ephesus,  and  having  set  before 
them,  as  we  have  seen,  the  glory  to  which  they  had  been  raised, 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — what  wonder  that  he  should  come  to 
the  conclusion  with  which  my  text  commences,  "  wherefore, 
REMEMBER,"  remember  what  you  have  been,  and  and  remember 
what  you  are.  He  had  showed  them,  from  verses  1  to  3  (which 
I  need  not  now  recapitulate  to  you,  as  we  have  gone  through 
them  so  lately,)  he  had  showed  them  there,  their  state  of  sin  by 
nature, — he  had  showed  them  from  verses  4  to  10,  their  present 
state  by  grace,  "  raised  up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ,'' — ^and  now  he  calls  them  to  remember 
from  what  they  liad  been  rescued,  and  to  what  they  had  been 
brought. 

You  will  observe,  that  in  this  place,  he  addresses  especially  the 
Gentile  converts  at  Ephesus, — and  it  is  necessary  for  the  under- 
standing of  the  passage,  that  you  should  attend  to  this,  and  that 
you  should  refer  to  the  history  of  the  fact.  You  perceive,  on 
referring  to  the  history,  which  you  find  in  Acts  xix.,  that  the 
Church  at  Ephesus  consisted  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  When  St. 
Paul  came  to  Epliesus,  as  you  see  in  verse  1,  he  found  certain 
disciples,  and  then  he  asked  them,  as  Ave  find  in  verse  3,  "  Unto 
ivhat  ivere  ye  baptized .?"  They  said,  unto  John's  baptism,^' — 
therefore  they  must  necessarily,  have  been  Jews.  John  had  never 
come  to  Ephesus,  nor  had  the  idolatrous  worshippers  of  Diana 
gone  to  Jerusalem  ;  liut  the  Jews  had  gone  up  to  Jerusalem,  and 
there  some  of  them  who  believed,  had  been  baptized  unto  John's 
baptism.  So,  you  perceive,  they  had  a  synagogue  at  Ephesus,  as 
is  evident  from  Acts,  xix.  7,  8,  "  all  the  menV  (that  is  the  disciples) 
"  were  about  twelve.  And  he  went  into  the  synagogue,  and  spake 
boldly  for  the  space  of  three  months,  disputing  and  persuading 
the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God.'"  The  Jews,  in  the 
synagogue  at  Ephesus,  rejected  Paul,  they  rejected  his  testimonj^, 
and  then  we  are  told,  verse  9,  "  when  divers  were  hardened,  and 
believed  not,  but  spake  evil  of  that  way  before  the  multitude,  he 
departed  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples" — that  is,  those 
who  did  believe  the  Gospel, — he  separated  them  from  the  unbe- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  183 

lievers  and  scoffers,  and  he  '•  disputed  daily  in  the  school  of  one 
TyrannusP  He  left  the  synagogue,  and  went  to  the  school  of 
Tyrannus ;  and  there,  we  are  told,  this  daily  disputation,  "  con- 
tinued by  the  space  of  two  years,  so  that  all  they  ivhich  dwelt  in 
Asia  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  GreeksP 
verse  10. 

We  see,  then,  that  the  church  consisted  of  a  mixed  assembly, — 
of  believing  Jews  and  believing  Greeks, — -and  likewise  the  immense 
progress  which  the  Gospel  made  among  the  idolatrous  Greeks  at 
Ephesus  at  this  time.  If  you  read  the  whole  chapter,  you  will 
see  it  more  fully,  I  can  only  cite  a  few  verses,  18,  19,  20,  "  And 
many  that  believed,  came  and  confessed,  and  showed  their  deeds. — 
Many  also  of  them  ivhich  used  curious  arts  brought  their  books 
together,  and  burned  them  before  all  men,  and  they  counted  the 
j)rice  of  them,  and  found  it  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver.  So 
tnightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  prevailed.'^  And  then,  you 
perceive,  one  of  the  idolatrous  workmen  at  Ephesus,  who  made 
silver  shrines  for  Diana,  named  Demetrius — called  together  his 
fellow  workmen,  and  said  to  them,  verse  26,  "  ye  see  and  hear., 
that  not  alone  at  Ephesus,  but  almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this 
Paul  hath  persuaded  and  turned  away  much  people,  saying,  they 
be  no  gods  which  are  made  with  hands.  So  that  not  only  this 
our  craft  is  in  danger  to  be  set  at  nought,  but  also,  that  the  tem- 
ple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana  shoidd  be  despised,  and  her  mag- 
nificence should  be  destroyed,  whom  all  Asia  and  the  world 
iDorshippeth."  St.  Paul  had  no  notion  of  that  unchristian  charity 
of  the  present  day  which  is  to  be  found  among  Protestants.  He 
had  no  notion  of  saying,  or  believing  in  his  heart  and  conscience, 
that  people  were  idolaters,  and  then  professing,  that  indeed  he  did 
not  wish  to  proselytize  them.  There  was  no  such  unbelief,  no 
such  ignorance  of  his  own  apostolic  mission — no  such  contempt 
of  his  duty — no  such  abandonment  of  his  Master  and  his  Master's 
cause,  and  of  the  souls  of  men,  there  was  nothing  like  that  in  St. 
Paul.  He  did  wish  to  proselytize  those  who,  he  knew,  were  idol- 
aters,— and  he  testified  before  God  and  before  them,  that  ''  they 
were  no  gods  that  were  made  with  hands'^ — no  matter  of  what 
they  were  made — -whether  made  of  stone  or  iron,  or  brass,  or 
wood,  or  flour,  he  testified,  "  they  are  no  gods  that  are  made  with 
handsP  Paul  asserted  this,  and  God's  blessing  rested  upon  his 
testimony,  and  God's  power  accompanied  His  word,  and  God's 
salvation  was  brought  to  the  souls  of  men, — many  believed.  So 
it  would  have  been  in  this  country,  if  there  had  been  fidelity, 
apostolical  fidelity,  as  there  ought  to  be  among  those  who  profess 
to  call  themselves  the  servants  of  Christ.  So  you  see  the  testi- 
mony against  Paul, — they  cried  out  against  Paul  that  he  said, 
"  they  be  no  gods  ivhich  are  made  with  /ta«c?5,"^therefore  said 
Demetrius,  "  not  only  this  our  craft  is  in  danger  to  be  set  at 
nought,  but  also,  that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana 
should  be  despised,  and  her  magnificence  shoidd  be  destroyed, 
whom  all  Asia  and  the  world  worshippeth.''^      You  see,  how  the 


184  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Lord,  by  the  fidelity  of  His  apostle,  battered  down  the  temples  of 
idolatry.  This  was  by  Christian  fidelity,  turning  men,  through 
God's  grace,  in  the  spirit  of  faithfulness  and  love,  ^'■from  darkness 
to  light^  from  the  ])ower  of  Satan  unto  God''' — as  he  had  been 
sent  by  his  Lord  to  do.  Acts  xxvi.  17,  18. 

It  is  clear,  then,  from  the  history,  that  the  church  at  Ephesus 
was  composed  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  We  perceive  how  numerous 
were  the  converts  from  the  worship  of  Diana, — and  the  Apostle, 
in  the  passage  which  I  have  read  to  you,  is  addressing,  as  you 
perceive,  these  Gentile  converts,  reminding  them  of  their  state  of 
aggravated  guilt  and  misery,  and  of  the  great  blessing  which  God 
had  vouchsafed  to  them,  in  bringing  them  '•'•from  darkness  to 
light,  and  frotn  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,^^  he  says,  "  re- 
member, THAT  YE  BEING  IN  TIME  PAST  GeNTILES  IN  THE 
FLESH,  WHO  WERE    CALLED    UNCIRCUMCISION    BY  THAT  WHICH 

IS  CALLED  THE  CIRCUMCISION  IN  THE  FLESH," — lie  reminds 
them,  that  they  had  been  looked  down  upon  as  Gentiles,  by  all 
who  knew  anything  of  the  true  God,  as  the  Jews, — that  they  had 
been  in  a  despicable  state,  they  "r^ere  called  uncircmncision.''^ 
The  rite  of  circumcision  was  that  especially,  which  separated  the 
Jew,  from  the  time  of  his  birth,  from  all  the  other  people  of  the 
world ;  it  was  one  of  the  great  distinctions  that  God  had  placed 
between  them,  and  all  the  other  nations  ;  therefore,  the  "  uncir- 
cumcision"  was  the  name  given  by  the  Jews  to  all  those  persons 
who  were  separated  from  God,  outcasts  from  God  ; — so  you  re- 
member the  story  of  David  and  Goliath, — you  recollect  David's 
contemptuous  sneer  at  the  giant, — he  did  not  care  for  his  being  a 
giant,  or  for  his  staff,  or  for  his  spear,  but  he  said — "  who  is  this 
uncirciimcised,  Philistine  that  he  should  defy  the  armies  of  the 
living  God  ?"  1st  Sam.  xvii.  26.  He  was  an  "  uncircumcised 
Philistine,"  such  is  the  term  of  contempt  with  which  David  brands 
him.  And  so  in  Acts,  xi.  3,  you  see  the  charge  that  all  the  Apos- 
tles brought  against  Peter,  '-thou  wentest  in  to  men  uncircum- 
cised, and  didst  eat  with  themP  They  were  angry  with  him  for 
doing  so.  It  was  a  thing  totally  unknown  to  the  Jews,  and  un- 
known to  the  world,  that  the  Gentiles — that  any  nation  except  the 
Jews  should  be  brought  into  the  covenant  of  Christ ;  therefore  we 
perceive,  when  the  Lord  intended  to  send  Peter  to  Cornelius,  he 
sent  a  vision  from  heaven  to  Peter  to  show  him  that  the  distinc- 
tion between  clean  and  unclean,  was  now  done  away.  "  What 
God  hath  cleansed  that  call  not  thou  common^''  Actsx. — 15, — and 
if  you  look  to  Ephesians  iii. — 2,  you  perceive  this  subject  clearly 
set  forth,  "  if  ye  have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of 
God  ivhich  is  given  me  to  you-ward,^^  5th,  "  which  in  other  ages 
was  not  made  known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  noiv  revealed 
unto  his  holy  apostles  and  prophets  by  the  Spirit, — that  the  Gen- 
tiles should  befelloiv  heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  a)id  partakers 
of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the  GospelP  It  was  not  known  to 
the  sons  of  men,  but  it  was  now  revealed,  that  the  Gentiles  should 
be  fellow-heirs  ;  therefore  the  Apostle  reminds  them  of  their  state 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  185 

o?  former  separation  from  God,  and  of  the  contempt  in  which  they 
had  been  held  by  His  people,  before  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  had 
visited  them,  "Ye  know''  saith  the  Apostle  Peter,  " /io?<?  that  it  is 
an  unlawful  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to  keep  cotnpany,  or 
come  unto  one  0/  another  nation:'  Acts,  x.  28.  The  Apostle 
Paul  had  set  forth,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  first  part  of  the  chap- 
ter, the  state  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  universally  as  sinners.  He 
had  set  forth  their  state  positively,  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,'^ 
utterly  insensible  to  their  guilty,  miserable  condition — unable 
either  to  feel  it,  or  deliver  themselves  from  it— walking  "  according 
to  the  course  of  this  world," — under  the  power  of  the  devil — 
walking  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh — '' fulfilling  the  desires  of  the 
flesh  and  of  the  7)iind,''  and  "  bt/  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  other sJ'  This  was  the  positive  state  of  them  aU.  But 
now,  in  this  passage  he  sets  forth  the  state  of  the  Gentiles,  nega- 
tively, — he  show  what  they  were  not.  "  Remember''  he  says,  in 
addition  to  your  state  of  positive  sin, — remember,  that  "  at  that 
time,  you  loere  called  uucircn?ncision," — you  were  not  circum- 
cised— shut  out,  by  that  means,  from  the  only  people  upon  the  face 
of  the  earth  who 'were  the  recognized,  acknowledged  people  of 
God. — "  You  were  without  Christ" — you  had  no  Saviour,  in  type,  or 
ordinance,  or  promise, — you  were  '■'■  aliens  from  the  commonwealth 
of  Israel" — you  had  no  lot  or  part  in  the  commonwealth  of  God's 
Church — yoxwvGxe  '■'■strangers  froin  the  covenants  of  promise" 
you  knew  nothing  about  the  glorious  salvation  provided  in  the 
Covenant  of  Grace.  You  had  "  no  hope" — eternity  was  a  dark 
and  fearful  precipice — a  gulf  that  yawned  before  you.  And  you 
were  ^'■ivithont  God  in  the,  world"  You  knew  not  Him  who 
formed  you — your  idol  Diana  was  a  senseless  image,  made  with 
hands.     That  was  their  condition. 

Not  so  the  Jews.  AVe  see  in  Galatians,  iii.  8,  that  God  had 
^^  preached  the  Gospel  unto  Abraham,."  We  see,  in  Romans,  iii. 
1,  2,  when  tiie  Jew  is  supposed  to  ask,  '•  ichat  advantage  then  hath 
the  Jew  7"  (because  the  Apostle  had  proved  that  '-'■both  Jeio  and 
Gentile  were  all  under  sin")  "  or  lohat  jn'ofit  is  there  of  circum- 
cision f  He  answers,  "  Much  every  way :  chiefly,  because  that 
unto  them  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God."  They  had  much 
blessing,  much  profit,  of  which  all  other  nations  were  destitute — ■ 
but  the  greatest  blessing  of  them  all  was  this,  that  "  unto  them 
were  committed  the  oracles  of  God." 

You  perceive,  that  the  Scriptures  are  counted  the  greatest  bless- 
ing that  a  people  can  enjoy, — therefore,  the  privation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures is  the  greatest  curse  with  which  a  nation  can  be  visited, — 
the  worst  of  all  famines  is  "  a  famine  of  hearing  of  the  word  of 
the  Lord."  Amos,  viii.  11.  Compare  these  advantages  of  the  Jews 
again  with  those  mentioned,  Romans  ix.  4,  5,  "  Who  are  Israel- 
ites, to  xohom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the 
covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  laiv,  and  the  service  of  God,  and 
the  promises ;  whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  concerning 
the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever."     So 


186  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

• 

you  see  in  1  Corinthians  x.  2,  "  they  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses, 
in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea,  and  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual 
meat,  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink,  for  they  drank 
of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them,  and  that  Rock  tvas 
Christ."  1  Cor.  x.  3,  4.  So  in  St.  John's  Gospel  our  Lord  saith, 
V.  45,  46,  "  Do  not  think,  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father, 
there  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses  in  whom  ye  trust ;  f<yr 
had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me,  for  he  wrote 
of  m,er 

Therefore,  the  Jews  had  Christ  revealed  to  them  in  the  Sacred 
Volume, — they  were  not  "  without  Christ,"  as  the  Gentiles  were. 
The  Gentiles  were  deprived  of  the  oracles  of  God,  therefore  "  with- 
out  Christ,  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel, 

AND    strangers    FROM     THE     COVENANTS    OF    PROMISE,"    wllich 

promised  Christ,  whom  Abraham  knew — in  whom  he  believed  and 
rejoiced. — "  Your  father  Abraham,"  saith  Christ,  "  rejoiced  to  see 
m^y  day,  and  he  scud  it,  and  was  glad."  John  viii.  56.  They  were 
strangers  from  the  promise  of  the  coming  of  Messiah  to  save — 
strangers  from  the  promise  of  the  coming  of  the  glorious  King, 
who  was  to  "  arise  and  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles,  in  tvhoTu  the 
Gentiles  should  trust."  They  were  strangers  from  the  covenant 
of  the  glorious  priesthood  to  be  fulfilled  in  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
the  "  priest  forever,  after  the  order  of  Melchisedech."  Ps.  ex.  4. 
They  had  no  prophets,  no  promises,  no  sacrifices  to  the  true  God, 
no  types,  no  shadows,  no  law,  no  blessing  or  privilege  derived  from 
the  Gospel  covenant  which  the  Israelites  possessed.  Therefore, 
they  had  "  no  hope." 

In  what  an  awful  state  a  sinner  is,  without  hope !  Did  you 
ever  see  a  man  die  without  hope  ?  and  feeling  he  was  without 
hope  ?  I  have — it  is  an  awful  sight.  This  was  the  state  of  all  the 
Gentiles,  tliey  had  "  no  hope."  They  had  not,  indeed,  a  clear 
revelation  of  the  a\yfiil  eternity  that  was  before  them, — but  they 
had  within,  the  conscious  apprehension  of  an  immortal  existence, 
a  sense  of  sin  that  barbed  the  arrow  of  death,  and  made  that  which 
is  the  sting  of  death  rankle  in  their  consciences ;  and  they  had  no 
balm  of  mercy  to  pour  into  the  wound, — being  "  without  Christ, 
without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world."  It  is  of  great  im- 
portance that  we  should  know  and  consider  this,^ — we  had  in  the 
second  of  the  Psalms  of  this  day,  xcvi.  5,  ^^  as  for  all  the  gods  of 
the  heathen,  they  are  but  idols,  but  it  is  the  Lord  that  made  the 
heavens,"  and  again,  xcvii.  7,  "  confounded  be  all  they  that  worship 
carved  images,  and  that  delight  hi  vain  gods,  worsJiip  him  olU 
ye  gods,"  and  the  Apostle  says,  "Me  things  ivhich  the  Gentiles 
sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to  devils,  and  not  to  God.  1  Cor.  x.  20. 

It  is  of  vast  moment  that  all  who  bear  the  name  of  Christians 
should  remember  these  things,  for  what  were  the  privileges  of  the 
Jews  compared  with  the  blessings  that  we  enjoy !  We  ought  to 
form  our  judgment  and  our  opinion  respecting  the  state  of  the 
heathen  world,  not  from  the  ignorance  of  man,  but  from  the  records 
of  God's  eternal  truth.     This  would  give  us,  both  a  right  sense  of 


LECTUUES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  187 

the  privileges  and  blessings  we  enjoy  ourselves,  and  make  us  feel 
as  we  ought,  for  the  destitution  of  those  who  have  '•  no  hope,^''  and 
who  are  "  witliout  God  in  the  worldP 

But  while  the  Apostle  calls  on  them  to  remember  what  their 
state  had  been,  he  teaches  them  also  to  remember  the  blessing  of 
their  present  condition,  "  but  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who 

SOMETIMES  were  FAR  OFF    ARE    MADE    NIGH  BY  THE  BLOOD  OF 

Christ."  Amazing  mercy  !  made  nigh — by  what  means? — 
'■'•made  nigh  hy  the  blood  of  Christ,^^ — brought  to  behold  the 
'■^  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  triith^'' 
John,  i.  14 — brought  into  a  state  of  pardon,  peace,  and  salvation 
through  Him.  The  change  that  had  passed  upon  them  Avas  like  - 
the  light  bursting  on  the  dark  world,  when  '•  God  said,  let  there 
be  light,  and  there  loas  lightJ^  For  "  God  tvho  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness  had  shined  into  their  hearts,  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  There  they  behold  all  the  prophecies 
of  Jesus  fulfilled,  "  to  him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that 
through  his  name,  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  receive 
remission  of  sins."  Acts  x.  43.  All  the  glorious  promises  of  God 
are  accomplished  in  Jesus,  for,  "  all  the  promises  of  God  i7i  him 
are  yea,  and  in  him,  amen."  2  Cor.  i.  20 ;  in  Him,  are  all  the 
blessed  covenants  ratified,  as  you  see  in  the  song  of  Zechariah,  St. 
Luke,  i.  67 — 75,  where  he  so  beautifully  sets  that  forth,  as  he 
speaks,  being  '•  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost," — '■^Blessed  be  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel,  for  he  hath  visited  and  redeetned  his  people,  and 
hath  raised  2ip  an  horn  of  salvation  for  us,  in  the  house  of  his 
.servant  David  ;  as  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets, 
lohich  have  been  since  the  7vorld  began ;  that  we  should  be  saved 
from  our  ene?nies,  and  from  the  hand  of  them  that  hate  ns  ;  to 
perform  the  mercy  promised  to  our  fathers,  and  to  remember  his 
holy  covenant ;  the  oath  that  lie  sivare  to  our  father  Abraham, 
that  he  would  grant  unto  us,  that  ive,  being  delivered  out  of  the 
hand  of  our  enonies,  might  serve  him  ivithout  fear,  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the  days  of  our  life."  Here 
they  were  no  longer  ^'strangers  from  the  covenants  of  jwomise," 
they  behold  them  all  fulfilled  in  Christ.  Here,  they  were  not 
brought  merely  into  the  shadows  of  the  Jewish  law,  but  into  the 
substance  of  the  glorious  Gospel,  not  offering  daily  sacrifices,  but 
resting  on  the  one  finished  sacrifice  of  Christ.  Hebrews,  x.  11,  12, 
"  Every  priest  standeth  daily  ministering,  and  offering  oftentimes 
the  same  sacrifices  which  can  never  take  aioay  sins  ;  bat  this  man, 
after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins  forever,  sat  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  God."  And  so,  they  had  the  antetype  instead  of 
the  type.  Though  they  had  not  the  covenant  of  the  priesthood 
of  the  Jews,  they  had  the  everlasting  covenant  of  Christ's  glorious 
priesthood,  "  Christ  being  come  an  high  priest  of  good  things  to 
co7ne,  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle,  not  made  witJt 
hands,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  building,  neither  by  the  blood  of 
goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the 


188  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  usP  Heb.  ix, 
11,  12.  That  precious  blood  of  Jesus,  the  "  fountain  opened  for 
sin  and  for  uncleanness"  hath  been  revealed  to  them,  that  they 
who  bathe  in  that  blessed  fountain,  though  like  Naaman,  full  of 
leprosy,  should  come  up  healed  and  clean  as  a  little  child. 

Oh,  the  blessing  of  being  "brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of 
Christ  !"  Then,  instead  of  having  no  hope,  they  had  "  hope  as 
an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast^  Heb.  vi.  19.  In- 
stead of  being  "without  God  in  the  world,"  they  were  made 
"  children  of  God,  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesns,^'  Gal.  iii.  26  ;  brought 
nigh  to  Him  as  a  reconciled  Father  in  Jesus.  Brethren,  if  the 
state  of  the  Jews  who  neglected  the  privileges  they  enjoyed, 
although  these  privileges  were  only  typical,  was  awful — if  the 
state  of  the  Gentiles  who  were  without  these  privileges  that  the 
Jews  possessed,  was  such  as  described  in  this  passage  by  the 
Apostle. — What  must  be  the  state  of  those  who  have  all  those 
privileges,  which  "  many  prophets  and  kings  desired  to  see,  and 
have  not  seen  them  ?"  if  we  speak  of  the  Jews.  And  who  have 
all  the  privileges  and  blessings  enjoyed  by  these  Gentiles  when" 
they  were  "  broiight*nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,^^  and  yet  who 
"  neglect  such  great  salvation  ?" 

It  may  be, — it  must  ])e,  that  I  address  some,  perhaps  many  in 
that  state  to-day.  Remember,  "  all  ivere  not  Israel  who  were  of 
IsraelP  Remember,  all  are  not  Christ's  who  are  Christians  in 
name  and  profession.  Remember,  that  "  a  nam,e  to  live  when  we 
are  dead,^'' — ^privileges  when  neglected — the  blood  of  Jesus  as  a 
fountain,  when  it  is  despised — the  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  a 
robe  to  clothe  our  nakedness,  when  it  is  cast  by  as  an  unclean 
thing — remember  that  these,  instead  of  blessings,  are  all  turned 
into  curses,  judgments,  accumulated  causes  of  ruin  on  the  heads 
of  those  who  thus  trample  on  these  mercies. 

If  I  address  some,  as  I  trust  I  do,  who  are  awaking  to  a  sense 
of  the  state  in  which  they  have  been  living  in  the  midst  of  bless- 
ings and  privileges, — -who  are  asking  "  the  way  to  Zion  with  their 
faces  thither IV ard,^'' — who  say  in  their  hearts,  "  Oh  that  my  lot 
were  cast  among  the  people  of  Christ."  Remember,  my  dear 
friends,  the  means  by  which  these  persons  Avere  brought  from  their 
awful  state  of  ignorance,  of  guilt,  and  misery,  both  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles— remember  it  is  all  contained  in  that  one  word,  '■'■made  nigh 
by  the  blood  of  Christ,^^ — alone. — There  was  no  process  to  be  gone 
througli  by  them, — no  long  and  labored  return  from  their  dark 
idolatry  and  guilt,  to  come  to  God,  but  to  believe  the  glorious  pro- 
clamation of  God's  everlasting  mercy,  of  His  eternal  love,  of  His 
rich  grace,  of  His  free  and  full  salvation  sounding  in  their  ears — 
this  was  enough, — even  all  that  they  could  want. 

The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  has  been  poured  out,  a  ransom  for  the 
guilty.  The  ransom  is  paid  down,  the  prison  doors  are  opened, — 
come  forth  ye  prisoners  of  hope  into  life,  and  light,  and  liberty, — 
the  life  that  Christ  has  purchased  with  His  blood. — The  light  of 
"  the  tSun  of  righteousness,''^  of  Him  who  is  "'  the  light  of  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  189 

world.^^ — The  liberty  of  the  everlasting  Gospel, — "  If  the  Son 
therefore  shall  inake  you  free,  ye  shall  he  free  indeed.  John  viii. 
36.  Oh,  think  what  brought  them  nigh, — why  should  it  not  bring 
you  nigh  to-day  ?  Remember,  the  fountain  of  Immanuel's  blood 
is  like  Himself,  "^Ae  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever  ^'^ 

And  you,  brethren,  who  see,  and  taste,  and  hope,  and  rejoice  in 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  who  can  repeat  in  spirit  and  truth, 
"  O  come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord,  let  us  heartily/  rejoice  in  the 
strength  of  our  salvation^  Ps.  xcv.  1.  Remember  what  you 
were  ;  in  one  sense,  far  worse  than  these  Ephesians ;  you  were 
not  brought  up  like  them  to  worship  Diana,  or  to  believe  that  that 
image  had  fallen  down  from  Jupiter, — you  were  not  placed  in  the 
midst  of  darkness  and  idolatry,  without  the  Word  of  God,  "aliens 

FROM  THE  COMMONWEALTH  OP  ISRAEL, STRANGERS  FROM  THE 

COVENANT    OF    PROMISE,    HAVING    NO    HOPE,  AND  WITHOUT  GoD 

IN  THE  WORLD."  No,  you  wcrc  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus — 
when  you  were  born  into  the  world,  you  were  brought  to  that  holy 
ordinance,  which  Jesus  has  appointed  as  the  instrument  of  con- 
fessing His  faith — being  adopted  into  His  family — entering  into 
His  church.  You  were  brought  to  that  ordinance  as  the  sign  and 
seal  of  salvation,  a  fountain  of  water,  emblematic  of  a  fountain 
of  blood, — bathed  in  that,  or  sprinkled  with  it,  it  matters  not 
which,  it  is  emblematical  of  the  cleansing  power  of  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.  You  were  brought  by  that  means  into  all  the  blessings 
and  privileges  of  the  Christian  church, — and  how  have  you  used 
them  ?  Alas  !  how  long  you  despised  these  mercies  !  how  long 
you  slighted  them.  Even  when  your  Ministers  perhaps  have  been 
endeavoring  to  explain  to  you,— listen  to  me,  children — listen  to 
me,  my  beloved  young  friends — listen  to  me,  you  who  are  learn- 
ing your  Catechism, — when  your  Ministers  have  been  endeavor- 
ing to  explain  to  you,  and  to  set  before  you  the  privileges  and 
blessings,  the  solemn  obligations  and  responsibilities  of  those  who 
are  brought  into,  and  brought  up  in  the  Christian  church. — Oh  ! 
how  have  you  neglected  and  turned  a  deaf  ear, — slighted  them, 
disregarded  the  instructions  you  received,  and  provoked  the  Lord 
to  cut  you  off  in  your  sins.     Remember  this. 

But  God  hath  touched  your  hearts — God  hath  reached  your  con- 
sciences— God  hath  visited  you  with  His  mercy — God  hath  led 
you  to  the  feet  of  Jesus — and  now  you  see,  that  "  yoii  who  some- 
times ivere  afar  ojf'^  in  spirit,  though  near  in  profession,  are  now 
'•'•'made  nigh  hy  the  blood  of  Christ.''^  Wherefore,  remember 
what  you  were,  and  remember  what  you  are,—"  ye  are  not  your 
own ;  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price  :  therefore  glorify  God  in 
your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God'sr  1st  Cor.  vi.  19, 
20.  You  are  no  longer  debtors  to  the  world,  or  to  the  flesh,  to 
live  after  the  flesh — you  owe  to  Jesus  all  you  have,  and  all  you 
are :  for  Jesus  hath  "  redeemed  you  from  the  curse  of  the  latv.^^ 
He  hath  bought  you  with  his  precious  blood — And  "  Now  in 
Christ  Jesus  ye  who  sometimes  were  far  off  are  made 

NIGH  BY  THE  BLOOD  OP  ChRIST." 


190  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Oh !  then  hear  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  "  /  therefore^  the 
prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vo- 
cation wherewith  ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness, 
with  long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love  ;  endeavoring 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There  is 
one  body,  and  one  /Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
your  calling ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and 
Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  aW 
Ephes.  iv.  1 — 6. 

"  No70  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to 
present  you  faidtless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceed- 
ing joy,  to  the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty, 
dominion  and  power,  both  now  and  ever.    AmenP  Jude,  24,  25. 


SEVENTEENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II.— 14,  15,  16,  17. 


"  For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down  the  mid- 
dle wall  of  partition  between  us  ;  Having  abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the 
law  of  commandments  contained  in  ordinances  ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  one 
new  man,  so  making  peace  ;  And  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body 
by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby :  And  came  and  preached  peace  to  you 
which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that  were  nigh." 

We  have  seen  in  our  last  Lecture,  the  distinction  between  Jews 
and  Gentiles,— that  although  all  were  alike  sinners  before  God,  as 
we  see  from  the  first  to  the  third  verses  of  this  chapter,  yet  that 
there  was,  in  the  case  of  the  Gentiles,  a  peculiar  degree  of  aliena- 
tion from  God,  they  were  in  a  much  more  deplorable  condition 
than  the  Jews.  This  has  been  shown  in  our  last  Lecture.  "  At 
that  time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covena?its  of  protnise, 
having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  worldP  But  he  adds, 
"  But  now  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  sometimes  were  far  off\  are 
made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ?''  Then  the  Apostle  proceeds 
to  explain  how  they  were  made  nigh. — He  shows  the  mode  in 
which  it  was  effected,  that  Jews  and  Gentiles  should  be  brought 
nigh,  both  to  each  other  and  to  God,  "  for  he  is  our  peace,  who 

HATH  MADE  BOTH  ONE," (fec. 

Now,  observe, — First,  "  peace"  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  mak- 
ing them,  who  were  so  totally  separated  from  each  other,  "  both 
one."  Then,  "  peace"  between  both  and  God, — having  been 
both  separated  from  Him,  and  being  both  brought  nigh  to  Him. 
Now,  I  say,  first,  that  this  passage  shows  us,  that  peace  was  made 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  191 

between  Jew  and  Gentile.  You  know  what  a  barrier  God  had 
erected  between  the  Jews  and  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth,— 
what  an  impenetrable  barrier.  We  should  go  through  the  whole 
of  the  Jewish  polity,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  if  we  were  to  enume- 
rate all  the  means  by  which  this  separation  had  been  effected. 

There  was  circumcision — their  sacrifices — their  passover — their 
priesthood — their  daily  food — the  whole  system  of  their  worship 
and  ordinances, — Ijy  all  these  means  they  were  separated  from  all 
the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  God  had  placed  these  as  an  im- 
passable barrier  between  them.  You  see  this  mentioned  in  a  va- 
riety of  passages  in  the  Scripture,  but  I  shall  only  point  your 
attention  to  one  or  two, — for  instance,  Esther  iii.  8,  you  see  here 
what  the  Gentiles  thought  of  the  Jews, — "  And  Hainan  said  7mto 
king  Ahasuerus,  there  is  a  certain  people  scattered  abroad  and 
dispersed  among  the  j^Gople  in  all  the  provinces  of  thy  kingdom  ; 
and  their  laws  are  diverse  from  all  people  ;  neither  keep  they  the 
king^s  laiDS.''^  This  was  the  ground  on  which  Haman  induced 
Ahasuerus  to  issue  his  decree  for  the  destruction  of  the  Jews, — ^the 
complete  separation  there  was  between  them  and  all  the  rest  of 
the  nations.  And  again,  you  see  that  marked  in  a  passage,  fa- 
miliar no  doubt,  to  you  all,  Acts  x.  28,  where  Peter  says  to  Cor- 
nelius, -'ye  know  how  that  it  is  an  unlaivful  thing  for  a  man  that 
is  a  Jeiv  to  keep  company  or  come  unto  one  of  another  nation. 
But  God  hath  showed  me  that  I  shoidd  not  call  any  man  com- 
mon  or  imclean,^^ — as  the  Jews  had  always  considered  the  Gen- 
tiles. 

Now,  I  need  not  quote  other  passages,  to  prove  to  you  a  fact 
with  which,  of  course,  you  are  all  acquainted,  but  the  argument 
of  the  Apostle  in  the  passage  I  have  read  is  this,  that  all  these 
ordinances,  all  these  means  by  which  the  Jews  were  separated 
from  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth,  had  all  been  done  away 
by  Christ.  Consider  the  verses  in  reference  to  this  point,  the  re- 
conciliation of  Jew  and  Gentile,  "  for  he   is  our  peace,  who 

HATH  MADE  BOTH  ONE,  AND  HATH  BROKEN  DOWN  THE  MIDDLE 
WALL  OF  PARTITION  BETWEEN  US  ;    HAVING  ABOLISHED  IN  HIS 

FLESH  THE  ENMITY," — and  you  scc  wliat  that  enmity  was, — 
what  it  was  that  constituted  that  enmity, — "  even  the  law  op 

COMMANDMENTS,  CONTAINED  IN  ORDINANCES  ;  FOR  TO  MAKE 
IN  HIMSELF  OF  TWAIN  ONE  NEW  MAN,  SO  MAKING  PEACE  ;  AND 
THAT  HE  MIGHT  RECONCILE  BOTH  UNTO  GoD  IN  ONE  BODY  BY 
THE  CROSS,  HAVING  SLAIN  THE  ENMITY  THEREBY;  AND  CAME 
AND  PREACHED  PEACE  TO  YOU  WHICH  WERE  AFAR  OFF,  AND  TO 
THEM  THAT  WERE   NIGH." 

Now  we  shall  see  that  all  these  things  were  done  away  in 
Christ.  Circumcision  is  done  away,  as  you  see  in  Colossians  iii. 
10,  11,  "  And  have  put  on  the  new  mati,  which  is  renewed  in 
knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him :  where  there 
is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcisio7i  nor  nncircumcisio?i,  Bar- 
barian, Scythian,  bond  nor  free :  but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  allP 
The  rite  of  circumcision  is  superseded  by  baptism,  '■'for  in  Christ 


192  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything,  nor  uncircumcisionj 
but  a  new  creature.''''  Gal.  vi.  15, — He  saith  in  another  passage, 
"/or  as  Tnany  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put 
on  Christ.  There  is  neither  Jeiv  nor  Greek,  there  is  ne'ither  bond 
nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female :  for  ye  all  are  one  in 
Christ  JesusP  Gal.  iii.  27,  28. 

Again,  the  Sacrifices  Avere  done  away.  You  see  this  in  innu- 
merable passages,  I  shall  merely  quote  one,  Hebrews  x.  4,  where 
the  Apostle  says,  "  It  is  not  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
of  goats  should  take  away  sins,^'  speaking  of  the  sacrifices  as  "  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  conie,^''  "  even  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ," 
'■'■wherefore  when  he  conieth  into  the  world,  he  saith,  sacrifice 
and  offering  thou  wonldest  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared 
me ;"  &c. — he  quotes  here  Psalm  xl.  6,  7,  8,  and  then  mark  the 
Apostle's  reasoning  upon  it,  '■'■  above'^ — that  is,  "m  the  first  place, 
when  he  said,  sacrifice  and  offering,  and  burnt-offerings  and  of- 
fering for  sin,  thou  wouldest  not,  neither  hadst  pleasure  therein  ; 
{which  are  offered  by  the  law  ;)  then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy 
will,  O  God,  he  taketh  avKiy  the  first, ^'' — that  is,  all  the  legal  sac- 
rifices. He  sweeps  them  all  away  at  once,  "  that  he  may  establish 
the  secofid," — that  is.  His  own  sacrifice, — "  by  the  which  ivilV  (by 
His  doing  His  Father's  will,  or  by  the  decree  of  which  will,  since 
He  hath  fulfilled  it,)  we  are  sanctified,  through  the  offering  of  the 
body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all."  Therefore,  in  writing  to  the 
Hebrews,  he  tells  them,  that,  while  the  continual  repetition  of 
their  sacrifices  proved  that  they  could  not  take  away  sin,  they  are 
all  done  away  by  the  one  atoning  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  because  by  Him  is  the  remission  of  sins.  So  he  argues 
conclusively  in  this  chapter,  and  proves,  that  the  sacrifices  were 
repeated  because  they  could  not  take  away  sin ;  but  that  the  sac- 
rifice of  Christ  was  offered  once  for  all,  because  in  it,  there  is  full 
and  everlasting  remission  of  sin. 

Then,  their  Passover  was  taken  away.  You  recollect  the  re- 
markable words  of  our  blessed  Lord,  in  St.  Luke  xxii.  15,  16,  "  He 
said  unto  them,  with  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this  passover 
rcith  you  before  I  siffer;  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  ivill  not  any  m,ore 
eat  thereof,  until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God^^  What 
did  our  blessed  Lord  mean  by  these  words,  "  until  it  be  fulfilled  in 
the  kingdom  of  God?''  If  you  turn  to  1st  Corinthians,  v.  7,  you 
will  find  the  explanation  of  it, — "  Christ  our  passover  is  sacri- 
ficed for  us."  When  He  bowed  that  blessed  head  upon  the  cross, 
and  said,  "  It  is  finished"  then  that  passover  was  fulfilled  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  the  Lamb  of  God,  typified  by  the  paschal  lamb, 
being  then  slain  upon  the  accursed  tree — the  l:>lood,  typified  by  that 
sprinkled  on  the  lintels  and  door  posts  of  the  Israelites,  was  then 
poured  out  from  the  side,  hands  and  feet  of  the  dying  Saviour, 
and  that  precious  blood  proclaimed  in  the  record  of  His  eternal 
word  both  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  guilty  sinners  like  us,  that  it  might 
be  sprinkled  upon  our  consciences  and  our  souls,  and  that  we  might 
be  passed  over  in  the  day  of  God's  vengeance.     Oh,  that  it  may 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  193 

be  so  !  Oh.  remember  tliaf.  passover  is  '■'•fidjilled  in  the  kingdotn 
of  God^^'' — remember,  "  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us, 
therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  ivith  the  old  leaven,  neither 
with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened 
bread  of  sincerity  and  truth."  1st  Cor.  v.  7,  8. 

Again,  the  Priesthood  was  another  barrier  between  the  Jews 
and  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  But  that  priesthood  is  all 
done  away  in  our  glorious  Redeemer.  You  see  this  argued  at 
length  in  Hebrews,  vii.  The  Apostle  argues  in  verses  11,  12,  of 
that  chapter,  "  if  perfection  were  by  the  Levitical  priesthood, — 
(^for  under  it  the  people  received  the  laic,)  what  further  need  was 
there  that  another  priest  should  rise  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec, 
and  not  be  called  after  the  order  of  Aaron  7  for  the  priesthood 
being  changed,  there  is  made  of  necessity  a  change  also  of  the 
law.''  He  then  speaks  of  our  blessed  Lord ;  of  Him,  he  says, 
verse  16,  "  who  is  made,  not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  command- 
ment, but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life,'''  and  then,  verses  23, 
24,  25,  "  and  they  truly  were  many  priests,  because  they  were  not 
suffered  to  continue  by  reason  of  death :  but  this  man,  because 
he  continueth  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood.  Wherefore, 
he  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God 
by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them,"  and 
he  closes  the  chapter  in  these  words,  "/or  the  law  maketh  men 
high  priests  which  have  infirmity ;  but  the  ivord  of  the  oath, 
which  was  since  the  law,  maketh  the  Son,  who  is  consecrated  for 
evermore."  Therefore,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  superseded  the 
whole  of  the  Levitical  priesthood  ;  but  He  has  not  come  to  estab- 
lish another  priesthood  as  a  priesthood  to  offer  sacrifice  for  sin. 
Recollect,  that  all  the  Lord's  people  are  called  "  an  holy  priesthood," 
and  so,  we  call  the  ministers  of  our  church,  whose  business  it  is 
to  offer  up  prayers,  whose  business  it  is  to  administer  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  Lord,  we  call  these  priests,  as  being  appointed  in 
the  Christian  covenant,  "  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  accepta- 
ble to  God,  by  Jesus  Christ."  1  Pet.  ii.  5.  But  when  this  prin- 
ciple is  set  forth,  that  the  priesthood  of  the  church  is  appointed  to 
offer  sacrifices  for  sins— when,  for  example,  that  blessed  ordinance, 
the  commemoration  of  our  blessed  Lord's  sacrifice,  is  corrupted 
from  its  glorious  intention— and  instead  of  being  made,  as  it  is,  the 
blessed  memorial  of  the  finished  sacrifice  of  Immanuel — when  it 
is  corrupted  and  perverted  into  a  sacrifice,  propitiatory  unto  God 
for  sin, — the  priesthood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  denied — the 
work,  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  is  denied — the  axe  is  laid  to  the  very 
root  of  the  Gospel,  and  instead  of  preaching  "  Jesus  Christ,  and 
him  crucified,"  men,  whether  in  the  church  of  Rome  or  in  the 
church  of  England,  who  preach  such  falsehood  as  that,  preach  not 
Jesus  Christ,  but  themselves  as  the  priests  and  ministers  to  take 
away  sin  from  men.  Mark  this.  Christ  hath  finished  transgres- 
sion, Christ  is  the  priest,  the  only  priest  to  offer  up  sacrifices  to 
God  for  sin.  Beware,  how  you  turn  your  poor  guilty  consciences 
from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  priests  or  ministers. 

13 


194  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Now,  my  dear  Roman  Catholic  friends,  if  I  address,  as  I  trust  I 
do,  some  of  you  to-day,  this  is  one  of  the  desperate  corruptions  of 
your  church,  that  your  priests  are  called  sacrificing  priests, — they 
profess  to  offer  sacrifice  for  your  sins,  they  call  the  mass  "  a  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice."  Beloved  friends,  the  good  news  of  the  Gospel 
is,  that  our  precious  Redeemer  hath  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins. — 
Oh,  look  unto  Him.  There  can  be  no  repetition  of  it.  Repetition 
must  prove  its  utter  insufficiency.  That  is  the  argument  of  the 
Apostle  on  the  Jewish  sacrifices,  that  the  repetition  of  the  sacri- 
fices proves  their  inefficiency,  their  imperfection,  but  the  oneness 
of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  proves  that  our  blessed 
Redeemer's  sacrifice  was  sufficient  once  for  all,  as  he  says  in 
Hebrews  x.  11,  12,  "  Every  [mest  standeth  daily  ministering  and 
offering"  oftentimes  the  same  sacrifices,  which  can  never  take  away 
sins : — but  this  mati,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins 
forever,  sat  doivn  at  the  right  hand  of  God ;  from  henceforth 
expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool.  For  by  one  offer- 
ing he  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctifiedP  Why? 
because  it  Avas  finished,  the  work  was  done,  salvation  was  com- 
pleted, the  good  tidings  of  the  Gospel  which  He  commissioned  His 
Apostles  to  preach  to  sinjiers,  now  proclaim  finished  salvation 
through  His  precious  blood  shed  once  for  all.  Through  Him  this 
barrier  of  the  priesthood  between  Jew  and  Gentile  is  swept  away, 
and  both  Jew  and  Gentile  pointed  to  the  great  High  Priest,  who 
"ewer  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  ns^ 

Their  daily  food  was  also  another  Ijarrier.  You  see  that  in  Acts 
X.,  where  the  Apostle  Peter,  in  the  vision  that  he  had  of  a  sheet 
let  down  from  heaven,  in  which  were  numbers  of  beasts  of  all 
kinds,  foiu-footed  beasts  and  creeping  things,  all  mingled  together, 
which,  if  you  recollect,  were  separated  by  their  law  for  the  use  of 
the  Jews, — you  remember  the  distinction  marked  between  clean 
and  unclean  beasts,  so  tliat  the  Jews  were  obliged  in  their  daily 
food  to  take  care  that  they  eat  nothing  unclean  ;  and  even  to  this 
day,  most  Jews  will  not  touch  a  morsel  of  meat  that  has  been 
slain  by  any  one  but  their  own  Rabbles ;  they  must  have  their 
meat  slain  by  them,  that  they  may  be  sure,  that  according  to  their 
law,  not  a  drop  of  blood  is  left  in  it.  At  the  same  time  that  this 
vision  appeared  to  Peter,  "  there  came  a  voice  to  him,  rise,  Peter, 
kill  and  eat, — but  Peter  said,  not  so.  Lord  ;  for  I  have  never  eaten 
anything  that  is  common  or  unclean.  And  the  voice  spake  unto 
him  again  the  second  time,  what  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not 
thou  commonP  Acts  x.  13,  14,  15.  God  hath  broken  down  now, 
the  barrier  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  which  consisted  so  much  in 
the  use  of  certain  food,  in  things  clean  and  unclean.  God  hath 
abrogated  that  now,  God  hath  cleansed  it,  therefore  thou  art  no 
longer  to  call  that  common.  You  see  tliis  set  forth  in  Romans 
xiv.  This  principle  could  not  be  brought  immediately  into  opera- 
tion among  the  Jewish  converts.  The  Jewish  converts  had  been 
all  their  lives  accustomed  to  the  strictest  care  and  vigilance  in  what 
they  eat ;  and  they  could  not  be  brought  at  once  to  see,  that  there 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  195 

was  no  difference  between  clean  and  unclean  meats  :  and  there- 
fore, their  consciences  were  in  a  great  number  of  instances, 
extremely  scrupulous,  and  could  not  touch  the  things  that  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  consider  unclean.  This  is  that  principle 
on  which  the  Apostle  writes  in  Romans  xiv.,  to  which  it  is  impor- 
tant to  advert.  It  begins,  ^'Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  receive 
ye,  hut  not  to  douhtful  disputations ;  for  one  helieveth  that  he  may 
eat  all  things,  another  who  is  weak,  eateth  herhsP  Some  of  the 
Jews  did  not  think  that  they  might  eat  all  things,  others  of  them 
did.  Then  the  Apostle  is  here  exhorting  them  to  patience  and 
forbearance  and  tenderness  with  one  another  on  such  points  as 
these, — because,  if  a  man's  conscience  is  not  sufficienly  enlight- 
ened on  a  subject,  provided  he  believes  the  truth,  you  are  to  receive 
him  as  a  Christian  brother,  but  not  "  to  douhtful  disputations.''' 
This  shows  us,  that  there  are  many  points  on  which  the  con- 
sciences of  many  may  be  weak,  that  is,  not  clearly  enlightened, 
and  that  we  should  be  tender  and  kmd,  and  charitable,  and  care- 
ful of  wounding  them  on  minor  indifferent  points,  if  they  are,  by 
God's  grace,  brought  to  hold  the  head,  and  lean  on  Christ  Jesu$ 
the  Lord,  as  you  observe  the  Apostle  says,  "  Him  that  is  weak  in 
thefaith,^^ — "  in  thefaith,^'' — though  '•  weaU^  in  it.  He  says,  verse 
14,  ^^  I  know  and  am  persuaded  hy  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  there  is 
nothing  unclean  of  itself  hut  to  him  that  esteemeth  anything  to 
be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  uncleanP  I  read  this  verse  to  show  you 
the  complete  abrogation  of  the  ceremonial  law  on  this  subject. 
"  /  know  and  am  persuaded  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  there  is 
nothing  unclean  of  itself. ''''  Now,  that  text  completely  shows, 
that  the  whole  system  of  clean  and  unclean  meats  is  abrogated 
1\y  the  Christian  dispensation.  But  I  have  known  some  instances, 
of  devoted  servants  of  God,  who  have  had  a  tenderness  of  con- 
science about  eating  blood,  they  would  not  therefore  eat  game, 
or  any  animal  that  was  shot.  I  have  known  highly  intelligent 
Christians  whose  consciences  are  tender  on  the  subject.  I  merely 
mention  it  to  illustrate  what  the  Apostle  means — namely,  persons 
whose  consciences  are  weak  in  things  in  which  the  mind  is  not 
enlightened.  But  you  see  the  ordinances  as  to  all  unclean  meats 
were  completely  done  away  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  nothiiigis  unclean 
of  itself"  says  the  Apostle,  "  but  to  him  that  esteemeth  anything 
to  he  unclean,  to  him  it  is  miclean."  If  a  man  thinks  he  is  doing 
wrong  in  anything,  let  him  not  do  it, — '•  happy  is  he  that  con- 
demneth  not  himself  in  that  thing  ivhich  he  allouwth.'^  verse  22. 
The  whole  system  of  the  worship  of  the  Jews  was  another 
barrier. — It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  dwell  on  this  for  a  moment, 
because  you  know  it  must  have  separated  them  from  the  whole 
world.  You  will  find  that  dwelt  on  at  large,  in  Hebrews,  ix.  9. 
10,  11,  12,  where  the  Apostle  speaks  both  of  their  worship  and  it.^ 
abrogation,  by  the  fulfilment  of  its  types,  "  Which  was  a  figure,''' 
(that  is.  their  worship,  their  tabernacle  worship,)  "/o?"  the  tim,e 
then  present,  in  which  were  offered  both  gifts  and  sacrifices,  that 
could  not  make  him  that  did  the  service  perfect,  as  pertaining  tc 


196  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  conscience ;  ivliich  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks,  and  divers 
washings^  and  carnal  ordinances,  imposed  on  them  till  the 
titne  of  reformation.  But  Christ  being-  co?ne  an  high  priest  of 
good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle, 
not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  bnilding ;  neither 
by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered 
in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption 
for  us.'''  All  that  worship  of  theirs,  was  but  an  emblem  of  tlie 
great  and  glorious  work  of  Jesus — their  sacrifices  finished  in  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ^their  priesthood  abrogated  in  the  priesthood 
of  Christ.  No  longer  was  the  High  Priest  to  enter  into  the  holy 
place  with  blood  of  others — when  the  blessed  Jesus  bowed  His 
head  on  the  cross,  the  vail  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom,  to  show  that  the  way  into  the  Holiest  of  all  was  now  made 
manifest  to  the  sinner — when  He  Himself,  the  Great  High  Priest, 
passed  into  the  heavens,  there  "  to  appear,^"*  once  for  all,  and  that 
forever,  "  in  the  presence  of  God  for  usP  Therefore,  you  per- 
ceive that  all  the  ordinances  that  had  separated  the  Jew  from  the 
Gentile,  had  been  completely  done  away.  Now,  let  us  read  over 
the  passage  again,  and  I  trust  you  will  all  understand  it  clearly, 
"He  is  our  PEACE,  WHO  HATH  MADE  BOTH  (Jew  and  Gen- 
tile) ONE,  AND  HATH  BROKEN  DOWN  THE  MIDDLE  WALL  OP 
PARTITION  BETWEEN  US  ;  HAVING  ABOLISHED  IN  HIS  FLESH 
THE  ENMITY,  EVEN  THE  LAW  OF  COMMANDMENTS  CONTAINED 
IN  ORDINANCES  ;  FOR  TO  MAKE  IN  HIMSELF  OF  TWAIN  ONE 
NEW  MAN,  SO  MAKING  PEACE  ;  AND  THAT  HE  MIGHT  RECONCILE 
BOTH  UNTO  God  in  ONE  BODY  BY  THE  CROSS,  HAVING  SLAIN 
THE  ENMITY  THEREBY  ;  AND  CAME  AND  PREACHED  PEACE  TO 
YOU  WHICH  WERE  AFAR  OFF,  AND  TO  THEM  THAT  WERE   NIGH." 

So  these  are  His  own  blessed  words,  speaking  of  the  Gentiles, 
"  Other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold :  them,  also  I 
must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice ;  and  there  shall  be 
onefold,  and  one  shepherd.''-  John  x.  16,  "  Where  there  is  neither 
Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircmncision.  Barbarian, 
Scythian,  bond  nor  free  :  but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all.''''  Col. 
iii.  11. 

But  this  passage  of  Scripture,  not  only  shows,  that  He  had 
made  peace  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  but  further,  "  that  he 

MIGHT  RECONCILE  BOTH  UNTO  GoD  IN  ONE  BODY,  BY  THE 
GROSS,  HAVING  SLAIN  THE  ENMITY  THEREBY." 

Now  let  me  call  your  attention  to  the  difference  that  there  is 
between  these  two  words,  or  rather  this  same  word  in  these  two 
verses.  The  word  "  enmity"  in  the  15th  verse,  and  the  word  "  en- 
mity" in  the  16th  verse.  The  enmity  in  the  15th  verse  is  the  enmity 
between  Jew  and  Gentile,  "  having  abolished  in  his  flesh 
THE  enmity,"  and  He  tells  you  what  that  enmity  was,  "  even 

THE     LAW     OF     COMMANDMENTS,    CONTAINED     IN    ORDINANCES." 

But  the  "  enmity"  in  the  16th  verse,  is  the  enmity  (hat  both  Jew 
and  Gentile  have  to  God.  This  is  the  enmity  that  you  read  of  in 
Romans  viii.  7,  "  the  carnal  m,ind  is  enm,ity  against  God-"     But 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  197 

mark,  too,  the  different  expressions  that  are  used — "  having 
ABOLISHED  IN  HIS  FLESH  THE  ENMITY,  (betAveen  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile) EVEN  THE  LAW  OF  COMMANDMENTS,  CONTAINED  IN  ORDI- 
NANCES"— but  the  enmity  between  God  and  man  is  spoken  of  dif- 
ferently,^" HAVING    SLAIN  THE  ENMITY  THEREBY."      The   filSt 

enmity  is  "  abolished" — the  enmity  between  Jew  and  Gentile  is 
taken  away,  the  commandments  and  ordinances  are  abrogated. 
The  second  enmity  between  them  and  God,  is  "  slain,"  because 
the  carnal  mind,  the  carnal  nature,  the  carnal  heart,  the  old  man, 
all  the  rebellion  of  the  believer  against  his  God,  is  slain  forever — 
dead  upon  the  cross  of  Christ.     I  pray  you  attend  to  this.     He 

says    "  HAVING    SLAIN    THE    ENMITY    THEREBY."       Look    tO    Ro- 

mans  vi.  6,  7,  '•  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with 
hi?n,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we 
should  not  serve  sin.     For  he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin." 

I  have  dwelt  very  often  on  this  passage  of  Scripture  and  the 
glorious  truth  contained  in  it.  But  now,  let  me  dwell  on  it  again, 
for  we  ought  all  to  dwell  on  it  every  day, — "'  our  old  man  is  cru- 
cified with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that 
henceforth  toe  should  not  serve  sin,  for  he  that  is  dead  is  freed 
from  sinP  There  is  no  sin  chargeable  upon  a  dead  body,  a  dead 
body  can  have  no  sin.  He  that  believeth  in  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord  is  accounted  by  God  as  dead  with  Christ  upon  the  cross ;  he 
is  accounted  as  one  with  Christ,  and  dead  with  Christ.  As  the 
justice  of  God  had  been  fully  satisfied,  all  the  demands  of  God's 
righteous  law  had  been  finished  when  Jesus  died — finished  for- 
ever, not  only  for  the  Jew,  but  for  every  sinner  that  believeth  on 
Him, — so  all  who  believe  are  dead  with  Christ,  as  you  have  in 
this  chapter,  Romans  vi.  11,  "  Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves 
to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,"  and  in  Colossians  iii.  3,  "  Ye  are  dead,  and 
your  life  is  hid  ivith  Christ  in  God."  What  is  the  practical  ap- 
plication of  this  ?  Look  to  the  next  chapter,  Romans  vii.,  and  you 
will  see  it  practically  applied  by  the  Apostle  Paul ; — he,  speaking  of 
his  own  sense  of  sin,  his  own  corruption,  his  own  burden,  says,  "  / 
see  a  law  in  my  meinbers  warring  against  the  law  ofm,y  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  tlie  laiv  of  sin  which  is  in  m,y  memr 
bersP  He  felt  what  you,  believer,  feel.  I  say,  you  believer, — every 
one  of  you  who  believe  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  feels  as  Saint  Paul  felt— 
if  you  believe,  you  feel  within,  your  own  corrupt  heart,  rebellious 
against  your  conscience,  against  your  own  standard  of  right,  which 
is  the  holy  law  of  God,  and  when  you  would  desire  to  do  good,  you 
find  evil  present  with  you,  you  feel  that  "  law  in  your  members, 
warring  against  the  law  of  your  mind,  and  bringing  you  into 
captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  that  is  in  your  members"— \i  is  the 
law  of  your  body  of  sin  and  death, — you  feel  that  law  evermore 
contending  against  the  law  of  your  mind,  and  bringing  you  into 
captivity  every  day.  This  very  day,  since  you  came  into  this 
congregation,  there  is  not  a  single  one  among  you,  that  has  been 
able  to  worship  God  as  you  desire  to  do.     There  is  not  a  single 


198  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

one  among  you  who  feels  you  have  worshipped  God  as  you  ought  to 
do.  Any  of  you  who  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, — you  think 
you  are  very  good — you  have  come  to  church, — you  have  said 
your  prayers, — as  you  call  it,  and  you  think  you  are  very  good 
for  doing  so.  But  you,  believer,  feel  very  differently,  you  feel 
your  poor  heart  distracted,  vain  and  foolish  thoughts  have  come 
into  your  mind  since  you  came  into  this  house,  and  defiling  all 
your  prayers,  you  feel  how  little  you  worship  God  as  you  long  to 
do, — you  mourn  that  you  are  continually  more  inclined  merely 
to  "  say  your  prayers"  than  to  pray — thus  you  feel  that  corrupt 
heart  of  yours  warring  against  the  law  of  your  mind,  you  feel  you 
cannot  do  as  you  ought, — so  did  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  then  he 
cries  out,  "  OA,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  icho  shall  deliver  me 
from  the  body  of  this  death  'P  then  he  adds,  "  /  thank  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  hord^' — ^as  much  as  to  say,  "  I  am  de- 
livered from  it,  it  is  dead  with  Christ,  though  it  is  living  in  me— 
working  in  me — though  it  is  bringing  my  heart  down — making  me 
sink  under  a  sense  of  my  own  guilt  and  vileness, — ^yet,  I  thank  God 
it  is  dead  with  Christ — it  is  crucified  with  Him — ^it  stransgression  is 
finished— its  sin  is  made  an  end  of — it  never  can  come  against 
me — my  God  has  blotted  it  out — -the  blood  of  the  Lamb  has 
washed  it  away,  and  therefore,  '  /  thank  God  through  Jesus 
Christ.^  My  blessed  Redeemer  has  slain  the  enmity  of  this 
guilty  heart  to  God,  and  so  has  reconciled  me,  a  guilty  sinner  to 
my  God  and  Father."  Oil  !  then,  rejoice,  believer,  lift  up  your 
heart,  look  to  your  Lord  and  Saviour,  triumph  over  death,  sin, 
and  hell,  and  thank  your  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Then — when  groaning  and  brought  low  as  he  was — then — when 
like  him  constrained  to  cry  out,  "  Oh,  tvrelched  man  that  I  am, 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  let  faith 
triumph  over  sin  and  death,  and  say,  "  /  thank  God  through 
Christ  JesusP  That  is  faith,  that  is  trust,  that  is  confidence  in 
God's  blessed  word.     "  Lord  increase  our  faith  P 

So  then,  "  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby,"  and  recon- 
ciled Jew  and  Gentile  unto  God,  "  in  one  body  by  the  cross, 

HE  CAME  AND  PREACHED  PEACE  TO  YOU  WHICH  WERE  AFAR 
OFF,  AND  TO    THEM    THAT   WERE     NIGH," peace    tO    the  Gciltile, 

and  peace  to  the  Jew,  "  peace  to  them  that  were  afar  off, 
AND  to  them  that  WERE  NIGH."  Aud  is  uot  this  peacc  ?  Is 
it  not  peace  to  see  your  sins  blotted  out  through  the  blood  of 
Jesus  ?  When  Jesus  has  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  His  cross, 
what  can  make  war  ?  If  God  is  satisfied,  if  eternal  justice  is  satis- 
fied, what  have  you  to  fear  then  ?  "  It  is  God  that  justifieth,  who 
is  he  that  co7idemneth  ?"  Who  can  condemn  when  God  acquits  ? 
when  the  Judge  of  heaven  and  earth  pronounces  the  sinnei-  inno- 
cent? Oh,  what  an  amazing  expression  !  what  a  paradox  !  ^wV 
what  a  truth  !  !  when  God  pronounces  the  sinner  iiinocent? — In- 
nocent sinner  !  Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing  ?  Yes,  blessed 
be  God  !  though  a  sinner,  yet  counted  innocent, — though  guilty, 
yet  counted  clear,  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  !    Oh,  is  not  this 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  199 

peace?    "He  came  and  preached  peace  to  you  which  were 

AFAR    OFF  AND    TO    THEM    THAT  WERE    NIGH."       HoW  did  Christ 

preach  peace  ?  How  does  He  preach  peace  ?  He  preached  peace 
by  His  propliets,  Isaiah  xxvii.  5,  "  Let  him  take  hold  of  my 
strength^  that  he  may  rnake  peace  with  me ;"  (that  is,  Christ,) 
"  and  he  shall  make  jjeace  with  me."  Then  again  He  saith,  hi.  7, 
"  Hoiv  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him,  that 
bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace ;  that  bringethgood 
tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth  salvation  ;  that  saith  unto  Zion, 
thy  God  reigneth  .'"  And  again,  Ivii.  19,  "  /  create  the  fruit  of 
the  lips  ;  peace,  peace  to  him.  that  is  far  off,  and  to  him  that  is 
near,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  heal  him:''  This  appears  to  be 
the  very  passage  that  the  Spirit  suggested  to  Saint  Paul,  when  he 
quoted  this  verse,  "  peace  to  you  that  are  afar  off,  and 
TO  them  that  are  nigh." 

Again,  He  preached  peace  by  His  angels.  What  was  the  song 
of  the  angels  when  the  blessed  Redeemer  was  born? — when  they 
came  to  announce  the  birth  of  the  Saviour  ?  "  Glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace,  good  will  towards  7nenP 

Again,  He  came  and  preached  peace  by  His  own  word,  as  he 
says  in  St.  John's  Gospel,  xiv.  27,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my 
peace  I  give  unto  you,  not  as  the  ivorld  giveth,  give  I  unto  you. 
Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraidP  Again, 
He  closes  His  conversation  with  His  disciples  in  these  words, 
'■'•  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you  that  in  me  ye  might  have 
peace.''''  John  xvi.  33.  And  what  was  that  peace  ?  You  see  that 
peace  explained  in  chapter  xx.  19.  After  our  blessed  Lord  arose 
from  the  dead,  when  He  came  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  the 
room  where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  what 
were  His  first  words,  when  He  came  and  stood  in  the  midst  of 
them?  The  first  accents  that  fell  from  His  blessed  lips  were  these, 
^^  Peace  be  unto  youT  The  very  men  that  '■'■  forsook  him  and 
fled.'^  Peter  that  denied  Him  with  an  oath — to  him  He  saith, 
"  Peace  be  unto  you."  And  again,  in  eight  days  after,  to  Thomas, 
who  said  he  would  not  believe  unless  he  put  his  finger  into  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  his  hand  into  His  side, — what  is  the 
first  word  that  Jesus  speaks  to  them  all?  ^- Peace  be  unto  you, 
and  when  he  had  so  said.  He  slioioed  them  his  hands  and 
his  side."  As  mucli  as  to  say,  "  Peace  be  unto  you,"  and,  behold 
here  is  the  purchase  of  that  peace — here  is  the  price  of  peace, 
here  is  the  security  of  peace, — '^Behold  my  hands  and  my  side." 
Well  indeed  may  those  words  be  added,  '•  Then  tvere  the  disciples 
glad,  ivhen  they  saw  the  Lord."  v.  21.  "  He  came  and  preached 
peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that 
WERE  NIGH."  To  His  disciples,  who  were  Jews — to  Saul,  a  Jew 
too,  a  persecutor  and  blasphemer — to  you,  poor  idolatrous  wor- 
shippers of  Diana  at  Epliesus, — and  blessed  be  His  name,  it  is  the 
same  peace  to  us  who  are  far  off,  poor  Gentiles  in  these  islands. 

So  He  preaches  peace  by  His  Apostles.  What  is  His  commis- 
sion to  them?     '•  Go  ye  into  all  the  ivorld,  and preaclt  the  Gospel 


200  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

to  every  creature.''^  Mark  xvi.  15.  What  is  that  Gospel  ?  Peace 
with  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  pardon  through  His 
blood,  and  peace  through  His  salvation.  So  you  see  the  Apostles 
preaching.  I  should  go  through  the  whole  of  the  Apostolical 
epistles,  were  I  to  quote  on  this  subject.  How  do  they  commence 
all  their  epistles  ?  "  Grace^  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  the  Fa- 
ther, and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'^  How  did  St.  Peter  preach 
his  first  sermon  ?  To  whom  was  the  first  proclamation  of  peace 
made  ?  To  whom  did  the  Apostles  make  the  first  proclamation  of 
peace  ?  To  the  men  whose  hands  were  embrued  in  the  blood  of 
Christ.  See  Acts  ii.,  when  Peter  had  testified  against  them  for  their 
crimes,  and  when  they  cried  out,  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  Repent,  and 
he  baptized  every  one  of  yon,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
for  the  ji^'omise  is  unto  you,  and  unto  your  children,  and  to  all 
that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 
V.  38,  39.  Come  to  the  Saviour  whom  you  have  slain,  come  to 
Him,  whose  blood  has  stained  your  guilty  hands,  come  to  Him,  re- 
ceive pardon  and  peace.     He  preaches  "  peace  to  you  which 

WERE  AFAR  OFF,  AND  TO  THEM  THAT  WERE  NIGH." 

He  preaches  peace  by  His  ordinances.  What  is  that  feast? 
What  is  that  which  is  spread  on  that  table  ?  Who  instituted  that 
ordinance  ?  For  what  purpose  was  it  instituted  ?  Was  it  not  by 
Him  "  who  in  the  same  night  that  he  tvas  betrayed  took  bread, 
and  ivhen  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it  and  gave  it  to  his  dis- 
ciples, saying  :  take,  eat,  this  is  iny  body  which  is  given  for  you  : 
do  this  in  remembrance  of  me.  Likewise  after  supper,  he  took 
the  cup,  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  gave  it  to  them,  say- 
ing, drink  ye  all  of  this,  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  nev)  testa- 
ment, which  is  shed  for  you  and  for  many  for  the  remission  of 
sins.  Do  this,  as  oft  as  ye  shall  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of 
meP  The  pledge  of  peace — the  memorial  of  peace,  purchased 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  just  as  fresh  this  day  as  when  it  came  from 
His  own  blessed  hands.  There  is  the  ordinance  remaining,  im- 
mutable to  this  day,  from  the  night  He  instituted  it  among  His 
disciples  to  this  moment.  There  it  is,  just  as  it  was,  broken  bread 
and  poured  out  wine,  the  memorial  of  peace,  and  this  "  to  you 
WHO  WERE  AFAR  OFF,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  AND  to  them  that 

WERE  NIGH." 

Oh,  blessed  be  God  !  peace  is  purchased  for  them  that  are  afiir 
off,  and  I  dare  say,  I  address  some  sinners  who  are  very  far  off 
from  God,  to-day.  I  have  no  doubt,  I  address  many  who  are  very  far 
off  from  Him  indeed — sunk  in  sin  and  wickedness — coming  into  a 
church — perhaps,  they  do  not  know  why — perhaps  some — who 
seldom  attend  a  place  of  public  worship — sabbath-breakers — liars 
— drunkards — thieves — murderers — adulterers — all,  or  any  other 
class  of  sinners.  If  such  be  your  character,  you  are  far  from 
God — you  have  no  peace  with  God — no  comfort — terror  at  the 
thought  of  death — trying  to  forget  that  you  are  immortal  beings — 
hating  anything  that  forces  you  to  remember  it — perhaps  greatly 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  201 

displeased,  now,  at  my  thus  addressing  you — peiliaps  anxious  to 
go,  but  ashamed  to  go  out  of  the  church — ashamed  to  get  up  and 
go  out — hating  me,  for  testifying  against  your  guih.  and  misery  ; 
and  thinking  I  am  speaking  to  your  case — perhaps  you  think  so — - 
an  accusing  conscience  has  a  fearful  power  in  applying  the  Word 
of  God.  You  are  far  from  God.  What  shall  I  say  to  you  ?  What 
is  my  commission  to  you  ?  "  Peace,  peace  to  you  who  are 
AFAR  off." 

However  guilty  your  poor  soul  is,  the  message  of  the  Gospel  is 
peace.  The  message  of  God's  law  indeed  is  terrible — the  message 
of  God's  justice  is  terrible — it  is  vengeance,  judgment,  curse,  death 
and  hell.  Oh  !  "  consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he  pluck 
you  away,  and  there  he  none  to  deliver  yonP  But  that  is  not  the 
message  of  the  Gospel.  I  must  speak  of  these  things  to  you,  but 
for  what  purpose  ?  to  enhance  to  you  the  glory  of  the  everlasting 
Gospel,  the  riches  of  Immanuel's  grace,  who  sends  a  message  of 
peace  and  mercy  to  your  souls,  "  Peace,  peace  to  you  who  are 
afar  off." 

I  address,  I  doubt  not,  some,  who  compared  with  you,  think  they 
are  very  nigh,  some  who  may  be  very  diligent  in  all  their  obser- 
vances of  religion,  some  Pharisees  who  are  strict  in  all  the  ordi- 
nances of  their  Church,  and  who  would  not  for  the  world,  omit 
one  of  them, — but  who  still  are  resting  their  souls  on  these  observ- 
ances and  ordinances,  resting  their  souls  on  what  they  are  doing 
for  themselves.  They  may  be  said  in  one  sense  to  be  nigh  to 
God  ;  for  they  attend  on  the  worship  of  God,  "  they  draw  nigh 
with  their  lips,"  but  ^^  their  heart  is  far  from  Him,"  they  are  just 
as  far  from  peace  as  you,  such  persons  are  all  alike  far  from  peace, 
— they  are  as  far  from  peace  as  the  publicans  of  old.  The  Phari- 
sees and  Scribes  were  just  as  far  from  peace  and  from  God,  as  the 
publicans  and  harlots ;  and  so  it  is  with  them.  Indeed,  often  as 
of  old,  the  publicans  and  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  be- 
fore such,  and  often  it  is,  that  to  a  poor,  wretched,  guilty,  vile  sin- 
ner, whose  character  is  blasted  among  men — the  sound  of  the 
Gospel  will  reach  his  ear — the  peace  of  Christ  Jesus  will  touch 
his  heart — his  soul  will  be  melted  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  he 
will  come,  like  her  who  had  her  mighty  debt  forgiven — lie  down 
at  his  Saviour's  feet  and  wash  them  with  his  tears. 

Oh,  that  it  may  be  so  among  you  to-day  !  And  remember,  dear 
fellow-sinner,  whoever  you  are,  there  is  but  one  peace.     "Peace 

TO    YOU  WHO   ARE    AFAR    OFF  AND    TO    THEM    THAT    ARE    NIGH," 

peace  to  the  Gentile — peace  to  the  Jew,— peace  to  all  who  bear  the 
name  of  Christian,  whose  heart  may  he  as  far  from  God,  as  Jew 
or  Pagan — our  message  is,  peace  to  all  through  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Oh  !  that  God,  by  the  blessed  power  of  His  Spirit,  may  bring 
this  home  to  your  hearts  and  consciences,  my  friends,  that  you 
may  know  what  it  is  to  have  peace  with  God  through  Christ. 
May  the  Lord  apply  it, — may  the  Lord  bring  it  home  with  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit  and  of  power  to  your  souls,  that  you  may 
knoAv  the  sweetness  of  having  the  blessed  message  of  God's  mercy, 


202  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPilKtilANS. 

and  the  blessed  ordinance  of  Christ's  salvation  spread  before  you, 
and  that  your  souls  may  be  enabled  to  feed  on  Him  who  is  our 
Peace,  our  Rest,  our  Rock,  our  Salvation, — to  "  feed  on  Him  in 
your  hearts,  by  faith,  with  thanksgiving."     Amen. 


EIGHTEENTH    LECTURE 


Efhesians  II. — 18. 
"  For  through  hhn  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father." 

On  the  last  day,  we  considered  the  state  of  the  Gentiles  by 
nature,  as  expressed  in  11th  and  12th  verses — severed  from  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  the  Jews — severed  from  the  ordinances  and  the  revela- 
tion of  God,  and  consequently  from  God  Himself  "  Having  no 
hope,  and  without  God  in  the  7V07'ld."  We  considered  the  means 
by  which  they  were  brought  nigh  to  the  people  of  God — brought 
from  a  state  of  guilt  and  condemnation,  iiito  a  state  of  union  with 
God's  people,  and  into  a  state  of  peace  with  God  Himself,  even  by 
Christ  Jesus.  "  No7v  in  Christ  Jesus,'"  adds  the  Apostle,  in  the 
13th  verse,  "  ye  who  sometimes  were  afar  off  are  7nade  nigh  hy 
the  blood  of  Christ,^'' — made  nigh  to  the  Church  of  the  Jews, — Jew 
and  Gentile  united  together,  and  both  made  nigh  to  God — all  one 
in  Christ  Jesus  ;  "/o/"  he  is  our  peace."  He — that  is  Christ  Jesus, 
"  who  hath  made  both  one^'^ — Jew  and  Gentile  who  believe  in  Him, 
— "  and  hath  broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  betiveen"  us, 
— which  separated  the  Jew  from  the  Gentile, — ^'•having  abolished  in 
his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in 
ordinances,  for  to  make  in  himself,  of  twain,  one  new  man,  so 
snaking  peace,  and  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one 
body  by  the  cross."  Recollect,  then,  the  way  in  which  alone  we 
can  be  reconciled  to  God, — by  the  blood  of  Christ,  by  the  cross, 
"  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby :"  having  slain  the  enmity  be- 
tween man  and  God  by  the  cross,  having  "  borne  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,"  1  Pet.  ii.  24, — having  taken  our  flesh,  "  that 
through  death,  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  jjoirer  of  death, 
that  is  the  devil ;  and  deliver  them,  who  through  fear  of  death, 
were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  Heb.  ii.  14,  15,  and  so 
^^  having  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  he  came  and 
preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that  ivere 
nigh ;" — to  the  Gentiles  who  were  afar  off,  and  to  the  Jews  who 
were  nigh,  who  had  the  oracles  of  God,  and  the  ordinances  of  God, 
and  the  means  of  grace,  but  who  still,  though  nigh  in  outward 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  203 

form  and  privileges,  were  just  as  far  separated  in  spirit  and  truth 
as  you  were. 

Outward  forms,  ordinances,  and  privileges,  may  be  said,  in  one 
sense,  to  bring  a  sinner  nigh  to  God,  as  they  do.  They  bring  him 
within  the  means  of  grace,  they  enable  him  to  come  and  hear  the 
Gospel  preached,  to  come  and  attend  instruction  from  the  word  of 
the  living  God,  as  in  Lectures,  to  come  and  attend  the  ordinances 
of  God,  as  in  public  Worship  and  Sacraments,  these  things  all 
bring  a  sinner,  in  a  certain  sense,  outwardly  nigh  to  God.  You 
are  all,  of  coiuse,  in  this  sense,  far  nigher  to  God  than  many  of 
your  poor  countr}aiien  and  countrywomen,  who  have  no  Bible,  no 
Gospel  preached  to  them,  no  message  of  peace  or  salvation  to  their 
souls,  but  vain  superstitions  substituted  for  the  Gospel  of  Christ  ;— 
you  are  nuicli  nearer  to  God  in  that  sense  than  others.  But 
remember  that  these  things  do  not  bring  the  sinner  spiritually 
nigh  to  God  ;  you  may  enjoy  all  these  outward  ordinances,  and  be 
just  as  far  from  God  as  the  heatlien,  or  the  idolater  v/ho  never 
heard  His  name.  The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  just  as  far  from 
Christ  as  the  worshipper  of  Diana  of  Ephesus,  though  they  enjoyed 
all  His  ordinances,  and  in  that  sense  were  nigh  to  God  ;  they  disbe- 
lieved the  record  of  the  eternal  Gospel,  and  were,  in  that  sense, 
as  far  from  God  as  the  remotest  heathens.  Therefore,  remember 
this  distinction,  and  it  is  very  important,  for  Alas  !  my  dear  friends, 
we  are  so  apt  to  rest  in  outward  means,  and  outward  ordinances, 
to  mistake  the  forms  of  religion  for  religion  itself,  the  privileges 
of  spiritual  religion  iox  spiritual  religion  itself — that  we  have  great 
need  to  be  driven  every  moment  back  into  our  own  hearts,  and  to 
stop  in  the  midst  of  ordinances. and  privileges,  and  ask  ourselves, — 
"What  is  this  to  me?  Is  my  soul  brought  nigh  to  God  by  the 
blood  of  Christ  ?  Have  I  peace  with  God  through  Him  that  died 
on  the  cross  ?  Am  I  ready  and  watching  when  my  Master  calls 
me  ?  or  when  my  Master  comes  ?"  These  are  important  questions ; 
— take  heed,  you  do  not  rest  in  outward  privileges.  Outward 
privileges  are  only  aggravations  of  guilt,  if  they  do  not  bring  us 
nearer  to  God  in  spirit  and  truth,  therefore  mark  and  recollect  this 
distinction  in  reading  this  passage  of  Scripture — He  "  came  and 
preached  peace  to  you  ivhich  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that  loere 
7iigh." 

The  Apostle  proceeds,  "for  through  him  we   both  have 

ACCESS  BY  ONE  SPIRIT  UNTO  THE  FATHER."       Tllis  is  the  tCXt  at 

which  we  commence  this  day.  Observe  in  this  passage,  the  only 
way  in  which  a  sinner  can  come  to  his  God:  "through  him, 
AVE  both  have  access  ;"  Jew  and  Gentile  alike — none  other 
access  for  either.  Observe  how  this  agrees  with  the  expression  of 
our  blessed  Lord  Himself,  in  the  14(,h  chap,  of  St.  John's  Gospel, 
6th  verse,  "  /  am  the  way  and  the  tratli  and  the  life,  no  man 
come'h  to  the  Father  hiU  hy  nie^''  and  again  he  says  in  the  10th 
chapter,  Oth  verse  "  I  ani  the  door,  hy  7ne,  if  any  man  enter  in,  lie 
shall  he  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out  and  find  pasture.''  There- 
fore, observe,  through  Him  alone  we  have  access.     Nov/  consider, 


204  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

what  need  of  access  a  sinner  has  to  his  God.  "  We  must  all  ap- 
pear before  the  judg-ment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may 
receive  the  things  done  in  his  bodyJ^  2  Cor.  v.  10.  Time  is  hur- 
rying us  on.  We  are,  as  it  were,  grasped  in  the  mighty  hand  of 
time,  and  dragged  or  driven  along,  however  rehictant  we  may  be, 
to  the  precipice  of  death.  Like  the  poor  culprits  of  old,  who  were 
sentenced  at  Rome,  to  be  hurled  down  from  the  summit  of  the 
Tarpeian  rock,  we  are,  as  it  were,  hurried  along  under  the  sentence 
of  death  to  the  verge  of  the  precipice  of  eternity ; — on — on — down 
— down  we  must  go.  We  cannot  turn  about  and  parley  with  the 
officers  that  are  hurrying  us  along ;  we  cannot  turn  about,  and  say 
to  the  minutes,  hours,  and  days — "  Oh  !  stop, — wait, — linger  a 
little  slower, — give  me  a  little  more  time, — do  not  fly  so  fast,^ — a 
little  space — a  little  respite."  Impossible !  on,  on,  on,  on  we  must 
go  ;  who  or  what  shall  arrest  the  rapidity  of  our  progress  ?  What 
barrier  can  be  erected  to  stay  the  flight  of  time  ?  Is  it  not  necessary 
then,  for  the  poor  sinner  to  have  access  to  his  God  ?  If  you  could 
suppose  a  culprit,  such  as  I  have  been  speaking  of,  doomed  to  be 
cast  from  the  summit  of  the  Tarpeian  rock — if,  when  he  was  in 
the  act  of  being  dragged  to  the  execution  of  his  sentence,  it  were 
possible  that  he  could  even  then  have  access  to  the  means  of  pardon 
- — if  it  were  possible  that  even  then,  his  voice  might  reach  the  ears 
of  the  judge  who  could  reverse  his  sentence — Oh.!  with  what  joy 
would  he  pour  forth  that  cry,  would  he  send  forth  that  supplication 
to  the  judge's  ear,  if  haply  indeed,  his  fate  might  be  arrested,  and 
he  might  be  restored  to  liberty  and  life  !  Though  we  cannot  pause 
on  our  progress  to  eternity,  yet  may  we  have  access  every  moment 
to  the  ear  of  our  Judge ;  and  remember,  that  it  is  not  a  sinner  cry- 
ing to  God  for  respite,  and  for  pardon. — No — but  this  is  the  awful 
point  of  the  case,  that  it  is  God  crying  to  the  sinner  to  receive  respite 
and  pardon;  '^turu  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die?"  Remember 
this  ; — it  is  not,  only,  come  you  to  God,  cry  you  to  the  judge,  for 
the  judge  will  have  mercy  upon  you.  But  the  language  of  the 
Gospel  is  a  message  from  your  God  to  you,  crying  to  you. — Oh  ! 
sinner,  peace,  peace,  pardon,  pardon,  "  co?ne  nnto  me  and  I  unll g-ive 
you  rest,"  "  look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved."  Oh  !  think  of  this  ; 
"  he  came  and  preached  peace  to  you  who  were  afar  off,"  here  is 
the  access ;  you  may  have  access  continually  to  your  God.  God 
invites  you, — commands  you, — to  cry  to  Him,  to  come  to  Him,  He 
proclaims  peace  to  you,  however  far — pardon,  however  guilty. 

Now,  "  through  Him,  we  have  access" — then  if  we  feel  the 
need  we  have  of  this  access,  let  us  consider  the  nature  of  it.  Let 
us  open  the  4th  chapter  of  Hebrews,  and  we  shall  see,  that  such 
is  the  nature  of  the  access  which  the  sinner  has  to  his  God,  that 
he  is  not  only  privileged  to  come,  invited  to  come,  but  to  come  with 
confidence  and  boldness.  Look  at  the  last  verse,  "  let  us  therefore 
come  BOLDLY  u)ito  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." 

"  Let  us  therefore" — wherefore  ? — what  is  the  reason  ? — what 
is  the  means?     You  observe,  it  is  exactly  the  same  that  is  set  be- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  205 

fore  us  in  this  text,  for  in  this  text  it  is  said,  "  through  him,  we 

HAVE  ACCESS,  BY  ONE  SpiRIT  UNTO  THE  FaTHER.'"       NoW,  if  WC 

look  at  the  reason,  4th  chapter  of  Hebrews,  why  it  is  said,  "  let  us 
therefore  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace^'' — if  we  look  at  the 
word  "  therefore''''  and  ask  ourselves  the  question,  wherefore  7  We 
shall  find  it  answered  in  the  I4th  and  15th  verses,  "  Seeing  then 
that  we  have  a  great  high  j^riest  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
.Testis  the  Son  of  God^  let  us  hold  fast  our  profession.  For  we 
have  not  an  high  priest  ivho  cannot  he  touched  with  the  feeling 
of  our  infirmities  ;  but  ivas  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 
yet  without  sin.  Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne 
graceP  Mark — "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great  high  priest 
that  is  passed  into  the  heavens."  Who  is  this  High  Priest?  what 
is  the  office  of  this  Priest?  what  is  the  necessity  of  a  Priest? 
what  has  a  Priest  to  say  to  us  ?  "  Every  high  priest  is  ordained 
to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices.''^  Heb.  viii.  3.  We  see  the  office  of  a 
priest  is  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices.  Then,  we  find  in  the  7th 
chapter  of  the  Hebrews,  26th  verse,  "  Such  an  high  priest  became 
us,'"  was  suited  to  us  "  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate 
from,  sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the  heavens  ;  ivho  needeth 
not  daily,  as  those  high  priests,  to  offer  up  sacrifices,  first  for  his 
own  sins,  and  then  for  the  people  :  for  this  he  did  once,  when  he 
offered  up  himself ;  for  the  law  maketh  men  high  priests  which 
have  infirmity  ;  hut  the  w'ord  of  the  oath  ivhich  was  since  the  law, 
7naketh  the  Son,  ivho  is  consecrated  for  evermore." 

Now  we  are  told,  in  this  passage  of  Ephesians  which  we  have 
been  reading,  that  sinners  are  "  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ" 
— we  are  told  that  He  slew  the  enmity  between  God  and  man,  on 
the  cross,  by  giving  His  own  life  on  that  cross  for  sinners — we  are 
told  that  He  offered  up  Himself  as  an  atonement  for  man's  trans- 
gressions,— He  was  a  Priest,  He  was  a  victim, — such  is  the  lan- 
guage of  St.  John,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world !"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  slain  on  the  cross 
for  sin  : — now,  behold  the  Lamb  risen  from  the  dead,  and  ascended 
into  heaven,  not  only  a  Lamb  and  a  victim,  but  a  Priest,  "  he  is 
jiassed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,"  "  having  ob- 
tained ctertial  redemption  for  us."  We  read  in  the  9th  chapter 
Hebrews,  from  the  24th  verse,  "  Clirist  is  not  entered  into  the  holy 
jylaces  made  with  hands,  whicli  are  the  figures  of  the  true ;  hut 
into  heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 
Nor  yet  that  he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  en- 
tereth  into  the  holy  place  every  year  with  blood  of  others ;  for 
then  must  he  often  have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world :  but  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  ivorld  hath  he  appeared  to 
put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself P  And  in  the  next  chap- 
ter, from  the  11th  verse,  '■^  Every  priest  standeth  daily  m,inister- 
ing,  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same  sacrifices,  which  can  never 
take  away  sins ;  but  this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice 
for  sins  forever,  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  from  hence- 
forth expecting  till  his  enemies  he  made  his  footstool ;  for  hy 


206  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ojie  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified. 

Whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  also  is  a  witness  to  ns  :  for  after  that 
he  had  said  before,  this  is  the  covenant  that  Iiinll  make  with  them 
after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord  :  Iivill  jnit  my  laws  into  their 
hearts,  and  in  their  Tninds  ivill  I  write  them :  and  their  sins  and 
iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more.  Now  where  remission  of 
these  is,  there  is  no  Tnore  offering  for  sin?^  Where  is  remission 
of  sins  ?  whence  is  it  ?  How  is  it  to  be  found  ?  In  the  blood  of 
Christ.  "  The  blood  of  Jestis  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.^^ 
Then,  "  lohere  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for 
sin," — there  is  nothing  more  to  be  done. — ^'■Having,  therefore, 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new 
and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  ns,  through  the 
veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh ;  and  having  an  high  priest  over  the 
honse  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  Jiear  loith  a  true  heart,  in  full  assur- 
atice  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience, 
and  our  bodies  washed  with  jjure  water.  Let  us  hold  fast  the 
profession  of  our  faith  2vitho7it  wavering ;  (for  he  is  faithfid 
that  promised :)  and  let  us  consider  one  another  to  provoke  unto 
love  and  to  good  works :  not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  ou?'- 
selves  together,  as  the  m,anner  of  some  is  ;  but  exhorting  one  an- 
other :  and  so  much  the  m^ore,  as  ye  see  the  day  approaching." 
Heb.  X.  19—2.5. 

Now,  to  compare  these  passages  of  Scripture.  We  have  here, 
in  Ephesians,  the  blood  of  Christ  bringing  the  sinner  nigh — we 
have  that  blood  poured  out  on  the  cross  as  a  way  of  access — we 
have,  in  the  4th  chapter  of  Hebrews,  and  in  other  passages  to 
which  I  have  called  your  attention,  Jesus,  the  high  priest,  who  is 
passed  into  the  heavens,  the  Son  of  God,  a  merciful  and  faithful 
High  Priest — we  have  his  two  offices  as  a  Saviour : — his  office  as 
a  victim,  an  atonement ;  and  His  office  as  a  priest  to  carry  that 
atonement  into  the  presence  of  the  Father — we  have  both  these 
brought  together,  in  the  10th  chapter  of  Hebrews, — and  in  these 
three  passages,  we  have  announced  this  blessed  truth,  that  a  sin- 
ner, a  guilty  sinner, — you, — I, — any — every  sinner,  has  access  to 
God,  freely,  boldly,  continually,  through  the  blood  of  the  victim, 
and  the  glorious  intercession  of  the  great  High  Priest,  who  hath 
taken  that  blood  into  the  heavens,  and  appears  with  that  blood  as 
an  all  sufficient  offering,  to  cleanse  the  chief  of  sinners,  "  through 
Him  WE  BOTH  have  access  by  one  spirit  to  THE  Father." 
Thus,  as  in  the  4th  chapter  of  Hebrews,  "  let  us,  therefore,  come 
boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  ive  may  obtaiii  mercy  and  find 
grace  to  help  in  time  of  need  f  and  as  in  the  10th  Hebrews, 
"  having,  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
the  bloo(i  of  Jestts,  by  a  new  and  living  tcay  which  he  hath  con- 
secrated for  us,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh ;  and 
having  an  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  us  draw  near 
icith  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith."  Oh  !  sinner,  see 
what  an  access  there  is  for  you  here  !  There  is  no  qualification 
necessary  for  you,  except  that  which  you  possess  ;  there  is  not  one 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  207 

of  US  who  has  not  this  quahfication, — the  only  qiiahfication  that 
is  necessary  for  us  to  come  with  the  greatest  confidence  to  the 
throne  of  grace, — and  what  is  that  ?  It  is  that  we  are  sitmerfi, 
that  roe  are  guilty  shiners ;  that  is  our  quahfication.  What  is 
our  plea?  There  is  the  victim  offered  for  the  guilty, — there  is 
the  Great  High  Priest  who  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  and  Avho 
has  carried  that  victim.  His  own  pierced  hands,  and  feet,  and  sides, 
to  the  throne  of  grace ;  that  victim,  that  bleeding  victim  is  the 
sinner's  plea  ;  the  One  who  offers  it,  is  the  sinner's  Priest,  his 
Friend,  his  Refuge,  his  Redeemer,  his  God.  What  more  can  we 
want?  Oh!  my  friends,  that  we  were  all  but  enabled  to  enjoy 
this  blessed  Refuge  as  we  ought  to  do !  When  we  think  of  the 
constant,  the  ever-during  need  the  sinner  has  of  access  to  the 
throne  of  grace  !  and  of  the  glorious  way  of  access, — Christ  "  the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life,^'  how  can  we  sufficiently  appre- 
ciate THE  NATURE  of  tliis  acccss.  It  is  a  free  access,  an  open  ac- 
cess, an  access  in  which  the  sinner  may  have  boldness  with  confi- 
dence, as  we  see  in  the  very  next  chapter,  Ephes.  iii.  12,  "  in  whom 
we  have  boldness  and  access  tvith  confidence  by  the  faith  of  Him  P 
How  blessed,  then,  is  the  thought  that  it  is  an  ever  open  access, 
the  way  is  always  open,  so  saith  David,  "  Be  Thou  my  strong 
habitation  ichereunto  I  may  continually  resort ;"  Ps.  Ixxi.  3, 
'•'•  continually  resort ;"  there  is  not  a  moment  of  our  life,  not  a  cir- 
cumstance of  our  existence,  there  is  not  a  state  of  want,  misery, 
destitution,  wretchedness,  bereavement,  guilt,  ruin,  there  is  no 
earthly  position  in  which  we  can  be  placed,  in  which  the  cry  of  the 
Gospel  is  not  just  the  same  to  us,  ''  come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
bor and  are  lieavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,"  Mat.  xi.  28, 
"  look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved."  Is.  xlv.  22. 

Oh  then  consider,  dear  friends  and  fellow-sinners,  consider  what 
a  privilege  is  here  open  to  us  !  Here  may  we  all  have  access, 
every  Jew  and  every  Gentile.  But  there  is  an  important  word 
here,  there  is  an  important  person,  an  important  agent,  that  must 
not  be  left.  I  fear  not  to  assert,  that  the  truths  which  I  have  just 
laid  before  you,  and  the  passages  of  God's  eternal  Word  which  I 
have  quoted  to  substantiate  these  truths,  are  as  irrefragable  as  the 
foundations  of  the  earth  itself — for  they  are  the  truths  of  the  living 
God.  But  such  is  your  state,  such  is  my  state,  that— important 
and  true  as  they  are,  and  supported  as  they  are  on  the  foundations 
of  God's  eternal  Word — I  might  as  well  address  them  to  the  seats 
you  sit  on,  as  address  them  to  you,  or  to  myself,  unless  the  Spirit 
of  the  Living  God,  who  indicted  these  truths,  should  bring  them 
home  to  your  hearts,  and  to  mine.    Therefore  observe,  "  through 

HIM,  WE  HAVE  ACCESS  BY  ONE  SpiRIT  TO  THE  FaTHER."      YoU 

see,  how  the  three  persons  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  ^re  brought 
together,  in  this  verse,  in  their  different  offices,  as  they  are  in  so 
many  passages  of  God's  Word.  You  see  the  Three  Persons  so 
distinctly  mentioned  here,  that  they  cannot  be  confounded  or 
mistaken. 


208  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"Through  him,"  through  whom? — Christ,  the  mediator  of  the 
new  covenant,  God  the  Son. 

"  We  HAVE  access"  mito  whom? — "unto  the  Father,"  from 
whom  the  sinner  is  separated  by  nature — from  wliom  he  is  at  a 
distance — cast  off  by  his  own  rebelhon. 

Through  him,  we  have  access  to  the  Father. 

But  who  brings  us  ?  Do  we  come  of  ourselves  ?  Are  we  wilHng, 
are  we  ready?  Never: — ^-you  ivill  not  come  to  me,  that  you 
you  might  have  lifeP  John  v.  40,  is  language  that  is  just  as  suited 
to  our  hearts  as  to  the  hearts  of  those  to  whom  it  was  addressed — 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, — "  You  will  not  come  to  me  that  you 
might  have  life."'  How  are  you  brought  ? — "  Thy  people  shall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  poive)\^^  Ps.  ex.  3.  Our  Lord  saith, 
"J/  is  written  in  the  prophets,  and  they  shall  be  all  taught  of 
God ;  every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned  of 
tlie  Father,  conieth  unto  me.''''  John  vi.  45.     And  thus  "  through 

HIM   WE   HAVE  ACCESS,   BY  ONE  SpIRIT  UNTO  THE  FaTHER." 

The  Spirit  of  God  must  quicken  the  soul,  the  Spirit  of  God  must 
open  the  understanding,  the  Spirit  of  God  must  bring  the  truth 
home  to  the  sinner's  heart  and  conscience,  or  the  sinner  remains 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  perishes  in  his  iniquity,  for  "  no 
Tnan  can  say,  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  1 
Cor.  xii.  3. 

What  therefore  are  we  to  do  ?  We  find  these  truths  written  in 
the  word  of  the  Living  God, — our  own  guilt,  our  own  misery,  our 
own  condemnation.  We  see  written  in  that  Volume,  our  own  en- 
lire  inability  to  do  or  think  anything  good.  We  see  written  hi 
that  w^ord,  the  glorious  testimony  of  salvation  proclaimed  fully, 
freely,  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  to  the  chief  of  sinners — we  see 
that  this  is  brought  home  to  the  sinner's  heart  by  tlie  word  of  God ; 
accompanied  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  we  see  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  freely  given  to  every  poor  sinner  who  asks  for  it.  ^^  If  a 
son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father,  tvill  he  give 
him  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  tvill  he  for  a  fish  give  him  a 
serpent  ?  or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg  ivill  he  offer  him  a  scorpion  7 
If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your 
children,  hoiv  m,Hch  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him.^^  Luke  xi.  11,  12,  13.  Now, 
there  is  Christ's  promise, — take  that  promise,  plead  that  promise 
on  your  knees  before  the  Throne  of  God.  Did  you  ever  try  it  ? 
Did  you  ever  take  your  Bible  and  go  into  your  closet,  and  take 
one  of  the  promises  of  God,  for  example  that  promise  in  the  11th 
chap.  Luke, — did  you  ever  take  that  promise,  kneel  down  on  your 
knees,  and  cry  to  God  thus  : — 

"  Oh,  G(jd,  I  am  a  poor,  lost,  helpless,  vile  sinner  :  I  have  no  in- 
clination to  come  to  Thee,  I  have  no  power  to  come  to  Thee ; 
Lord,  Thy  word  tells  me,  thy  precious  promise  assures  me,  that 
Thou  wilt  give  Thy  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  Thee ;  Lord,  I 
come,  I  would  plead  Thine  own  promise  before  Thee,  it  is  Thy 
word,  Lord  ;  it  is  written,  Lord,  as  a  promise  to  poor  guilty  sinners, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  209 

I  come  to  Thee  for  bread,  Thou  wUt  not  give  me  a  stone !  My 
Father,  my  earthly  father  never  cast  me  off;  he  never,  when  I 
went  to  him  for  bread,  sent  me  empty  away,  or  gave  me  a  stone ; 
O  Lord,  wik  Thou  do  so  ?  Oh,  no,  Lord,  I  know  that  Thou  wilt 
not,  yea,  how  much  more  wilt  Thou  give  Thy  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask  Thee.  Oh,  give  it  to  me,  incline  my  heart  to  read  Thy 
blessed  word,  bring  Thy  promises  home  to  my  understanding,  to 
my  conscience,  to  my  heart,  teach  me  to  know  Christ  as  my 
refuge,  teach  me  to  bathe  in  the  fountain  of  His  precious  blood,  to 
wrap  my  soul  in  His  spotless  righteousness,  give  me  access  with 
confidence  by  the  faith  of  Him  to  Thee.  Lord  hear  me — Lord 
fulfil  Thy  promises  for  Jesu's  sake  to  my  soul." 

Now  did  you  ever  do  this  ?  If  a  friend,  a  patron  wrote  to  you, 
giving  you  a  promise  of  anything  that  you  wanted,  and  that  you 
could  not  possibly  obtain  through  any  channel  or  from  any  per- 
son but  Him,  what  would  you  do  ?  Suppose  he  delayed  to  give  it 
to  you  ;  suppose  you  did  not  get  it  in  time  as  you  required  ;  suppose 
your  need  of  the  fulfilment  of  his  promise  pressed  on  you,  what 
would  you  do  ?  You  would  take  his  promise,  go  to  him,  or  write 
to  him,  remind  him  of  his  own  letter,  tell  him  what  he  had  prom- 
ised you,  tell  him  your  want,  ask  him  to  fulfil  his  word.  And  is 
not  that  the  use  to  make  of  the  promises  of  the  living  God? 
Would  you  not  expect  your  friend,  if  he  were  true — if  he  were  a 
person  of  integrity  and  power, — would  you  not  expect  he  would 
keep  his  word — that  he  would  fulfil  his  promise?  And  shall  we 
not  trust  in  the  truth — the  faithfulness  and  power  of  our  God? 
Did  you  ever  know  or  hear  of  any  one  who  trusted  in  the  promises 
of  God,  and  was  disappointed  ?  You  never  did,  and  you  never 
shall.  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall 
not  pass  away.  Mat.  xxiv.  35. 

Then  think  of  these  things,  consider,  what  a  blessing  is  com- 
prehended in  this  one  verse  ;  it  is  quite  sufficient  to  consider  at 
one  time ; — "  through  him,  we  both  have  access  by  one 
Spirit  to  the  Father." 

May  the  Lord  the  Spirit  enable  you  and  me  to  profit  by  this 
great  and  precious  truth  of  the  word  of  God  this  day,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

14 


NINETEENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  it. — 19. 


"  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God."  ' 

I  HAVE  endeavored  in  the  course  of  my  Lectures  on  this  chapter, 
to  impress  on  your  minds  the  great  truth  which  is  so  continually 
brought  before  us  in  the  word  of  God, — namely,  the  actual  state  of 
every  individual  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  either  that  he  is  before  God 
in  the  actual  condition  of  guilt  and  condemnation,  so  that,  if  cut  off 
in  that  state,  he  must  perish.  Or  that  he  is,  before  God,  in  the 
actual  state  of  acceptance  and  salvation  ;  so  that  whenever  he  is 
called  away  in  that  state,  he  departs  and  is  with  Christ ;  so  that 
lie  may  say  with  the  Apostle,  "  whether  ive  live,  we  live  unto  the 
Lord^  or  whether  we  die  we  die  unto  the  Lord^  whether  we  live 
therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's^  Rom.  xiv.  8.  And  I  wish 
you  to  bear  this  continually  in  mind,  because  I  believe  there  is  no 
one  truth  of  which  persons  are  more  entirely  ignorant  than  this. 
They  believe  they  are  in  an  uncertain  state,  they  believe  that 
they  are  in  a  doubtful  condition,  they  will  not  say,  that  they  are 
children  of  God  ;  that,  they  think,  would  be  too  much  to  assume  ; 
they  will  not  admit  that  they  are  children  of  Satan, — that,  they 
consider  would  be  too  awful  to  contemplate  :  but  remember,  my 
friends,  yon  must  be  in  one  state  or  the  other.  If  you  believe, 
that  all  sinners  w^hen  they  die,  must  go  to  either  of  two  places, 
either  enter  into  that  "  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
God,^^  or  that  they  must  have  their  portion  among  those  to  whom 
the  Lord  shall  say,  "  depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels ;"  if  you  believe  that  that  is 
the  condition  of  every  individual  at  the  hour  of  their  death,  re- 
member, they  must  be  fitted  for  one  or  the  other  of  these  condi- 
tions, at  every  moment  of  their  existence.  You  and  I  must 
1)e  so  now,  and  I  entreat  you  to  consider  this  chapter  ovei-  and 
over  again,  with  reference  to  this  one  great  truth.  Observe  the 
condition  in  which  the  Apostle  again  and  again  asserts  that  men 
are  by  nature  ;  and  observe  the  state  in  which  the  Apostle  testifies, 
that  believers  are  by  grace.  It  is  to  this  latter  view  of  the  subject, 
our  attention  is  called  to-day. 

On  the  last  day,  you  recollect,  we  considered  the  access  which 
the  sinner  has,  through  Christ,  unto  the  Father,  by  the  Spirit ; 
and  in  the  19th  and  following  verses,  you  see  the  state  of  every 
believer  who  enjoys  this  blessed  access.     "  Now  therefore  ye  are 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  211 

no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  hut  fellow-citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  tJie  household  of  God ;  and  are  built  upon  the 
foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself 
being  the  chief  corner-stone,  in  inhom.,  all  the  building,  fitly 
framed  together,  groweth  into  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  in 
whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit.''  Now.  1  pray  yon,  refer  to  the  12th  verse, 
and  contrast  it  with  the  19th.  You  see,  in  the  former,  the  state 
in  which  he  describes  them  as  having  been.  "  At  that  time  ye 
were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  comm,onivealth  of  Israel, 
and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  pro7nise,  having  no  hope, 
and  without  God  in  the  world  .*"  that  was  their  state  ; — observe 
now  their  present  condition,  19  v.  "Now  therefore  ye  are 
NO  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens 

WITH  the  saints,  AND  OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OF  GoD  :"  yoil  WCrC 

"  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from 
the  covenants  of  promise,''  but  now  "  ye  are  no  more  stran- 
gers AND  FOREIGNERS,"  you  liad  "  MO  hope,  and  were  without 
God  in  the  tvorld," — but  now  you  are  "  fellow-citizens  with 
THE  SAINTS,  AND  OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OF  GoD."  Call  there  be 
a  more  plain  or  striking  contrast  between  the  two  conditions  than 
there  is  in  these  two  verses,  the  12th  and  19th. 

Now,  there  is  one  great  blessing  contained  in  these  verses — and 
that  is,  that  these  two  verses  refer  to  the  same  individuals.  Ob- 
serve^ you  we?'e  so  and  so,  you  are  now  so  and  so.  You  and  I 
certainly  were,  and  perhaps,  too,  many  among  us  yet  are,  as  he 
describes  in  the  12th  verse  "  without  Christ,"  and  as  to  all  real 
spiritual  blessings,  "  aliens  from  the  commonioealth  of  Israel, 
strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and 
■without  God  in  the  world."  These  same  individuals,  who  were 
in  that  condition,  are  now  brought  out  of  it ;  you  are  not  what 
you  were,  the  Apostle  says,  you  are  "  no  more  strangers  and 

FOREIGNERS,  BUT  FELLOW-CITIZENS  WITH  THE   SAINTS."       NoW, 

dear  friends,  is  not  this  a  most  important  question  for  us  to  con- 
sider ?  There  may  be  many  among  us  who  have  never  seriovisly 
considered  it ;  for  certainly  if  there  are  any  (as  it  is  to  be  feared 
there  are,)  who  are  not  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  you  never  have  considered  this  question — how  am  I 
brought  from  the  one  condition  to  the  other,  from  being  "  an  alien 
and  a  stranger,  without  hope  and  without  God  in  the  world,"  how 
am  I  brought  from  this,  to  be  made  a  "  fellow-citizen  with  the 
SAINTS,  AND  OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OF  GoD  ?"  Is  it  iiot  luost  im- 
portant that  you  should  be  brought  from  one  state  to  the  other  ? 
Consider  what  is  your  condition  if  you  are  not  brought.  And 
then  consider,  what  is  your  blessed  condition,  if  you  are.  Re- 
member then,  remember  the  way,  13th  verse,  "  Noto  in  Chi'ist 
Jesus  ye  loho  sometimes  were  far  off,  are  m^ade  nigh  by  the  blood 
of  Christ."  Let  me  dwell  on  this,  for  those  whose  consciences 
testify  that  they  are  not  brought  nigh,  and  let  me  illustrate  the 
truth. 


212  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

We  have  just  sung  that  beautiful  hymn  of  Cowper's  contaming 
these  lines : 

"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 

Drawn  from  Immanuers  veins  ; 
And  sinners  plunged  beneath  that  flood. 

Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 

The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 

That  fountain  in  his  day  ; 
And  there  may  I,  as  vile  as  he, 

Wash  all  my  sins  away." 

Let  us  then  consider  the  case  of  the  Thief  on  the  Cross.  When 
he  hung  there  as  a  malefactor,  having  joined  his  fellow-culprit  as 
we  know  he  did  (Mat.  xxvii.  44)  in  mocking  Christ — in  reviling 
that  blessed  Saviour  who  was  hanging  on  the  Cross  beside  him  ; 
what  was  his  condition  7  Was  he  not,  as  those  mentioned  in  the 
12th  verse,  an  "  alien  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  a 
stranger  frowj  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and 
without  God  in  the  world  ?"  But  we  see  in  his  case  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost — there  was  no  preaching  to  that  thief,  he  had 
no  Bible  in  his  hand  or  in  his  heart  when  he  was  nailed  to  the 
cross — it  was  the  Holy  Ghost's  work,  whose  special  office  it  is,  to 
take  of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  show  them  to  the  sinner.  He 
alone  can  enlighten  by  means — or,  as  in  this  case,  without  means. 
But  when  that  blessed  Spirit  touched  the  poor  thief's  heart,  and 
taught  him  to  know,  that  he  who  was  hanging  crucified  beside 
him,  was  the  Lord  of  hfe  and  glory,  that  He  was  indeed  the  King 
of  kings,  in  whom  it  was  to  be  fulfilled,  "  Lift  up  your  heads,  O 
ye  gates,  and  he  ye  lift  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King  of 
glory  shall  come  in.''  Ps.  xxiv.  7. — I  say,  when  that  blessed  Spirit 
touched  this  poor  thief's  heart,  and  taught  him  to  know  Christ,  to 
turn  to  Him,  whom  but  a  moment  before  he  had  been  reviling — 
to  look  to  Him  as  his  Refuge,  and  to  cry  to  Him,  "  Lord,  rem,em- 
ber  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdo?n'' — what  was  then  his 
condition  ?  he  was  then  "wo  m,ore  a  stranger  and  a  foreigner,  but 
a  fellow-citizen  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God," 
his  Lord's  answer  of  mercy  sealed  his  inheritance  and  adoption 
to  his  dying  ear, — "  This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise'^ 
He  was  then  ready  to  be  transplanted  to  glory. 

Now  the  same  fountain  that  washed  that  thief  is  open  to  you 
and  to  me, — there  is  no  other  means  to  cleanse  the  least  stain  of 
sin,  '■'■there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  m,ust  be  saved,''  Acts  iv.  12.  And  if  there  be  any  of 
you  who  have  not  come  to  bathe  in  this  fountain.  Oh,  come  and 
bathe  there  to-day !  See  how  soon  the  poor  sinner  can  be  washed 
in  it !  See,  how  soon  the  dying  thief  was  washed  in  it !  Turn 
ye  then,  and  behold  the  blessed  condition  of  those  who  are  "  made 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ," — they  are  "  no  more  strangers 

AND    foreigners,    BUT    FELLOW-CITIZENS  WITH    THE    SAINTS, 
AND  OP  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OP  GOD." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  213 

Consider  the  image  used  here  by  the  Apostle — how  it  illustrates 
the  difference  between  the  state  of  man  as  unreconciled,  and  as 
reconciled  to  God. 

A  stranger  and  a  foreigner  in  a  city  has  no  home  there — he  has 
no  property — no  privileges,  no  rights,  in  the  city — no  habits,  inter- 
ests, pursuits,  in  common  with  its  inhabitants.  Therefore  his 
heart,  his  desires,  his  affections,  his  feelings,  are  alien  from  that 
city  where  he  is  a  stranger,  and  are  given  to  his  own  city  and  his 
home. 

He  is  in  all  these  points  contrasted  with  the  inhabitant  of  the 
city.  There  is  his  home — there  his  property — all  the  privileges 
and  rights  of  the  city  belong  to  him ;  even  though  he  is  absent 
from  it — still  they  are  his — his  interests  and  his  cause  are  one  with 
its  inhabitants — therefore  his  heart,  his  desires,  his  affections,  his 
feelings,  are  all  identified  with  his  city  and  his  home. 

How  truly  does  this  apply  to  the  difference  between  the  uncon- 
verted and  converted  sinner.  Speak  to  a  man  who  is  not  "  tnade 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,^''  of  the  blessings,  the  rights,  the  privi- 
leges, the  possessions,  and  the  home  of  the  saints — tell  him  of  the 
great  Charter  of  their  Salvation,  and  all  its  glories  in  the  blessed 
word  of  God — and  you  see  he  evinces  that  he  is  "  a  stt'cmger  and 
a  foreigner,'^  he  shows  he  has  neither  home,  property,  privileges, 
interest,  feeling,  care,  or  concern  in  the  matter.  To  dwell  on  such 
subjects — to  engage  in  the  pursuits,  or  to  be  occupied  in  the  com- 
pany of  those  who  are  "fellow-citizens  with  the  saints, 
AND  OF  the  household  OF  GOD,"  would  be  to  him  intolerable. 
His  possessions,  his  home,  his  interests  and  his  heart  are  in  the 
world. 

But  not  only  are  they  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  enemies — 
men  are  more  than  aliens  from  a  city,  when  the  very  name  of  its 
inhabitants  is  a  term  of  reproach,  as  that  of  Samaritan  was  with 
the  Jews.  So  they  said  to  our  Lord,  "  Say  we  not  well  that  thou 
art  a  ^Samaritan,  and  hast  a  devil.''''  John  viii.  48. 

And  alas  !  my  friends,  as  I  have  before  remarked,  in  what  an 
awful  state  is  the  nominal  Christian  church. — ^In  what  an  awful 
state  is  the  Protestant  Church,  when  there  are  so  many  thousands, 
nay,  tens — hundreds  of  thousands  belonging  to  it,  who  in  their 
blindness  and  ignorance,  take  the  very  name  of  God's  servants — 
the  very  name  of  those,  of  whom  some  serve  Him  here  on  earth, 
and  some  surround  the  Throne  of  His  glory — to  be  fellow-citizens 
with  whom  is  the  highest  privilege  of  man — and  make  it  a  nick- 
name to  mock  at, — "  saints  ! !"  The  very  term  with  multitudes 
is  a  name  of  scorn.  Is  not  this  an  awful  state  of  blindness  and 
ignorance,  when  even  the  title  that  God  bestoivs  on  his  jieople,  is 
borrowed  from  His  holy  Word,  as  a  name  of  rejnoach  7  Are  not 
these  "  aliens  V  Are  not  these  "  strangers  and  foreigners .?" 
But  remember  that  the  Church  of  Christ — those  who  are  "  made 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.^''  are  truly  enrolled  among  the  saints ; 
they  are  "  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,"  they  are  sancti- 
fied in  Christ  Jesus.     Recollect  the  means  whereby  they  are  brought 


214  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

to  God  and  sanctified.  Recollect  our  Lord's  own  words  to  the 
Apostle  Paul,  when  He  sends  Him  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
Gentiles,  He  says,  "  To  lohom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes, 
to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  an 
inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanctified,  by  faith  that  is  in 
^le."  Acts  xxvi.  17,  18.  And  recollect,  in  the  13th  of  Hebrews,  the 
same  truth  is  set  before  us,  11th  and  12th  verses,  "  The  bodies  of 
those  beaMs,  ivhose  blood  is  brought  into  the  sanctuary  by  the 
high  priest  for  sin,  are  burned  loithout  the  camp,  trherefore  Jesus 
also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the  people  with  his  own  blood,  suffered 
without  the  gateP  Thus  they  are  sanctified  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
by  faith  in  Christ,  through  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the 
Word,  that  is,  they  are  made  saints,  they  are  "  made  nigh  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,^''  they  are  made  holy,  they  are  taken  from  the  mass 
of  a  guilty  world,  and  they  are  "  washed,  they  are  sanctified,  they 
are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
our  God,^''  1st  Cor.  vi.  11 ;  therefore  he  says,  "  ye  are  fellow- 
ciTizENS  WITH  THE  SAINTS."  We  havc  this  expression  used  by 
the  Apostle  in  the  3rd  chapter  of  Philippians,  though  our  transla- 
tion does  not  exactly  convey  it,  3^et  the  original  word  is  the  same, 
— it  is  according  to  our  translation,  "  our  conversation  is  in  heaven^ 
but  the  original  word  is,  "  our  citizenship  (^■whTsvftu'j  is  in  heaven,^' 
we  are  citizens  of  heaven  ; — our  citizenship  is  there.  St.  Paul  was 
a  Roman  citizen,  he  had  the  privileges,  and  enjoyed  the  privileges 
belonging  to  one.  He  demanded,  as  you  recollect  from  Claudius 
Lysias  the  rights  of  Roman  citizenship.  But  he  was  a  citizen  of 
a  far  higher  city  than  that  of  Rome,  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  King- 
dom of  God,  he  was  a  "fellow-citizen  with  the  saints." 

We  have  this  subject  expanded  more  in  the  12th  chapter  of  the 
Hebrews,  where  the  Apostle  contrasts  tlie  state  of  those  under  the 
law,  with  that  of  those  under  the  Gospel — of  tlie  Jews  when  in  un- 
belief, with  that  of  Jews  as  believers — of  those  under  condemnation, 
with  that  of  those  who  are  sanctified  in  Christ,  18,  19,  20,  21, 
verses,  "  For  ye  are  riot  come  unto  the  Mount  that  inight  be 
touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto  blackness,  and  dark- 
ness, and  tempest,  and  the  sound  of  a,  trumpet,  and  the  voice  of 
ivords ;  which  voice  they  that  heard  entreated  that  the  tvord  should 
not  be  spokeji  to  them  any  more ;  for  they  could  not  endure  that 
which  was  commanded,  and  if  so  much  as  a  beast  touch  the  moun- 
tain, it  shall  be  stoned,  or  thrust  through  with  a  dart :  and  so 
terrible  was  the  sight,  that  Moses  said,  I  exxeedingly  fear  and 
quake ;" 

That  is — ye  are  not  come  to  the  Mount  that  was  to  be  seen  and 
touched,  namely,  Mount  Sinai — where  the  Law  was  given  amidst 
thunderings  and  lightnings,  and  clouds  and  tempest — where  black- 
ness and  darkness,  and  flame,  and  the  terror  of  the  trumpet,  and 
the  sentence  of  death  pronounced  against  any,  even  a  beast  that 
should  touch  the  mountain,  all  proclaimed  aloud  that  "  the  law 
worketh  wrath.''^  Rom.  iv.  15,  and  that  by  its  deeds  "  nofiesh  could 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  115 

he  justified.''^  Rom.  iii.  20,  that  it  was — as  it  was,  and  is — a  minis- 
tration not  of  life,  but  of  death  to  the  soul. 

Ye  are  not  come,  saith  the  Apostle,  to  that  Mount ; — "  But,^^  he 
adds  in  the  22,  23,  24,  verses,  "  Ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zio7i, 
and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and 
to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  luritten  in  heaven,  and  to 
God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
and  to  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  neio  covenant,  and  to  the  blood 
of  sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  AbelJ^ 

The  contrast  in  this  passage  of  the  Hebrews  between  the  condi- 
tion of  the  unbeliever  and  the  believer,  is  the  very  same  that  we 
find  in  this  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  only  expressed 
in  different  terms.  Let  me  entreat  those  who  hear,  who  have  not 
fled  to  Christ  for  refuge,  to  consider  how  solemn  that  contrast  is. 

Some  there  are  of  you,  perhaps,  whose  hearts  are  wholly  occu- 
pied about  this  passing,  perishing  world, — taking  anxious  thought 
for  "  ivhat  ye  shall  eat,  and  what  ye  shall  drink,  and  wherewithal 
ye  shall  be  clothed.''^  Mat.  vi.  31 — thinking  how  you  shall  main- 
tain yourselves — improve  your  trade — increase  the  profits  of  your 
shop  or  farm — advance  yourselves  in  your  profession — or  perhaps 
only  considering  how  you  may  amuse  yourselves,  if — in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  poet,  you  are 

"  Cursed  with  means 
To  dissipate  your  days  in  quest  of  joy — " 

but  never — never  thinking  of  your  God,  "  as  for  the  ungodly,  he 
careth  not  for  God,  neither  is  God  in  all  his  thoughts  :^'  Ps.  x.  4, 
— never  contemplating  that  awful  eternity  to  which  you  are  rush- 
ing on,  as  fast  as  time  can  hurry  you ;  and  never  considering  the 
fearful  condition  of  the  sinner,  passing,  in  such  a  state,  into  the 
presence  of  his  Judge. 

Some  perhaps  there  are  again  different  from  these — religious, 
not  in  God's  way,  but  in  their  own.  Many  are  religious  in  their 
own  way,  •'  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  oiun  way ;"  Isa.  liii. 
6. — man  has  his  own  way  of  religion,  as  well  as  his  own  way  of 
iniquity,  and  some  of  you  may  be  very  religious  thus — laboring  to 
wash  your  Ethiopian  skin — to  qualify  yourselves  to  come  into  the 
presence  of  your  Creator — abstaining  from  certain  ^ins,  and  hoping 
that  God  will  give  due  merit  to  your  self-denial, — practising  certain 
virtues,  and  expecting  that  God  will  give  you  credit  and  reward 
for  them.  So  you  may  be  either,  perhaps  careless,  without  any 
religion,  or  secure,  as  you  vainly  imagine,  in  a  false  religion — 
'^^ going  a6o?t^,"  like  the  Jews,  '■'■to  establish  your  oion  righteous- 
ness, and  not  submitting  yourselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God.'''' 
Rom.  X.  3.  To  whichsoever  of  these  classes  you  belong,  (and  to 
some  grade  of  these  every  unenlightened  sinner  may  be  reduced,) 
consider  to  what  you  are  come.  "  You,  are  come  to  the  mount  that 
miglit  be  touched,  that  burns  with  fire,  unto  blackness  and  dark- 


216  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ness,  and  tempest,  and  the  sound  of  the  triunjiet,  and  the  voice  of 
words'^ — that  sinners'  ears  could  not  endure. 

That  is,  you  are  come  to  the  mount  of  the  Holy  and  Eternal  Law- 
giver— the  flames  of  justice  and  the  clouds  of  the  outer  darkness 
surround  His  throne — the  tempest  that  shall  sweep  away  every 
refuge  of  lies  rolls  before  Him — -the  sound  of  the  trumpet  that  shall 
summon  the  guilty  to  judgment,  heralds  the  sentence  of  your 
doom — and  the  thunder  of  that  voice  that  the  ear  of  the  unpardoned 
sinner  can  never  bear  to  hear,  peals  from  His  lips. 

You  are  come  to  the  law,  which,  as  a  careless  sinner,  you  are 
daring  to  despise — or,  which,  as  a  self-righteous  Pharisee,  you  are 
vainly  and  ignorantly  expecting  to  fulfil.  You  come  to  "  the  min- 
istration of  death,  written  and  engraven  in  stones,"  2  Cor.  iii.  7 ; 
you  are  come  to  "  the  ministration  of  condemnation"  v.  9. — you 
are  come  to  the  law  that  condemns  you — to  the  Judge  that  pro- 
nounces sentence  upon  you — -you  are  drawmg  near  to  the  mountain 
— and  as  certain  as  you  come  to  it,  you  shall  be,  not  "  stoned  or 
thrust  through  ivith  a  dart," — but  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  cast 
into  outer  darkness,  as  a  rebel  against  God  !  Such  must  be  your 
state,  if  either  living  carelessly  in  your  sins,  or  ^^  going  about  to 
establish  your  own  righteotisness,"  you  know  not  Christ,  and  seek 
Him  not.  He  is  dead  in  vain  for  you.  You  are  a  "  stranger  and 
a  foreigner." 

But  if  you  have  indeed  ^'^  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
set  before  you,"  Heb.  vi.  18, — if  you  know  your  sin  and  misery, 
and  know  Christ  as  the  Hope  and  Refuge  of  your  souls.  Oh,  lift 
up  your  head,  and  see  the  blessed  testimony  of  your  God  concern- 
ing all  who  are  indeed,  "  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ," — you 
have  access  by  Christ  unto  the  Father,  '■'•you  are  come  unto inount 
Zion,  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,"  to  "  the  city  wliich  hath 
foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God"  Heb.  xi.  10,  you 
are  "  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints."  And,  then,  see 
what  that  city  is, — ^"  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,"  there  is  your  home 
— there  the  place  which  Christ  hath  gone  to  prepare  for  His  people 
— there  is  your  '■^  house  not  made  vnth  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens," — 2  Cor.  v.  1,  there  your  ^^inheritance  incorruptible,  nn- 
defiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  awayP  1st  Pet.  i.  4.  But  you  are  not 
only  come  to  His  city,  but  His  Household,  ye  are  "fellow-citi- 
zens with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God," — 
and  who  are  your  fellow-citizens  ?  who  are  members  of  this  house- 
hold ?  You  are  come  to  "  the  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are 
written  in  heaven."  Their  names  are  enrolled  there  in  the  book 
of  life,  and  you  are  their  "fellow-citizens,"  so  your  names 
must  be  written  there  too. 

Who  reigns  in  this  city  ?  "  aJid  to  God  the  Judge  of  all," — the 
Judge  that  has  pronounced  the  sentence,  not  of  condemnation,  but 
of  acquittal  upon  you,  for  "  it  is  God  that  justifleth,  xoho  is  he  that 
condemneth  ?"  Rom.  viii.  33,  34,  you  are  "  ivashed  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb."     You  are  come  to  Him,  then,  not  as  a  Judge,  but 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  217 

as  a  Father — not  only  to  His  city,  but  to  His  household — and  you 
have  come  '■'■to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  ■perfect^''  those  who 
have  gone  before  you,  through  the  wilderness — some,  perhaps  near 
and  dear  to  your  hearts,  who  have  trodden  the  pilgrimage  through 
trials,  sutferings,  sorrows  and  sins — through  vexations,  cares,  temp- 
tations, perplexities — tears  often  starting  from  their  eyes — -and 
many  sighs  bursting  from  their  hearts — but  who  are  now  '•'•rested 
from  their  labor  s,^^  and  departed  "to  be  tvith  Christ,  ivhich  is  far 
better."  Phil.  i.  23, — you  are  come  to  these — and  to  Him  who  saved 
both  them  and  you,  "  to  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant^ 
and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than 
that  of  AbelJ^  "  You,  who  sometimes  were  far  off,  are  made  nigh 
by  the  blood  of  Christ,"  "  you  are  no  more  strangers  and 

FOREICiNERS,  BUT  FELLOW-CITIZENS  WITH  THE  SAINTS,  AND 
OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OF  GoD,  AND  ARE  BUILT  UPON  THE  FOUND- 
ATION OF  THE  APOSTLES  AND  PROPHETS,  JeSUS  ChRIST  HIM- 
SELF BEING  THE  CHIEF  CORNER-STONE."  Oil,  what  a  blessed 
privilege  it  is  for  a  sinner  to  be  enabled  to  look  to  such  a  rest, 
such  a  city,  and  such  a  home. 

Observe,  he  says,  "  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might 
be  touched ;"  Sinai,  with  all  its  terrors  and  judgments,  was  visible 
and  tangible,  as  the  fruits  of  sin  are  sensibly  felt  and  suffered 
here  below — and  so  "  in  this  tabernacle  we  groan  being  bur- 
thenedJ'  But  the  blessings  which  are  purchased  for  sinners 
by  our  glorious  Lord  are  all  as  yet  unseen.  That  for  which  we 
hope  is  hid  from  our  eyes,  for  "  what  a  man  seeth  why  doth  he  yet 
hope  fori  But  if  we  hope  for  that  ive  see  not,  then  do  we  with 
patience  ivait  for  it."  Rom.  viii.  25, — so  saith  the  Apostle,  "  yonr 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  Col.  iii.  3,  the  life  that  you  enjoy 
is  a  hidden  life  ; — you  see  it  not,  it  is  not  a  life  of  sense  or  of  sight, 
it  is  a  life  of  faith,  ^^tve  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight."  2nd  Cor. 
V.  7.  Faith  indeed  may  give  substantializing  views  of  this,  but 
still  it  is  "  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen." 

Oh,  lielievers,  consider  what  a  blessed  privilege  it  is  to  realize  by 
faith  the  things  we  hope  for !  Oh,  that  we  all  could  see,  and  feel, 
and  rejoice  by  faith  as  we  ought  to  do ! 

How  would  it  lift  up  our  hearts  in  the  midst  of  our  trials, 
cares,  and  conflicts  within,  and  without,  in  our  pilgrimage, — if,  as 
we  are  toiling  along  in  our  weary  journey,  we  could  lift  up  our 
eyes  and  look  at  the  turrets  of  the  city  whither  we  are  going,  and 
behold  by  faith  the  pinnacles  of  the  New  Jerusalem  !  Oh,  blessed 
cheering  prospect !  Like  the  poor  weary  traveller,  when  he  comes 
within  sight  of  his  home,  and  sees  the  smoke  curling  among  the 
trees,  and  anticipates  his  reception,  his  welcome,  and  his  rest. 
Oh,  how  blessed  for  a  poor  sinner,  if  he  knows  his  privileges,  to 
^^  look  for,  and  haste  unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God."  2  Pet. 
iii.  2.  That  is  what  St.  Paul  means  in  the  passage  of  Philippians 
to  which  I  have  adverted,  when  he  says  "  our  citizenship  is  in 
heaven."     Observe  the  use  he  makes  of  it — ^'■from  whence  also, 


218  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  inay  he  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all 
things  unto  himself  J^  Phil.  iii.  20,  21.  And  this,  too,  is  what  the 
Apostle  John  says  in  his  first  Epistle,  3id  chap.  1st  and  2nd  verses ; 
■ — "  Behold,  what  inanner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestotved  upon 
us,  that  ice  shoidd  be  called  the  sons  of  God !  therefore,  the  world 
knoiveth  us  not,  because  it  kneiv  him  not ;  beloved,  noio  are  we  the 
sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  ice  shall  be,  but 
we  knov),  that  when  he  shall  apptear,  we  shall  be  like  him, ;  for 
we  shall  see  him  as  he  isJ^ 

You  see  with  what  confidence  the  Apostle  speaks  "  Beloved, 
now  ARE  WE  THE  SONS  OF  GoD,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  ivhat 
we  shall  he,  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall 
BE  LIKE  Him, /or  ive  shall  see  Him  as  He  isJ^  We  are  His  chil- 
dren, we  are  "  of  His  household,"  we  are  "  fellow-citizens 
WITH  his  saints,"  and,  therefore  we  are  ^^  looking  for  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  tvho  shall  change  our  vile  body, 
that  it  may  he  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  accordhig 
to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  to 
himself.''^  This  is  the  very  same  idea  that  the  Apostle  uses  in  the 
next  chapter,  "/or  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  to  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  tvhom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  is  named.^'  Observe,  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  f  one  family  : — part  of  the  family  are  at  home,  part  of  the 
family  are  abroad,  part  are  still  travelling  in  the  wilderness,  and 
part  have  travelled  through  it,  and  have  reached  the  end  of  their 
journey,  and  are  at  rest  on  the  bosom  of  their  Lord, 

"  The  toilsome  way  thou  'st  travelled  o'er,  and  borne  the  heavy  load. 
But  Christ  hath  taught  thy  languid  feet,  to  reach  his  blest  abode : 
Thou  'rt  sleeping  now  like  Lazarus,  upon  his  Father's  breast, 
Where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubUng,  and  the  weary  are  at  rest." 

Part  of  the  family  are  safe  in  Canaan,  part  are  on  their  journey 
coming  up  to  the  River  Jordan — 

"  One  army  of  the  living  God, 
At  his  command  we  bow, 
Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood, 
And  part  are  crossing  now." 

Some  are  beyond  the  flood,  some  coming  up  to  the  banks,  but  it  is 
one  family.  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earthP  And  think 
you,  that  that  family  in  heaven,  are  safer  than  the  family  on  earth  ? 
No  ;  for  those  who  are  on  their  way,  are  "  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation^  All  who  are  looking  to  Jesus 
"  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  felloiv-citizens  ivith 
the  saints  and  of  the  household  of  GodP  Well  then,  is  not  this 
a  blessed  truth  ? 

And  now,  believer,  perhaps,  you  may  be  often  weary  in  your 
earthly  household.  There  may  be  many  things  in  your  taberna- 
cle here  that  distress  and  afflict  you.  Your  habitation  may  be 
poor,  and  very  sad,  and  melancholy,  in  many  respects.     But,  pause 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  219 

and  look  at  the  fact — Is  that  your  household?  Is  that  indeed  your 
home  ?  Is  the  place  that  you  are  livmg  in  here — is  this  your  real 
rest  ?  Nay,  have  you  not  another  and  a  better  household  ?  Is 
not  this  rather  your  little  tent,  pitched  here  for  a  few  nights,  or  the 
inn  you  are  lodging  at  for  a  few  days  ?  Are  you  indeed  a  "  fel- 
low-citizen with  THE  saints"?  Are  you  "op  the  house- 
hold OF  GOD?"  What !  "of  the  household  of  God  !  !"  think 
of  this  expression;  "of  the  household."  It  is  one  word;  it 
occurs  but  three  times  in  the  New  Testament, — 

I. — Galatians,  vi.  5,  where  we  are  exhorted,  ^'- while  ive  have  time 
lei  us  do  good  unto  all  men  especially  unto  them  that  are  of  the 
household  of  fait  J  I. ''^ 

II. — It  occurs  here  where  those  who  are  of  "  the  householji 
OF  FAITH,"  are  declared  to  be  of  "  the  household  of  God." 

The  last  place  it  occurs  is  in  1st  Tim.  v.  8,  in  which  it  is  said 
that  "  if  any  man  provide  not  for  his  own  and  specially  for  those 
of  his  own  house  Ae  hath  denied  the  faith  and  is  worse  than  an 
infidel.''''  Shall  the  Lord  commend  to  our  special  love  and  care, 
"the  household  of  faith  ?"  Shall  he  assure  us  that  they  are 
His  household,  His  family?  Shall  He  tell  us,  that  he  that 
^^provideth  not  for  his  own  house  hath  denied  the  fa'ith  and  is 
iDorse  than  an  infidel  ?'^  and  shall  not  He  provide  for  His  own 
household?  Yes!  my  brethren,  "Jehovah-jireh,"  is  written 
on  every  page  of  the  history  of  His  Church.  When  He  provided 
tlie  Lamb  for  the  l)urnt  offering.  He  provided  all  things  in  Jesus ; 
for  "  He  that  spared  not  his  own  iSon  but  delivered  him  up  for  us 
all,  hoiv  shall  he  not  unth  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?'^ 
Rom.  viii.  32.  Fear  not,  believer,  "  all  things  are  yours,  whether 
Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  ivorld,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things 
jjresent,  or  things  to  come,  all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Chrisfs,  and 
Christ  is  God'sP  1st  Cor.  iii.  21,  22,  23. 

Fear  not,  believer,  whatever  be  your  wants,  spiritual  or  tempo- 
ral, fear  not.  It  is  written,  "  my  God  shall  supply  all  your  need, 
according  to  his  ricJies  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus,"  Phil.  iv.  19. 
Surely  this  is  the  inheritance  you  derive  under  your  Father's  will 
— this  is  the  possession  which  your  Lord  assures  you  is  y^our  own, 
as  of  His  household.  Therefore,  lift  up  your  heart,  and  look  unto 
Jesus.  "  Gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to 
the  end  for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revela- 
tion of  Christ  Jesus."  1  Pet.  i.  13. 

And  Oh !  unbelievers,  my  poor  unbelieving  friends,  if  there  be 
any  here,  who  as  yet  know  not,  and  belong  not  to  this  "  house- 
hold"— you  too  are  uneasy  perhaps,  about  your  earthly  habita- 
tion ;  and  thinking  how  you  may  embellish,  enlarge,  adorn,  im- 
prove it — perhaps  meditating  how  you  may  exchange  it  for  a  bet- 
ter, thinking  how  happy  you  would  be,  if  you  were  in  such  or 
such  circumstances — or  how  much  better  off,  if  you  were  in  such 
or  such  a  place.  Well — suppose  your  wishes  gratified — your  ex- 
pectations realized — and  that  you  had  all  your  hearts  could  desire. 
This  question  comes — "  what  will  you  do  in  the  end  thereof  V    If 


220  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

this  is  your  all,  what  a  miserable  all  it  is  !  Is  it  a  cottage  ?  Or 
is  it  a  palace  ?  How  poor  is  a  palace  when  the  unhappy  owner 
has  no  hope  beyond  it ! — how  poor  is  a  throne  ! — how  poor  is  a 
perishing  world  !  Alas  !  "  what  shall  it  profit  a  tnan^  to  gain  the 
lohole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul  T^  Mat.  xvi.  26.  But,  Oh  ! 
there  is  a  better  household,  there  is  a  better  inheritance.  Think 
what  it  is  to  be  "of  the  household  of  God  !"  Oh  !  look  unto 
Christ,  and  be  ye  saved. — You  have,  no  doubt,  a  wounded  con- 
science, and  a  troubled  heart.  You  have  tried,  perhaps,  many 
physicians  to  heal  your  distempered  soul,  and  you  are  nothing 
better,  but  rather  worse, — and  so  must  it  be  to  the  end  unless  you 
come  to  Jesus.  Come,  then,  and  touch  the  border  of  Immanuel's 
garment ;  the  woman  mentioned  in  the  Gospel  said,  "  i/"  /  may 
but  touch  his  garment,  I  shall  he  wholeP  Mat.  ix.  21.  Come 
now — He  is  as  near  to  you  as  He  was  then  to  her,— come  touch 
the  border  of  His  garment.  It  was  not  only  that  poor  woman, 
but  "  as  many  as  touched  hitn  were  made  perfectly  whole.''''  Mat. 
xiv.  36.  '•  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sinP 
Remember,  what  Christ  saith  to  His  disciples  in  the  14th  ch.  St. 
John,  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve also  in  me  ;  in  my  Fat]ier\s  house  are  many  mansions,  if  it 
were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  aj)lacefor 
you,  and  if  I  go  and  jjrepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again, 
afid  receive  you  unto  myself,  that  tvhere  I  am,  there  ye  m,ay  be 
also.^^  If  He  is  gone  to  prepare  a  place  for  you — ^then,  lift  up  your 
eyes  to  those  mansions  !  that  household  of  God  where  Christ  is 
gone  to  prepare  a  habitation  for  His  people ;  look  to  that,  there  is 
a  rest,  a  rest  indeed — and  indeed  there  is  no  rest  in  anything  be- 
side. There  is  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  our  foot  on  the  troubled 
waters  of  this  weary  world,  no  more  than  there  was  for  the  dove 
on  the  waters  of  the  deluge.  And  it  is  well  for  those  who  look  for 
a  better  rest,  that  they  cannot  find  a  rest  on  earth — how  ready 
would  we  Ije  to  make  nests  for  ourselves,  to  nestle  here  below — but 
our  God,  our  Father  will  not  allow  us.  If  we  are  looking  to  Christ, 
He  has  prepared  some  better  things  for  us.  If  your  father  and 
mother  expected  you  at  home,  and  if  they  thought,  you  were  lying 
lazily  down  to  sleep  in  some  hovel  on  the  road-side,  instead  of 
hastening  on  to  them,  how  would  they  be  disappointed  and  dis- 
tressed. They  would  sfend,  if  a  messenger  could  reach  you,  and 
say  to  you,  "  Oh,  come  home,  why  rest  in  such  a  place  as  that  ? 
We  are  waiting  for  you,  expecting  you  at  home."  Thus,  our 
heavenly  Father  will  not  let  us  take  up  our  abode  in  hovels  on  the 
road  side,  He  will  compel  us,  He  will  constrain  us  to  come  home, 
He  will  send  His  messenger  to  reprove,  to  quicken  us,  to  chide  our 
dull  delay.  He  will  make  us  "  gird  np  the  loins  of  our  mind," 
and  teach  us  to  "  be  sober  and  hope  to  the  end."  How  can  we 
sufficiently  appreciate  the  blessing  till  we  reach  our  Father's  house, 
of  being  "fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the 

HOUSEHOLD  OP  GoD  !" 

I  said,  St.  Paul  was  a  Roman  citizen,  and  therefore  had  a  right 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  221 

to  the  privileges  of  his  citizenship.  And  do  you  remember  how  he 
used  them  ?  Do  you  recollect  when  the  chief  captain  bound  him, 
and  would  have  scourged  him,  he  asks,  "  Is  it  Imofulfor  you  to 
scourge  a  man  that  is  a  Roinan,  and  uncondemned  ?"  Acts  xxii. 
25.  And  do  you  remember  how,  when  the  chief  captain  heard  he 
was  a  Roman,  he  was  afraid,  and  let  him  go,  the  terror  of  the 
Roman  name  was  upon  him,  and  he  dare  not  scourge  or  bind  a  Ro- 
man citizen.  And  do  you  think  there  are  no  privileges  belonging 
to  the  citizenship  of  the  city  of  the  living  God  ?  If  the  chief  cap- 
tain feared  the  Roman  Emperor,  if  he  should  dare  to  invade  the 
privileges  of  a  Roman  citizen,  or  to  infringe  the  rights  of  Rome,  do 
you  think,  the  King  of  Glory  is  not  watching  over  his  citizens,  and 
vindicating  their  privileges  and  their  rights  in  all  their  trials  ?  Oh  ! 
remember — Satan,  and  the  flesh,  and  the  world,  shall  no  longer 
have  power  to  hold  you  captive — "  sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
over  you,  for  you  are  not  under  the  laiv,  but  tmder  grace."  Re- 
member, all  your  foes  can  do  nothing  that  the  King  your  Father  does 
not  permit.  They  shall  do  nothing  but  what  is  for  your  good,  for 
"  all  things  are  working  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose."  Rom.  viii.  28. 
Think,  then,  of  these  things  !  Oh  blessed  thought !  we  shall 
never  reach  the  end  of  our  privileges — they  are  for  eternity.  Oh, 
may  we  be  enabled,  through  the  grace  and  mercy  of  our  God,  to  know 
— enjoy — live  on  them  as  we  ought,  to  live  to  the  glory  of  our  God 
and  Father — to  ^'glorify  God  in  our  body  and  in  our  spirit,  which 
are  God's."  I  beseech  you  consider  these  things,  compare  these 
two  verses,  the  12th  and  19th — study  the  intermediate  verses,  and 
they  will  show,  how  man  is  brought  from  the  state  of  an  unbe- 
liever, in  the  12th  verse,  to  the  state  of  a  behever,  in  the  19th. 
Mark — how  in  that  short  compass  you  have  laid  before  you  "  the 
fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ"  and  let  us  pray 
that  the  Lord  may  enable  us  to  know,  to  understand,  to  believe, 
and  rejoice  in  the  unsearchable  riches  of  our  adorable  Redeemer. 
Amen. 


TWENTIETH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  II. — 20,  21,  22. 


"  And  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone  :  in  whom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together, 
groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  an 
habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit." 

On  the  last  day,  we  considered  some  of  the  privileges  of  believers, 
as  they  are  set  forth  in  the  19th  verse.  We  contrasted  the  state 
in  which  they  had  been,  as  "  aliens  from  the  commomuealth  of 
Israel^  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  pi'oniise,  having  no 
hope  and  without  God  in  the  ivorld,''^  with  that  in  which  they  now 
are  ;  being  "  made  nigh  hy  the  blood  of  Christ,"  having  "  through 
him  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father,"  "  no  inore  strangers 
and  foreigners,  but  felloiv-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God."  The  Apostle  proceeds  to  show  them  the  sta- 
bility of  all  their  privileges,  m  the  20th  verse,  which  we  consider 

to-day,  "  AND  ARE  BUILT  UPON  THE  FOUNDATION  OP  THE  APOS- 
TLES AND  PROPHETS,  JeSUS  ChRIST  HIMSELF,  BEING  THE 
CHIEF  CORNER-STONE." 

You  are  "  built  upon  the  foundation," — this  is  an  expres- 
sion, or  rather  an  image,  which  is  repeatedly  used  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  Scriptures; — the  Church  of  Christ  is  compared  to  a 
building,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  to  the  foundation. 
We  meet  it  in  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  xxviii.  16th  verse,  the  Lord  there 
declares  ^'■Behold  I  lay  in  Zionfor  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried 
stone,  a  precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation,  he  that  believeth 
shall  7iot  make  haste."  We  find  the  Apostles  repeatedly  using 
this  image ;  we  see  it,  in  the  sermon  of  Peter,  in  the  4th  chapter 
of  the  Acts,  where  he  says,  alluding  to  our  Saviour  who  was  fore- 
told in  the  prophecy  that  I  have  just  read  to  you — to  His  rejection 
by  the  Jews,  and  His  exaltation  as  foretold  Ps.  cxviii.,  22,  he  saith 
11th  and  12th  verses,  "  This  is  the  stone  which  was  set  at  nought 
of  you  builders,  which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner,  neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other,  for  there  is  no  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  7nust  be  saved."  And  so 
the  Apostle  in  the  3d  chapter  1st  Cor.  11th  verse,  "  Other  founda- 
tion can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  set  forth  as  the  foundation  on  which  the 
sinner  must  rest  all  his  hope.  He  is  the  foundation  on  which  rests 
all  our  salvation,  the  foundation,  on  which,  as  on  a  rock,  the  whole 
Church  of  Christ  is  built. 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS-  223 

Now,  before  we  consider  this  any  farther,  let  me  pause,  and  ask 
all  who  are  here,  or  rather  let  me  entreat  you  my  dear  ifriends  to 
ask  yourselves, 

"  Is  Jesus  my  foundation  ? — Is  all  the  hope  of  my  salvation  built 
on  Christ?" 

It  is  a  question,  which  perhaps  every  nominal  Christian  would 
be  ready  to  answer  in  the  affirmative,  "  Oh,  yes,"  he  would  sa}^,  ''1 
have  no  hope  of  being  saved  but  by  Christ,  I  could  not  be  saved 
without  Christ." 

But  we  shall  find  on  examination,  that  while  many  persons 
make  this  confession,  nevertheless.  He  is  not  the  foundation  of 
their  hope.  Their  confession  is  a  sentiment  which  they  have  been 
accustomed  to  admit  in  words,  not  in  principle.  They  prize  it, 
and  they  have  learned  to  confess  it  with  their  lips ;  but  in  saying, 
that  they  cannot  be  saved  without  Christ ; — They  mean  this, 

"  I  know  that  my  own  righteousness — my  own  works — my  own 
merits — my  own  efforts,  are  not  a  sufficient  foundation  for  me  to 
rest  my  hope  on,  if  I  had  not  Christ  to  make  them  so ;  if  Christ's 
merits  were  not  to  be  added  to  the  best  that  I  can  do,  I  know  I 
could  not  be  saved,  but  I  trust  through  Him  that  my  humble  efforts 
will  be  accepted." 

Such  is,  I  fear,  the  hope  of  multitudes  who  call  therriselves 
Christians.  If  this  is  your  opinion,  be  assured  that  Christ  is 
not  the  foundation  of  your  hope  at  all.  If  we  say,  "  this  house  is 
founded  on  a  rock,"  we  do  not  mean,  it  is  partly  founded  on  a 
rock,  and  partly  on  the  sand,  but  we  mean  to  say,  it  is  altogether 
founded  on  a  rock.  Now,  your  hope,  if  it  be  as  I  have  described, 
is  founded  partly  on  a  rock,  and  partly  on  the  sand ;  and  if  a 
house  is  partly  founded  on  a  rock,  and  partly  on  the  sand,  it  might 
as  well  be  all  founded  on  the  sand  ;  for  the  foundation  of  the  half 
will  be  soon  washed  away,  and  then  it  must  fall  to  ruin.  If  you 
think  that  Jesus  makes  your  works  and  efforts  acceptable  to  God 
for  your  salvation — and  that  therefore,  He  is  necessary,  so  that,  in 
this  sense,  you  cannot  be  saved  without  Christ — if  you  mean  this 
— then  Christ  is  not  your  foundation  at  all ;  He  is  merely  the 
helper  of  your  salvation, — He  is  not  your  Saviour.  The  founda- 
tion that  is  laid  on  Christ,  or  rather  the  hope  that  is  built  on 
Christ,  is  entirely  built  on  Christ.  The  whole  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness, without  any  mixture  of  your  own  whatever,  that  is  the 
righteousness  of  the  sinner  whose  hope  is  built  on  Jesus.  The 
whole  of  Christ's  redemption — the  finished  pardon  that  He  has 
bought  with  His  blood — which  gives  the  soul  complete  and  full  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  without  any  reference  to  his  own  works — except 
this — that  they  are  sinful,  and  therefore  unable  to  save  him — that 
is  the  resting  place  for  the  soul  of  every  sinner  who  trusts  in  Jesus. 
He  can  say  "  Jesus  hath  paid  my  debt.  He  '  is  the  end  of  the  law, 
for  righteousness'  Rom.  x.  4. — for  me.  He  hath  satisfied  the  di- 
vine justice  for  me.  He  hath  passed  into  the  heavens,  as  my 
Great  High  Priest,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  my 
soul.     Christ  is  my  peace.     He  is  my  Lord,  my  Master,  my  eternal 


22^  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Salvation.  If  I  look  to  myself,  I  am  all  doubt,  all  fear,  all  appre- 
hension. If  I  look  imto  Christ,  I  have  no  doubt,  no  fear,  no  ap- 
prehension, because  Christ  has  done  all,  '■finished  transgression, 
made  an  end  of  sin,  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  brought  in 
everlasting  righteousness.''  Dan.  ix.  24.  Therefore,  '  Why  art 
thou  cast  doivn,  Oh  my  soid,  and  why  art  thou  disquieted  within 
me,  hope  thou  in  God.''  Ps.  xlii;  5,  lean  on  this  rock,  rest  on  this 
foundation."  Such  is  the  language  of  a  soul  that  is  built  on 
Christ. 

Here  an  expression  is  used,  which  is  a  peculiar  one,  "  are 

BUILT  UPON  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  APOSTLES  AND  PROPH- 
ETS." What  is  the  meaning  of  being  "  built  on  the  foundation 
of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets  ?"  There  are  two  passages  in 
Scripture  which  seem  similar,  one  in  the  16th  chapter  of  St.  Mat- 
thew, where  our  Lord  says  to  Peter,  "  I  say  unto  thee  that  thou  art 
Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates 
of  hell  shall  not  j>revail  against  it.''''  This  is  the  passage  from 
which  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Rome  take  their  doctrine, 
that  Peter  is  the  foundation  of  the  Church,  that  the  Church  is 
built  upon  Peter.  If  the  Church  is  built  on  the  Apostles  at  all, 
we  see  it  is  built,  not  alone  on  Peter,  but  on  all  of  them  ;  for  here  it 
is  said,  "built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and 
PROPHETS,"  and  we  have  a  similar  expression  in  the  21st  chapter 
of  Revelations,  14th  verse,  "  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  foun- 
dations, and  in  them  the  nam,es  of  the  twelve  Apostles  of  the 
LambP  But  what  is  the  meaning  of  being  '■'■built  upon  the 
foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets  ?"  Is  it  that  the  Apos- 
tles or  Prophets,  Peter  or  all  of  them,  are  a  foundation  on  which 
sinners  are  to  rest  their  hope  or  their  salvation?  No  more  on 
them  than  any  other  sinners.  We  might  just  as  well  say,  that 
we  are  built  on  one  another,  or  on  any  sinner  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  as  built  on  one  or  all  of  the  Apostles,  if  you  consider  the 
Apostles  or  Prophets  in  reference  to  themselves,  or  their  persons. 
It  does  not  signify  built  on  them  as  a  foundation,  but  built  on 
that  which  was  their  foundation.  The  foundation  of  a  wall  or 
city  does  not  mean  the  wall  or  the  city  itself,  but  the  foundation 
on  which  the  wall  or  city  is  built — so  it  is  here.  "  The  founda- 
tion of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,^''  is  not  they  themselves,  but 
the  foundation  on  which  the  Apostles  and  Prophets  were  built — 
and  the  testimony  which  the  Apostles  and  Prophets  bore,  was  a 
testimony  of  Christ,  and  a  testimony  to  Christ,  as  the  foundation 
of  our  salvation ;  so  they  say,  as  we  have  said  before,  "  other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay,  but  that  is  laid,  tvhich  is  Jesus 
ChristJ''  This  is  equally  true,  whether  we  consider  with  some, 
that  the  word  "  Prophets^^  refers  to  the  inspired  Prophets  of  the 
Old  Testament — or  to  the  evangelical  preachers  of  the  New.  I 
am  rather  inclined  to  adopt  the  former  opinion,  and  if  that  be 
right,  then  of  them  it  is  true,  "  To  him  give  all  the  Pi^ophets  wit- 
ness, that,  through  his  name,  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall 
receive  remission  of  sins.^^  Acts  x.  43.     If  the  latter  opinion  be 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  225 

correct,  then  to  testify  of  Jesus  as  the  foundation,  is  the  office  of 
all  faithful  preachers  since  Jesus  died.  I  need  not  enter  into  the 
question  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  reference  to  Peter,  further 
than  to  quote  the  Apostle  himself.  He  cites  this  very  passage 
from  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  to  which  we  have  referred  a  little  before ; 
and  he  gives  the  interpretation  of  that  passage,  he  says,  1  Peter 
ii.  4,  5,  speaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  To  ivhom  coming,  as 
unto  a  living  sto7ie,  disallowed  indeed  of  men,  but  chosen  of  God 
and  precious,  ye  also  as  lively  stones  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  accept- 
able to  God  by  Jesus  Christ J^  If  Peter  were  to  have  been  called, 
in  himself,  the  foundation  of  the  Church,  we  see  he  here  deserts 
his  post — he  abandons  his  place  as  the  foundation  of  the  Church, 
and  leaves  the  Church  built  on  him  to  fall,  because  he  renounces 
such  a  title,  and  calls  the  Church  to  its  true  foundation,  even  to 
Christ ; — and  then  he  quotes  the  passage,  verse  6,  "  Wherefore 
also,  it  is  contained  in  the  Scripture,  behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a 
chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  him 
shall  not  be  confounded  ;"  verse  7,  "  iinto  you  therefore  loho  be- 
lieve he  is  precious."  Here  he  describes  believers  ;  then  alluding 
to  those  who  reject  the  testimony  of  God,  he  says, "  but  unto  them 
which  be  disobedient,  the  stone  which  the  builders  disalloived,  the 
sam^e  is  made  the  head  of  the  corner,  and  a  stone  of  stumbling 
arid  a  rock  of  offence,  even  to  them  that  stumble  at  the  word,  be- 
ing disobedient^  He  shows  us  what  their  disobedience  is — 
stumbling  at  the  Word,  and  denying  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Therefore,  "  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  a?id  Proph- 
ets" is  the  very  same  thing  which  our  Lord  means,  in  that  pas- 
sage where  he  addresses  Peter,  when,  in  reply  to  the  question, 
"  Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  Simon  Peter  ansivered  and  said, 
thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God;  and  Jesus  an- 
swered and  said  unto  him,  blessed  art  thou  Simon  Barjona,  for 
flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  And  I  say  unto  thee  that  thou  art  Peter, 
and  upon  this  rock  ivill  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  it."  "  On  this  rock."  This  is  the 
foundation  laid  by  the  Apostles  and  Prophets  in  their  testimony, — 
the  Prophets  prophesying  of  Christ  as  a  foundation — the  Apostles 
testifying  of  Christ  as  a  foundation — Peter  here  acknowledging  and 
confessing  Christ  as  a  foundation,  as  we  see  him  calling  sinners, 
and  calling  the  Church  in  his  Epistle  to  rest  on  that  foundation. 
So  "  iipon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church,  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it"  So  the  Apostle  here  speaks  of 
it  in  a  consolatory  manner,  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  "  you  are 

BUILT  UPON  THE  FOUNDATION  OP  THE  APOSTLES  AND  PROPH- 
ETS,"— that  which  is  laid  in  their  testimony  and  in  their  word, 
and  in  which  they  trusted  themselves — on  which  they  them- 
selves are  built,  and  on  which  they  call  the  world  to  rest.  As 
they  were  first  built  on  Christ,  and,  as  it  were,  the  stones  imme- 
diately laid  on  Him,  and  then  the  Church  called  bv  them  laid 

15 


226  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

next  to  them — so,  in  this  sense,  it  might  be  said,  you  are  built 
upon  that  foundation,  "  Jesus  Christ  being  the  corner 
stone"  on  which  the  building-  rests — on  whom,  and  by  whom, 
Jew  and   Gentile   are   united,  and   thus,  "  in  whom  all    the 

BUILDING  FITLY  FRAMED  TOGETHER,  GROWETH  INTO  AN  HOLY 
TEMPLE   IN  THE  LORD." 

Here  then,  the  church  of  Christ,  its  foundation,  and  superstruc- 
ture are  described. 

Its  foundation — the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Its  superstructure — all  the  members  who  rest  on  Him — all  the 
other  parts  of  the  building.  He  it  is  "  in  whom,  all  the  build- 
ing IS  FITLY  FRAMED  TOGETHER."     Aiid  ill  Hiiii  the  buildiiig 

itself,   "  GROWETH    INTO  AN  HOLY  TEMPLE   IN  THE  LoRD."       And 

then,  that  the  Church  at  Ephesus  might  know  their  own  place  in 
the  building,  he  adds,  "  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  toge- 
ther FOR  AN  habitation  OF  GoD  THROUGH  THE  SPIRIT." 

We  may  here  remark  how  the  grace  of  God,  of  which  the 
Apostle  had  been  speaking  throughout  this  chapter, — is  promi- 
nently set  forth  in  this  image.  As  well  might  we  say,  that  the 
stones,  of  which  the  walls  of  this  building  in  which  we  are  assem- 
ble, are  composed,  could  quarry  themselves  out  of  the  mountain — 
convey  themselves  to  this  spot — -fit  themselves  together  into  that 
wall — and  raise  this  structure  which  we  behold  around  us — as  say, 
that  the  church  of  Christ  is  collected  and  gathered  together  by  the 
natural  good  will — good  inclinations — -good  understanding — reason 
— faith^excellence — or  merits  of  the  persons  who  compose  it !  Not 
more  certainly  does  the  hand  of  the  workman  cjuarry  the  stones — 
bring  them  together — lay  them  in  order  on  the  foundation — and 
erect  them  into  the  superstructure  which  they  compose;  than  the 
Lord  of  life  and  glory  calls  sinners  by  His  Spirit  and  His  power,  out 
of  their  state  of  natural  darkness,  ignorance  and  death — brings 
them  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — layeth  them  on  Him  as  a  founda- 
tion— buildeth  them  up  on  Him,  and  fitly  frameth  them  together 
as  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord. 

We  may  observe  then,  in  the  first  place,  the  grace  of  God,  in 
gathering  His  Church.  '•  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faithP 
Then  we  observe,  the  stability  of  that  Church  ;  they  are  '•  built 

ON  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  ApOSTLES  AND   PrOPHETs" their 

foundation  is  Immanuel.  Their  ^•builder  and  maker  is  God;" 
— they  have  been  brought  by  sovereign  grace,  every  individual 
among  them,  to  know  the  "  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus'^ — There  is  no 
member  of  the  church  of  Christ  that  is  not  taught  these  lessons ; 
their  guilt — their  ruin — their  utter  helplessness — their  utter  in- 
ability to  deliver  their  own  souls, — -none  who  are  not  instructed  in 
Christ  as  their  hope — their  only  hope  and  refuge — yea,  all  their 
salvation.  They  are  all  taught  of  God,  though  their  degrees  of 
knovvdedge  and  experience  in  all  the  doctrines  of  truth  may  be 
very  different.  One  man  may  have  a  much  greater  fear  of  his 
guilt  and  condemnation — another  man  may  have  much  deeper 
views — more  humbling,  self-prostrating  views  of  his  own  corrup- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  227 

tion  and  abomination— another  may  have  much  clearer  and 
brighter  views  of  the  finished  work  of  his  glorious  Redeemer — a 
much  more  lively  assurance  of  faith  and  hope, — these  principles 
may  be,  and  are  exceedingly  varied,  not  only  in  different  believers, 
but  in  the  same  believers  at  different  times  ;  but  they  all  learn  the 
same  lesson,  they  are  all  brought  to  renounce  themselves — to  fly 
to  Christ  as  their  hope  and  refuge  ;  they  are  all  brought  to  know 
— to  look  to — to  lean  on,  and  rejoice  in  Christ.  So  the  Apostle 
Peter,  in  the  passage  I  have  quoted,  speaking  of  the  church  being 
built  on  this  living  stone,  says,  "  Unto  you  therefore  who  believe, 
he  is  precious."  This  is  the  characteristic  of  every  true  child  of 
God.  Yes,  "  to  you  who  believe,  he  is  precious,''^  whatever  inay 
be  your  state,  whatever  may  be  your  circumstances  or  feelings, 
now  or  at  any  other  time,  Christ  is  precious  to  your  soul.  Those 
who  know  not  Christ,  as  the  foundation  of  their  hope— He  "  hath 
no  form  or  comeliness,"  Isaiah  liii.  2,  to  them.  But  to  those  who 
know  Christ,  he  is  indeed  precious,  "  the  chiefest  among  ten  thou- 
sand," yea,  "  altogether  lovely."  Cant.  v.  10,  16. 

Some  may  say  perhaps,  "  Alas  !  I  wish  it  were  so  with  me,  but 
I  find  my  heart  so  cold  and  dead,  that  this  is  the  very  thing  that 
distresses  me,  I  do  not  feel  that  I  love  Christ  as  I  ought  to  love 
Hun,  and  therefore  I  am  cast  down,  that  thought  casts  me  down, 
to  those  who  believe  Christ  is  precious,  l3ut  I  do  not  feel  Him  so, 
as  he  ought  to  be  to  me." 

Well,  I  say  unto  you,  if  this  be  your  feeling,  lift  up  your  heart ; 
for  if  He  was  not  precious  to  you,  and  if  you  did  not  love  Him,  your 
own  coldness  and  deadness  could  not  be  a  source  of  grief  to  you : 
you  would  not  feel  that  coldness  and  deadness  if  you  did  not  love 
Christ :  and  those  who  love  Him  most,  feel  how  little  precious  He 
is  to  them,  compared  to  what  He  ought  to  be.  For  Oh  !  how  pre- 
cious ought  Christ  to  be  to  us !  How  contemptible  everything  else 
on  this  earth  ought  to  be,  when  it  comes  into  competition  for  a 
moment  with  Christ !  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and 
there  is  none  on  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee,"  saith  the  Psalmist. 
.Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.  There  is  no  sin,  no  earthly  joy  or  pleasure,  no  car- 
nal gratification — nothing  that  the  whole  world  could  bestow  that 
we  could  not  count  it  all  loss  for  Christ,  if  He  was  precious  to  us 
as  He  ought  to  be.  Let  us  seek  that  we  may  know  Him  more  and 
more,  for  if  He  is  not  precious  to  us  as  He  ought,  it  is  because  He 
is  not  known  to  us  as  He  ought.  Let  us  all  consider  what  we  are, 
what  Christ  has  suffered,  what  He  has  done  for  us. — let  us  remem- 
ber how  He  has  borne  with  us — let  us  reflect  what  provocations, 
what  innumerable  provocations  He  has  received  from  us,  since  He 
taught  us  that  He  was  our  Hope  and  Refuge, — let  us  consider  our 
ingratitude — what  vile  returns  we  have  made  to  Him  for  all  His 
love  and  tenderness — and  yet  how  He  has  kept  us — and  has  borne 
with  us, — and  has  not  withdrawn  His  grace  and  mercy  from  us  ! 
He  has  brought  us  here  to-day — He  has  opened  His  glorious  Word 
before  us — again  He  calls  us  to  Himself— again  He  testifies  of  the 
riches  of  His  love — the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace,  His  invita- 


228  LECTUKES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

tion  is — "  Come  unto  me  and  I  will  give  you  rest.^^  Mat.  xi.  28. 
Oh  yes  !  Christ  ouglit  to  be  precious  to  us,  indeed — and  cold,  com- 
pared with  what  we  owe  to  Him,  are  the  warmest  affections  of 
our  hearts. 

We  behold  then,  the  grace  of  the  Ijord  in  building  His  church, 
as  set  forth  in  this  chapter — and  this  stability  of  the  church, 
as  resting-  on  that  foundation.  The  church  is  founded  on  a 
rock,  and  the  stability  of  this  foundation  is  one  of  the  things 
which  makes  Christ  precious  to  the  soul.  Do  not  be  doubting, 
O  believer !  do  not  be  distrusting  your  Lord — do  not  allow  your 
own  sin,  your  own  ingratitude,  your  own  unbelief  to  make  you 
doubt  your  Lord's  love.  Surely  it  was  not  for  anything  good  in 
you  that  He  loved  you  first,  and  brought  you  to  Himself ;  and  He 
will  not  cast  you  off  now,  for  all  your  unworthinesss,  and  all  your 
vileness,  when  you  bring  it  all  to  Him, — "  Trust  m  him  at  all 
tiines  ye  people,  j^our  out  your  hearts  before  him,  God  is  a  refuge 
for  lis."  Ps.  Ixii.  8. 

We  are  told  continually  that  this  is  great  encouragement  to 
licentiousness,  an  encouragement  to  go  on  in  sin ;  nay,  but,  it  is 
the  encouragement  the  Lord  gives  to  His  people,  to  love  and  serve 
him,  and  if  the  grace  and  love  of  Christ  is  abused,  as  we  grant, 
that  the  doctrines  of  grace,  have  been  abused,  and  may  be  abused 
again  to  licentiousness,  yet,  if  they  are  so,  is  that  a  reason  that 
we  are  to  stint  the  children  of  God  of  the  "  Bread  of  life,"  because 
the  devil  chooses  to  mix  poison  with  it  for  his  own  children  ?  The 
children  of  God  will  not  turn  the  grace  of  God  to  licentiousness, 
they  shall  not  do  so.  We  have  seen,  verse  10,  that  they  "  are  his 
workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus,  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  they  should  walk  in  themP  They 
shall  be  taught  to  know  and  feel  the  power  of  this  truth,  "  Shall 
we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound,  God  forbid.  How 
shall  toe  that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any  longer  therein  'P  Rom.  vi. 
I,  2 ;  they  shall  be  taught  to  know  and  feel,  that  as  "  where  sin 
abounded,  grace  did  mucli  more  abound  .•"  It  is  not  that  they  are 
to  "  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound,"  but  "  that  as  sin 
hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign  through 
righteoustiess  unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  LiordP  Rom. 
V.  20,  21.  Nay,  this  is  only  the  means  of  lifting  up  the  sinner's 
heart  from  the  love  and  power  of  sin.  It  was  the  grace  and  love 
of  Christ  that  first  brought  your  soul  to  know,  and  to  rejoice  in 
Christ,  and  it  is  the  same  power  alone  that  shall  keep,  and  carry 
you  on  to  trust  and  serve  Him,  so  saith  the  Apostle,  "  the  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we  tJius  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead,  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  lohich 
live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  that 
died  for  them,  and  rose  again."  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15.  Therefore, 
consider,  that  God  is  the  foundation  on  which  your  soul  rests,  and 
the  stability  of  the  Church  is  derived,  not  more  from  the  security 
of  her  foundation,  that  she  rests  on  Christ,  than  from  the  power 
of  her  Lord,  who  keeps,  and  guards,  and  preserves  her  for  ever- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  229 

more,  "  /  the  Lord  do  keep  it ;  I  will  vmter  it  every  moment :  lest 
any  hurt  it,  I  will  keep  it  night  and  dayP  Isa.  xxvii.  3 — He  saith 
by  the  Prophet.  So  they  are  kept,  "  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation,^''  saith  the  Apostle  Peter,  i.  5. 

Then  we  are  to  consider,  not  only  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  stability  and  security  of  His  Church,  but  also,  the  unity  of  the 
Church  in  Christ.  This  is,  perhaps,  a  view  of  the  question  which 
it  requires  as  great  an  exercise  of  faith  to  see  distinctly,  as  any 
truth  connected  with  it ;  for  alas,  what  divisions  do  there  appear 
in  the  Church  of  Christ !  yea,  even  among  those  who  clearly  pro- 
fess to  believe  the  Gospel — among  those,  who  from  their  life  and 
conversation,  we  suppose  make  a  true  profession  that  they  know 
Christ — that  they  love  Him,  and  that  He  is  precious  to  their 
souls !  Yet  alas !  what  divisions  appear  among  them  !  how  we 
see  them  *'  contending  about  words  to  no  profit  but  to  the  sub- 
verting of  the  hearers !"  2nd  Tim.  ii.  14.  What  contentions  exist 
about  forms  of  government — of  discipline — forms  of  w^orship — 
forms  of  words — ordinances  of  various  kinds — modes  of  adminis- 
tering ordinances — opinions,  on  points  of  speculation — some  look- 
ing in  the  church  on  earth  for  the  purity  of  the  church  in  glory ; 
separating — dividing  among  themselves — causing  divisions  and 
schisms  in  searcii  of  a  pure  church — trying  "  to  bring  a  clean  thing 
out  of  an  unclean^''  Job  xiv.  4,  foolishly  and  ignorantly  anticipat- 
ing the  work  of  the  angels  in  separating  the  tares  from  the  wheat, 
and  forgetting  that  both  must  grow  together  till  the  harvest ! ! ! 
Alas,  w4iat  a  heart-rending  view  the  state  of  disunion  among  be- 
lievers, presents  to  one  that  really  knows  and  feels,  what  the  spirit 
of  union  ought  to  be  among  all  the  children  of  Christ !  Yet,  in 
spite  of  all  this,  whatever  it  may  appear  to  the  eye  of  sense,  still, 

"the  whole  building  fitly  FRAMED  TOGETHER,  GROWETH 
INTO  AN  HOLY  TEMPLE    IN  THE  LoRD."       Out    of  all    the  varioUS 

outward  churches,  and  outward  denominations  of  those  that  pro- 
fess the  name  of  Jesus,  the  Lord  is  gathering  in  His  own  flock 
into  His  fold — the  stones  of  His  own  temple,  they  are  all  "  fitly 
FRAMED  together"  in  His  eye,  and  all  "  growing  into  an  holy 

TEMPLE  in  the  LoRD." 

This  is  the  proposition  that  is  written  here,  it  must  be  true,  it  is 
as  true  as  His  word, — and  yet,  there  is  nothing,  perhaps,  connected 
with  the  Church  of  Christ,  that  requires  a  greater  exercise  of  faith 
than  the  belief  of  that  truth.  But  so  it  was  even  in  the  days  of 
the  Apostles.  See  what  a  dissension  arose  even  between  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  a  contention  so  sharp  "  that  they  departed  one  from 
the  other^''  Acts  xv.  38. — and  that  too,  about  Mark.  Yet,  the 
Lord  overruled  this,  one  goes  one  way,  and  the  other  goes  another. 
And  while  their  contention  is  calculated  to  humble  them  both,  and 
make  them  feel  what  they  are ;  the  Lord  can  overrule  the  evil  to 
make  them  go  and  declare  His  Word  in  different  countries,  and 
bring  the  message  of  salvation  to  the  souls  of  sinners  in  different 
places.  The  Lord  can  thus  overrule  even  evil  for  good  in  gather- 
ing the  stones  of  His  spiritual  temple.     Paul  was  obliged  to  with- 


230  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

stand  Peter  to  the  face,  for  Peter  was  temporizing  with  the  Jewish 
behevers.  Yet  that  stands  recorded  in  the  word  of  eternal  truth, 
and  a  blessed  record  it  is  ;  for  that,  among  other  testimonies  stands 
as  a  witness  against  the  awful  delusion  of  that  fatal  apostacy, 
which  would  make  that  Apostle  the  foundation  on  which  men  were 
to  build  the  hope  of  their  salvation  ! 

You  see  then,  the  Lord  can  overrule  even  the  evil  in  His  Church 
for  good ;  and  to  this  very  moment,  although  we  have  to  mourn 
over  the  contentions  and  divisions  in  the  church,  yet  the  Lord  over- 
rules, and  will  overrule  them,  as  the  very  means  of  making  His 
people  more  watchful,  more  vigilant,  more  circumspect,  and  drive 
them  more  from  resting  on  their  forms,  and  trusting  in  themselves, 
to  the  pure  spiritual  principle  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  love  to  the 
brethren. 

Pure  and  undefiled  religion  cannot  consist  in  outward  ordinances, 
it  cannot  consist  in  outward  privileges,  however  important  they 
may  be,  but  it  must  consist  in  genuine  faith  and  love — in  a  real 
trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  vital  principle  of  a  real 
Christian  spirit  that  will  lead  the  heart  not  only  to  love  its  Lord, 
but  all  who  love  Him,  for  His  sake,  and  to  say  and  feel  the  last 
words  of  this  Epistle ; — "  Grace  he  with  all  them  that  love  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincej^ityP     Amen.     "  In  whom  all  the 

BUILDING,  fitly  FRAMED  TOGETHER,  GROWETH  UNTO  AN  HOLY 
TEMPLE   IN  THE  LORD." 

Then,  again,  consider  what  a  beautiful  view  this  presents  to 
us  of  the  different  circinnstances  of  the  members  of  the  church 
of  Christ, — the  different  circumstances  in  which  they  are  called. 
One  is  called  in  a  higher,  another  in  an  humbler  walk  of  life,  one 
is  called  as  a  parent,  another  as  a  child — one,  as  a  master,  an- 
other, as  a  servant — ^one  may  be  called  as  a  king,  another,  as  a 
subject — one  may  be  called  as  a  noble,  another  as  a  commoner  ;— 
persons  are  called  in  all  the  dilTerent  departments  of  life : — and 
remember,  that  in  all  their  circumstances  and  situations  they  are 
called,  for  what?  that  in  those  circumstances,  and  in  tiiat  situa- 
tion, they  may  glorify  God.  The  king  on  his  throne.  If  he  is  a 
servant  of  his  God,  his  faith  in  his  Lord  and  Master  is  the  bright^ 
est  Jewel  in  his  crown.  The  great  and  good  George  the  Third, 
in  iiis  own  prayer-book,  in  the  prayer  for  the  King,  where  the 
words  occur,  "  our  most  gracious  Sovereign  Lord  King  George,^'' 
— wrote  in  the  margin, — "  a  poor  guilt]/  sinuer,^^  What  a  bless- 
ing it  is  to  see  a  king,  laying  down  his  crown  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 
He  knew  and  loved  his  Lord  and  Master — and  he  has  now  cast  a 
crown  far  brighter  than  his  earthly  diadem,  at  the  feet  of  his  Re- 
deemer. 

But,  now,  I  address,  no  doubt,  persons  moving  in  varied  circum- 
stances of  life.  If  I  address  any  in  poor  and  humble  stations,  I 
would  say  to  them,  remember,  that  as  surely  as  you  are  brought 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  has  placed  you,  as  a  living  stone  in  His 
temple,  in  the  very  position  in  which  you  are — He  has  called  you, 
and  fixed  you  in  the  very  spot  which  you  occupy — all  the  circum- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  231 

Stances  of  the  Lord's  people,  how  different  soever  they  may  be,  and 
all  things  connected  with  them,  are  all  arranged  by  the  infinite 
wisdom  of  God — because  we  know  that  "  all  things  work  together 
for  good,  to  them  that  love  God.  to  them  who  are  the  called 
according  to  his  jmrposeP  Rom.  viii.  28.  Therefore,  I  say,  what- 
ever your  circumstances  in  life  may  be — whatever  your  situation 
■ — how  poor  and  humble  soever, — however  overlooked  or  disregarded 
by  men — how  numerous  soever  your  trials— how  weighty  soever 
the  cross  you  have  to  carry — how  humble,  how  low,  how  poor, 
how  mean,  how  despised  soever  you  may  be — you  are  placed  exactly 
in  the  very  position  in  the  temple  of  the  living  God,  m  which  He 
has  been  pleased  to  call  you,  to  glorify  your  Lord  and  Master, 
"the  whole  temple  is  fitly  framed  together."  The 
Lord  requires  for  His  own  All-wise  and  mighty  purpose,  every  sin- 
gle stone  in  His  temple— not  one  is  to  be  left  out,  all  are  to  be 
gathered — placed — fixed  in  their  own  position,  no  matter  what  it 
is.  The  smallest  stone  that  the  mason  takes,  to  fill  up  and  fit  in 
the  wall,  is  just  as  necessary  in  his  eye  to  the  building,  as  the  large 
stone,  the  thorough  stone,  or  the  quoin,  he  lays  beside  it.  And 
remember,  it  must  be  true  of  every  single  stone  in  His  spiritual 
temple,  that  the  Lord  is  the  one  who  has  laid  it  there — who  has 
fitted  it  there — who  keeps  it  there — and  there,  in  your  position, 
whatever  it  be,  you  are  called  upon  to  serve  and  glorify  your  Lord 
and  Master.  Therefore  our  true  happiness  is,  as  it  is  well  and 
simply  expressed  in  our  Catechism,  "  to  do  our  duty  in  that  state 
of  life  unto  which  it  shall  please  God  to  call  us." 

Oh  !  how  contented  that  should  make  us,  how  thankful  in  all 
our  situations,  in  all  our  circumstances  !  We  should  each  remem- 
ber, "  I  am  just  as  the  Lord  has  placed  me."  And  therefore,  be- 
liever, in  any  purpose — in  any  desire — in  any  thought  of  change 
of  position,  you  should  seek  the  Lord's  guidance,  you  should  seek  the 
Lord's  gracious  and  special  providential  direction.  Look  to  Him, 
cast  all  your  care  upon  hhn,  "  in  all  thy  ivays  acknowledge  him,  and 
he  will  dii'ect  thy  paths.'"  Prov.  iii.  6.  What  a  beautiful  view  this 
gives  us  of  the  temple  of  Christ,  the  temple  of  the  living  God,  "  the 
whole  building  fitly  framed  together,  groweth  into 
AN  HOLY  TEMPLE  IN  THE  LoBD."  We  havc  the  cliuich  of  Christ 
spoken  of  in  another  chapter  under  the  image  of  the  body  and  the 
members,  iv.  15,  16,  you  "  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things, 
which  is  the  head,  even  Christ,  from  whom  the  lohole  body,  fitly 
joined  together,  and  compacted  hy  that  loh'ich  every  joint  sup- 
plieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every 
part,  7naketh  increase  of  the  body,  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love." 
What  a  beautiful  view  that  is  !  Every  muscle,  nerve,  and  fibre 
is  necessary  for  the  body — so  every  believer,  whatever  he  be  in 
place  or  condition  in  the  church,  is  necessary,  and  they  are  all, 
every  one  of  them,  growing  together  in  one  body,  exactly  adapted 
and  formed  by  Him.  Well  may  we  say  of  the  body  of  the  church, 
it  is  ^^  fearfully  and  ivonderfully  made."  Ps.  cxxxix.  14.  Each  is 
to  hold  their  own  place — to  serve  their  Lord's  purpose,  and  to  glo- 


y 


232  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

rify  that  God,  who  has  ^^  called  them  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvellous  light.''''  1st  Pet.  ii.  9. 

And  then,  dear  friends,  consider  this,  "  the  whole  building 

FITLY  FRAMED  TOGETHER,  GROWETH   INTO  AN  HOLY  TEMPLE 

IN  THE  Lord."  Consider,  it  is  not  only  a  temple,  but  a  "  holy  tem- 
ple ;"  and  we  see  the  reason  why  it  is  a  holy  temple,  "  in  whom 

YE  ALSO  are  BUILDED   TOGETHER    FOR  AN  HABITATION  OF  GoD 

THROUGH  THE  Spirit."  He  saith,  "/  ivill  dwell  in  them.,  and 
walk  in  them^''  2  Cor.  vi.  16,  "  Iwilljmt  my  laws  into  their  hearts, 
and  in  their  minds  will  I  write  them.,  and  will  he  their  God,  and 
they  shall  he  my  people.^'  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  with  Heb.  x.  16.  This  is 
the  way  in  which  the  charges  of  licentiousness  that  are  brought 
against  the  freedom  and  glory  of  the  doctrines  of  grace  are  to  be 
answered.  We  are  not  to  cramp,  to  contract  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  everlasting  Gospel,  we  are  not  to  confine,  to  curtail,  or  explain 
away  the  blessed  privileges  of  the  Lord's  people,  to  meet  the  igno- 
rance and  carnal  objections  of  an  ungodly  world.  We  are  to  walk 
through  the  land  of  promise,  in  the  length  and  in  the  breadth  of 
it,  unshackled  by  what  men  may  say  or  think.  But  we  are  to 
prove — to  manifest — to  demonstrate  to  all,  that  Ave  give  no  just 
ground  for  such  a  charge.  Not  only  is  it  to  be  denied  in  our  doc- 
trine, but  practically  disproved  in  our  lives.  Our  whole  life  and 
conversation  is  to  be  the  answer  to  the  charge  that  is  made  against 
us.  "  For  so  is  the  will  of  God,  that  with  well  doing,  yon  may 
put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men ;  as  free,  bnt  not  using 
your  liberty  for  a  cloak  of  maliciousness,  hut  as  the  servants  of 
God.'"  1  Pet.  ii.  15, 16.  "  Holiness  hecometh  thy  house,  O  Lord,  for- 
ever P  Ps.  xciii.  5.  Oh  yes  !  and  if  Christ  hath  called  us,  and  "  loved 
us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins,  in  his  ow)i  blood."  Rev.  i.  5. — ■ 
"  7vhat  shall  ive  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  toward  usP  Ps. 
cxvi.  12.  How  shall  we  serve  Him  ?  How  shall  we  glorify  Him  ? 
Surely,  that  ought  to  be  the  inquiry — the  aim  of  our  existence. 

Consider  then,  what  a  blessed  portion  of  Scripture  this  chapter 
is.  It  might  be  very  justly  compared  to  the  history  of  a  magnifi- 
cent building — a  Palace  for  the  residence  of  a  king.  As  if  you 
were  to  describe  an  architect,  wlio  employed  his  workmen  to  go 
to  some  vast  quarry  ;  who  there  quarried  the  stones — took  them 
out — drew  them — brought  them  together — wrought — squared — 
chiselled — fitted,  and  erected  them  into  such  or  such  a  mighty 
structure,  which  you  behold  for  the  habitation  of  a  monarch.  This 
chapter  is,  as  if  even  thus,  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
Here  the  materials  are  represented  as  in  a  mass  of  sin  in  the  be- 
ginning, "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins" — quickened  by  the  grace 
of  God — called  out  of  that  state  by  "  his  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us,  even  while  we  were  dead  in  sin" — quickened  together 
with  Christ — all  their  sins  blotted  out — reconciled  to  God — given 
free  access  through  Christ,  to  God  by  the  Spirit — "  no  more  stran- 
gers and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  ivith  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God" — Isrought  together — fitted — prepared — "  build- 

ED      together     as     A     HOLY     TEMPLE    IN    THE    LoRD,    FOR     AN 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  233 

HABITATION  OP  GoD  THROUGH  THE  Spirit,"  and  the  Loi'd 
dwelling  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  choosing  them  as  His  habi- 
tation forever !  Oh  !  think,  what  blessed  privileges  are  brought 
before  us  in  this  chapter. — Read  it  over,  pray  over  it.  May  the  Lord 
grant,  that  it  may  be  sanctified  to  us,  that  we  may  derive  from  it 
spiritual  blessing — instruction  and  edification,  that  we  may  be 
built  up  indeed,  "a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,"  "builded 
together,  for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit." 
Amen. 


TWENTY-FIRST     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III. — 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 


For  this  cause,  I  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you  Gentiles,  (if  you  have 
heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given  me  to  you-ward ;  how 
that  by  revelation  he  made  known  unto  me  the  mystery ;  (as  I  wrote  afore  in  few 
words ;  whereby,  when  ye  read,  ye  may  understand  my  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of 
Christ.)  which  in  other  ages  was  not  made  known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  now 
revealed  unto  his  holy  apostles  and  prophets  by  the  Spirit ;  that  the  Gentiles  should 
be  fellow-heu-s,  and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
Gospel. 

This  Chapter  contains  a  long  and  rather  difficult  parenthesis,  on 
which  it  is  necessary  to  offer  some  prefatory  observations.  The 
parenthesis  begins  with  the  second  verse. 

"For  this  cause,  I  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ, 
FOR  YOU  Gentiles;"  then  commences  the  parenthesis  "(If  ye 

HAVE    heard    of    THE    DISPENSATION    OF  THE   GRACE  OF    GoD," 

&c.  Now  this  parenthesis  terminates  at  one  of  two  verses.  It  may 
end  at  the  close  of  the  13th  verse ;  or,  as  our  authorized  version 
makes  it  end,  at  the  middle  of  the  1st  verse  of  the  next  chapter. 
We  shall  read  it  in  both  ways,  and  then  consider  which  seems 
to  be  preferable.  If  we  read  it  as  terminating  at  the  13th  verse, 
and  omit  the  intervening  verses,  then  we  suppose  the  Apostle  to 
mark  the  sense,  and  limit  the  parenthesis  by  repeating  the  words 
"jPor  this  caused  with  which  the  14th  verse  commences — then 
the  sense  will  run  thus  :■ — ^"FoR  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  pris- 
oner OF  Jesus  Christ  for  you  gentiles,"  "  how  my  knees 
unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  of  whom  the  whole 
family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  nam,ed,  that  he  would  grant  youP 
&c.,  V.  14,  15. 

Or  if  we  read  it  as  it  is  marked  in  the  Bible,  continuing  the 
parenthetic  reading  to  the  middle  of  the  first  verse  in  the  next  chap- 
ter— then  we  suppose  the  Apostle  to  mark  the  sense,  and  to  limit 
the  parenthesis  by  the  words  "  the  prisoner  of  the  hordj''  then  it 


234  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

will  read  thus : — "  For  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  prisoner  op 
Jesus  Christ,  for  you  gentiles,"  "  beseech  you  that  you  xvalk 
worthy  of  the  vocation  icherewith  ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness 
and  meekness,  with  long-suffering,  forbear iiig  one  another  in 
love^''  &c.  iv.  1,  2. 

Now,  each  of  these  is  very  important  for  us  to  consider.  In  the 
first  place ;  remark,  what  the  cause  is  to  which  the  Apostle  al- 
ludes ;  in  the  tirst  words  of  the  chapter,  "  For  this  causeP-  What 
cause  ?  He  had  stated  in  the  close  of  the  last  chapter,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  great  and  blessed  privileges  of  believers  in  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus — "  Ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  felloiv- 
citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God,  and  are 
built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus 
Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone,  in  whom  all  the  build- 
ing fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord  ;  in.  whom  also  ye  are  budded  together  for  an  habitation 
of  God  through  the  iSpirit.'^  And  ''for  this  causc,^^ — viz. — because 
ye  are  so — because  ye  are  "  of  the  household  of  God'^ — because 
ye  are  ''built  on  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets'^ — 
because  ye  are  "  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  through 
the  Spirit  :'^  "for  this  cause,  I,  Paul  the  prisoner  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  you  gentiles,"  "  bow  my  knees  tnito  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  ivhom  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  us  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  glory  to  be  strengthened  with  tnight  by  his  spirit  in 
the  inner  man,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith," 
&c.  Or,  if  you  continue  the  parenthesis  to  the  next  chapter, 
"for  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ, 
FOR  YOU  Gentiles,"  "beseech  you,  that  you  walk  worthy  of  the 
vocation  wherewith  you  are  called,  loith  all  lowliness  and  7neek- 
ness,  with  longsuffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love,  endeavor- 
ing to  keep  the  unity  of  tlie  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  <fcc. 

It  is  important  to  consider  in  either  case,  that  professors  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  are  too  apt  to  think  when  they  are  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus — when  they  are 
brought  to  know  the  great  fundamental  doctrine  of  justification 
by  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  a  crucified  Redeemer— called 
out  of  darkness  into  the  marvellous  light  of  God's  truth — thereby 
brought  into  the  state  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  preceding  chapter,  "  no  more  strangers  and  foreign- 
ers, but  fellow-citizens  ivitli  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of 
God" — when  they  are  brought,  I  say,  into  this  condition,  then 
they  think,  as  it  were,  that  all  is  done.  "  Now  they  are  Chris- 
tians, now  they  are  servants  of  Christ."  True — so  they  are — and 
in  one  sense,  all  is  done — in  one  sense  all  is  completed — the  work 
on  which  depends  their  salvation  is  finished  by  Him  who  died  on 
the  cross — the  glorious  work  of  redemption  is  accomplished.  But 
then  begins  the  conflict  of  those  who  are  partakers  of  this  great 
salvation — then,  from  that  moment  begins  the  conflict  of  which 
you  read  throughout  the  Scriptures,  as  existing  in  the  breast  of 


LECTURES    ON'    THE    EPIIESIANS.  235 

every  believer:  as  for  instance,  in  Galatians  v.  17,  '•'•ihejiesh  lust- 
eth  against  tlie  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  Jlesli,  and 
these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  tliat  ye  woidd:'  From  that  time,  the  new  principle,  the  re- 
generating power  of  the  Spirit,  is  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts,  and 
then  they  begin  to  feel  the  conflict  that  they  must  have  with  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  Then  begins  the  time,  when  they 
have  need  of  these  blessings  and  this  watchfulness  which,  in 
whatever  view  we  take  the  parenthesis  in  this  chapter,  the  Apostle 
brings,  either  in  one  or  the  other,  so  prominently  before  them. 
They  have  need  continually  of  prayer  to  God  for  strength  and 
grace,  "  that  they  may  be  strengthened  with  cdl  might  by  his 
Sjjirit  in  the  inner  man,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  their  hearts 
by  faith,  that  they  may  be  rooted  and  gromidcd  in  love,  and  able 
to  comprehend  loith  all  saints,  what  is  the  length  and  breadth, 
and  depth,  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which 
'passeth  knowledge,  that  they  may  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of 
God.''''  16-19.  They  have  need  of  continual  prayer  for  these  in- 
estimable blessings,  and  this  is  the  subject  of  the  Apostle's  prayer, 
for  them,  because  they  are  of  '■'■the  household  of  God^''  if  you  read 
the  parenthesis  as  ending  at  the  13th  verse. 

And  again,  they  have  no  less  need  of  watchfulness,  that  they 
"  may  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherew'ith  they  are  called^''  if 
you  read  the  parenthesis  as  ending  in  the  1st  verse  of  the  next 
chapter.  They  have  need  then  of  prayer  for  all  that  they 
require,  to  enable  them  to  carry  on  their  warfare  ;  and  they  have 
need  of  grace,  that,  from  tliat  time  forth,  they  may  '•'•glorify 
God  in  their  body  and  in  their  spirit,  which  are  God^s,^^  for  they 
"  are  not  their  oivn,  but  are  bought  ivith  a  price."  1st  Cor.  vi.  20. 
— thy  are  "  children  of  light,'^  and  should  "  ivalk  in  the  light."  1st 
Thes.  v.  5,  1st  John  i.  7. 

Bear  this,  then,  in  mind  ;  and,  if  it  pleases  God  when  we  come 
to  these  passages,  we  shall  resume  this  subject,  as  to  the  proper 
place  of  closing  the  parenthesis.  In  the  meantime,  we  shall  con- 
sider the  parenthesis  itself,  and  the  subject  which  the  Apostle  in- 
troduces in  it. 

"  For  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ, 
FOR  YOU  Gentiles."  This  epistle  was  written  to  this  Gentile 
Church  tlie  Ephesians,  from  Rome,  where  St.  Paul  was  a  prisoner ; 
and  he  calls  himself  "  a  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the 
Gentiles,"  because  it  was  the  faithful  testimony  which  he  bore 
to  the  salvation  of  Christ  for  the  Gentiles,  by  which  he  had  ex- 
cited so  much  the  wrath  and  enmity  of  the  Jewish  people.  There- 
fore the  Jews  persecuted  him — therefore  he  appealed  to  Csesar — 
therefore  he  was  brought  as  a  prisoner  to  Rome,  as  we  see  in  the 
four  last  chapters  of  the  Acts.  He  says,  '•  If  ye  have  heard  of  the 
dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God,  which  is  given  me  to  you-ward, 
how  that  by  revelation  lie  made  known  unto  me  the  tnystery,  as  I 
wrote  afore  in  few  words ;  whereby  when  you  read,  you  may  un- 
derstand my  knowledge  in  the  fnystery  of  Christ,  which  in  other 


236  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ages  was  not  made  knov-n  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  noio  re- 
vealed unto  his  holy  Apostles  and  Prophets  hy  the  iSpirit,  that 
the  Gentiles  shoidd  he  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and 
'partakers  of  his  protnise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel,  whereof  I  was 
onade  a  minister  according  to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God,  given 
unto  me  by  the  effectual  working  of  his  power."  The  Apostle 
had  communicated  to  the  Ephesian  Church  his  own  conversion, 
he  says,  "if  you  have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the 
GRACE  OF  God,  which  is  given  me  to  you-ward."  The  word 
translated  "  ip,"  is  rather  affirmative  than  hypothetical,  it  means 
"  since  indeed  ;"  and  the  Apostle  uses  it,  not  because  they  had  not 
heard  of  it,  l)ut  because  it  was  necessary  they  should  remember, 
and  dwell  on  it ;  that  they  might  consider  the  Apostolical  author- 
ity and  power,  by  which  he  proclaimed  to  them  the  Gospel  of 
Christ,  and  know  the  certainty  of  their  own  calling  in  Christ, 
being  called  by  him  to  the  knowledge  of  His  precious  Gospel, 
The  Apostle  calls  his  divine  mission  ;  "  The  dispensation  op 

THE  GRACE  OF  GoD,  WHICH   IS  GIVEN  ME  TO  YOU-WARD."      This 

subject  "  THE  GRACE  OP  GoD," — you  perceive,  he  brings  before 
them  by  frequent  repetition  throughout  the  whole  of  his  epistle. 
He  conmiences  his  epistle  with  it, — "  Grace  be  to  you,  and  peace 
fro7n  God  the  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''^  Then 
speaking  of  their  election  and  adoption  in  Christ  in  the  6th  verse, 
he  says,  it  is  "  to  the  j)raise  and  glory  of  his  grace,  loherein  he 
hath  m,ade  us  accepted  in-  the  beloved."  Then  speaking  again  of 
the  riches  of  the  pardon  of  their  guilt,  in  the  next  verse,  "  in  whom 
we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  si7is, 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace."  Then  again,  as  we  see  in 
the  chapter  we  have  just  finished,  he  says,  speaking  of  their  being 
quickened,  their  being  delivered  out  of  their  state  of  nature,  of 
guilt,  darkness  and  condemnation,  "  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  by  grace  ye  are 
saved,"  then  again  in  the  7th  verse  he  repeats  the  same  thing, 
"  that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace,  in  his  kindness  towards  us  hy  Christ  Jesus,"  8th 
verse,  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of 
yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God ;  not  of  loorks,  lest  any  man 
shoidd  boast."  And  so,  throughout  the  whole  of  this  epistle,  he 
reminds  them  over  and  over  again  of  this  grace,  and  so  he  says 
in  this  verse,  "  If  ye  have  heard  op  the  dispensation  op 

THE  GRACE  OP    GoD  WHICH   IS  GIVEN    ME    TO   YOU-WARD."       We 

do  not  consider  it  good  taste  in  writing  to  be  guilty  of  tautology, 
that  is,  repeating  the  same  expression  over  and  over.  Why  then 
do  we  see  that  this  is  the  case  in  the  Scriptures,  which  furnish  a 
model,  a  perfect  model  of  taste  and  beauty  in  composition — the  most 
perfect  model  in  the  world  ?  Why  are  these  terms  repeated  so 
continually  in  the  Sacred  Volume  ? — Because  it  is  indispensably 
necessary  that  they  should  be  repeated — they  should  he  impressed 
again  and  again  on  the  ears  and  heart  of  every  sinner.  God's 
grace  is  continually  brought  before  us  in  every  part  of  His  word, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  237 

because  we  need  it  every  moment.  Every  day,  every  hour  we  sin 
against  our  God,  and  provoke  his  righteous  judgments  against  us  : 
if  He  were  to  enter  into  judgment  with  us.  And  if  there  be  any 
here  that  have  been  quickened  and  called  out  of  their  natural  state 
of  ignorance,  of  guilt  and  condemnation,  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  I  trust  there  may  be  many, — it  is,  as  we 
have  seen,  because  "  God^  who  is  rich  in  mercy ^  for  his  great  love 
whereioith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  7is  together  with  Christ,  {by  grace  are  ye  saved") 
And  if  there  be  any,  who,  having  been  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  any  tifne  past,  for  months  or  years, 
are  here  this  day,  still  knowing  Christ  as  their  refuge — enabled 
in  any  respect  to  serve  our  God — kept  from  bringing  reproach, 
dishonor,  disgrace,  on  His  blessed  cause  through  our  guilt  and 
wickedness,  if  these  things  are  so,  each  may  say  with  the  Apostle, 
^^ By  the  grace  of  God,  lam  what  I ani,"  1st  Cor.  xv.  10.  By 
Grace  we  are  called,  and  by  Grace  we  are  kept, — "  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation."     1st  Pet.  i.  5. 

Let  me  address  myself  to  you  especially,  Believer.  I  know  you 
feel — for  God's  word  tells  me  so ;  and  I  know  I  feel — my  own 
heart  corroborates  the  word  that  testifies  it,  the  continual  working 
of  sin,  of  corruption  and  evil  within  ;  so  that  you  are  obliged  to 
complain  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but 
how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  find  not."  and  again,  "  when 
I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  ivith  me."  Rom.  vii.  18 — 21.  You 
are  obliged  to  confess  with  him,  "  We  that  are  in  this  tabernacle 
do  groan,  being  burthened"  2  Cor.  v.  4,  you  are  obliged  to  ex- 
claim with  him,  "  O  ivretched  m,an  that  I  am,  loho  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  7"  Rom.  vii.  24.  I  say,  Avhen  you 
feel,  when  you  experience  this  in  yourselves,  you  know  that  every 
moment  you  have  need  to  cast  yourselves  down  at  the  footstool  of 
the  Throne  of  Grace  that  you  may  obtain  mercy — strength — sal- 
vation, and  all  the  blessings  that  flow  from  salvation — not  for  any- 
thing you  have  done — ^not  on  account  of  your  holiness— your 
prayers — your  hearing  of  the  Word  of  God — your  attendance  on 
ordinances — nor  on  account  of  anything  you  have  in  yourselves— 
but  that  you  may  receive  the  blessing  of  salvation,  and  all  those 
blessings  that  accompany  it ;  and  that  flow  from  the  free,  sove- 
reign grace,  love,  and  mercy  of  your  God  through  Christ  and 
Christ  alone.  Your  cry  is,  O  Lord,  "  receive  me  graciously,  and 
love  me  freely."  This  is  a  prayer  which  is  suited  to  every  sinner, 
this  is  language  which  the  Lord  Himself  by  His  prophet  puts  into 
the  mouth  of  His  people,  as  you  will  find  it  written  in  the  14th 
ch.  of  Hosea  in  the  2d  v.,  and  let  me  call  you  to  consider  this. 
The  Lord  does  not  merely  from  the  throne  of  Grace  invite  sinners 
to  come  to  Him,  but  He  puts  words  into  their  lips,  He  tells  them 
the  very  words  they  are  to  speak  when  they  do  come  to  Him. 
"  Take  with  you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord.  Say  unto  him," — 
now  mark  what  they  are  to  say,  "  take  away  all  iniquity,  and  re- 
ceive us  graciously,  so  will  we  render  unto  thee  the  calves  of  our 


238  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.- 

Z^/?5."  He  does  not  say,  take  with  you  words,  and  tell  the  Lord 
what  you  have  done  for  Him,  how  you  have  served  Him — alas  ! 
what  could  we  have  to  recount ! — He  does  not  say,  take  with  you 
resolutions  and  vows — come  to  the  Lord,  and  tell  the  Lord  what 
you  will  do  for  Him,  and  how  you  will  serve  Him — alas  !  what 
could  we  venture  to  promise  !  But  He  commands — invites — en- 
courages you  to  come  to  Him,  as  guilty,  helpless  sinners,  and  say 
to  Him  these  words  which  He  authorizes  you  to  adopt,  ^'■take 
away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  graciously."  Now  dear  friends 
is  not  this  what  we  want  to-day?  Is  not  this  the  very  language 
that,  if  we  know  ourselves,  we  feel  is  suited  to  our  case  ?  Lord,  I 
am  nothing  but  a  poor,  vile,  guilty  sinner,  "  take  away  all  ini- 
quity,  and  receive  me  graciouslyP  What  can  a  sinner  desire 
more  than  that  such  a  plea  should  be  heard — and  how  can  he 
doubt  that  it  will  be  received,  when  his  Heavenly  Father  Himself 
puts  the  very  words  into  his  lips.  Oh  !  hear  His  word,  and  avail 
yourself  of  His  infinite  mercies  ;  for  therefore  it  is  that  this  grace 
is  brought  before  us  in  the  Scripture  so  repeatedly,  because  we  so 
continually  need  it,  and  therefore  observe,  what  the  Apostle  says, 
"  If  ye  have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  GodP 

The  dispensation  of  the  Gospel  is  a  dispensation  of  grace  ;  and 
so  when  the  Apostle  alludes  to  this,  he  speaks  of  the  dispensation 
of  the  grace  of  God  given  to  the  Gentiles.  He  speaks  of  that 
peculiar  dispensation  which  was  expressly  committed  to  him,  when 
he  was  on  his  journey  to  Damascus.  He  was  himself,  the  most 
eminent  example  of  divine  grace.  Grace  found  him  "  breathing 
out  threatenings  and  slaughter,"  Acts  ix.  11,  blasphemy  on  his 
lips,  and  murder  in  his  heart, — going  on  his  way  to  carry  believers 
in  Christ  bound  unto  Jerusalem.  Such  was  Saul  of  Tarsus,  when 
the  sovereign  grace  of  God  arrested  him  in  his  progress.  And  be- 
fore we  advert  to  the  dispensation,  committed  to  the  Apostle  Paul, 
let  us  turn  to  the  1st  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  to  Timothy,  where 
he  speaks  of  this  grace  as  a  special  manifestation  to  himself  ia  his 
own  person.  The  dispensation  of  grace  was  committed  unto  him 
for  the  Gentiles  ;  and  in  order  that  he  might  speak  from  experience, 
and  that  he  might  be  a  glorious  example  of  the  grace  which  he 
preached,  and  of  which  the  dispensation  was  committed  to  him, 
he  was  arrested  by  that  divine  grace  in  the  midst,  as  we  see,  of 
blasphemy  and  persecution,  and  so  he  tells  us  in  this  chapter,  1st 
Timothy,  i.  12-15,  he  says,  '•'■  Ithank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  tvho 
hath  enabled  me,  for  that  he  counted  me  faithful,  j^^^tting  me  into 
the  rninistry,  who  before  was  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and 
injurious,  {but  I  obtained  mercy ^  because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in 
unbelief.  And  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ivas  exceed- 
ing abundant,  with  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  This 
is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief." 
Now,  mark  the  16th  verse — he  tells  us  in  it,  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  reason  why  he  obtained  mercy — ^namely,  that  when  the  dis- 
pensation of  grace  was  committed  unto  him  for  the  Gentiles,  he 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  239 

might  stand  out  himself  as  a  most  prominent  example  of  grace 
to  the  world,  "  Howheit  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in 
7ne  first,  Jesus  Christ  migJit  show  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a 
pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter  believe  on  hi?n  to  life  ever- 
lasting.^^ That  is,  that  every  sinner  to  whom  he,  Paul,  preached 
the  Gospel,  might  say,  '•  If  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  pardoned  in  the 
midst  of  blaspliemy  and  persecution,  and  if  in  such  a  state,  grace 
and  mercy  were  extended  to  him,  why  should  I  fear  to  trust  in 
grace— wlien  I  hear  the  Gospel  of  Christ  proclaimed  to  such  a 
wretch  as  I  am  ?"  Mark,  then,  the  reason  of  his  own  calling,  as 
he  gives  it  in  this  Epistle  to  Timothy  ;  then  turn  back  to  the  his- 
tory of  his  conversion,  in  the  26th  chapter  of  the  Acts ;  I  say  the 
26th  chapter,  because,  although  the  first  mention  of  his  conversion 
is  in  the  9th  chapter,  yet  it  is  in  the  26th  chapter,  when  he  is 
speaking  before  Agrippa,  that  he  mentions  at  large  the  peculiar 
dispensation  that  was  given  to  him,  of  grace  to  the  Gentiles.  He 
describes  his  journey  to  Damascus — his  previous  life — his  com- 
mission from  the  chief  priests,  in  the  12th  verse — the  light  that 
shone  around  him,  and  the  voice  he  heard  from  heaven,  testifying 
that  it  was  Jesus  whom  he  was  persecuting  ; — and  then  look  at 
the  16th  verse,  ''-But  rise  and  stand  upon  thy  feet ;  for  I  have 
appeared  unto  thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  minister  and 
a  witness  both  of -these  things  ivhich  thou  hast  seen,  and  of  those 
things  in  the  ivhich  I  ivill  ajijiear  unto  thee,  delivering  thee  from 
the  people  and  from  the  Gentiles, unto  whom  now  I  send  thee''' — 
(here  is  '•  the  dispensation  of  grace,")  "  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins  and  inheri- 
tance among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me." 
17,18,19. 

This  is  the  testimony  given  to  the  Apostle  Paul,  or  rather  the 
dispensation,  committed  to  him,  of  grace  to  the  Gentiles. 

Let  us  recollect  we  are  all  Gentiles.  And  there  may  be  some 
poor  unbelieving  sinner,  a  Christian  only  in  name  here,  to  whom 
this  dispensation  of  grace,  if  you  attend  to  it,  will  be  indeed,  a 
message  of  joy  and  mercy  to  your  soul.  For  if  you  are  not  con- 
verted to  God,  you  are  in  the  very  state  in  which  Gentiles  are  here 
described  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  he  sends  the  Apostle 
Paul  to  them.  Oliserve  their  state,  blind — in  darkness — unpar- 
doned— unsanctified — under  the  power  of  Satan — without  any 
inheritance  of  eternal  life.  That  is  exactly  the  state  of  every 
unconverted  sinner. 

Observe,  the  Lord-saith,  I  send  thee  "  to  open  their  eyes^''  there- 
fore, they  must  be  blind. 

"  To  turn  them  from,  darkness  to  light,^'  of  course  they  must 
be  in  darkness. 

"  From  the  poiver  of  Satan  unto  God,^'  of  course  they  must  be 
under  the  power  of  Satan. 

"  That  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins  ;"  of  course  then 
their  sins  are  unpardoned. 


240  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"  And  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified  through 
faith  that  is  in  me  f  of  course  they  were  imsanctified,  and  without 
any  such  inheritance. 

Observe,  this  is  an  exact  parallel  to  the  .beginning  of  tlie  2nd 
chapter  of  this  epistle,  "  In  the  words  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
teacheth,  co?nparing  spiritual  things  ivith  spiritual,^''  they  are 
here  described,  "  dead  in  tresjjasses  and  sins"  walking  " accord- 
ing to  the  course  of  this  ivorld,  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of 
disobedience  ;"  and  so,  ^'-  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel, 
strangers  from  the  covenant  of  jiromise,  having  no  hope  and 
without  God  in  the  world."  You  perceive  how  these  descriptions 
of  the  Apostle  exactly  agree  together. 

If  you  are  not  brought  to  Christ,  if  you  are  not  brought  to  know 
the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  refuge  and  salvation  of  your  soul,  this  must 
be  your  state.  Consider  then,  what  this  Gospel  is,  which  is  sent 
to  such  persons.  Does  it  send  them  a  message  of  condemnation  ? 
does  it  give  them  up  to  despair  and  abandon  them  ?  does  it  say, 
"  Go — you  are  in  a  state  of  rebellion — in  the  service  of  Satan — 
blind — dark — enemies  to  God,— go  on  to  perdition,  perish  as  you 
deserve  "  ?  No,  no,  my  dear  friends,  no, — it  is  a  dispensation  of 
grace,  of  free  and  full  forgiveness,  pardon,  peace,  mercy,  life,  sal- 
vation, sanctification,  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified. 
Oh  !  consider  what  a  blessed  message  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  !  and 
if  there  be  any  of  you  who  are  oppressed,  under  a  sense  of  sin, 
then  let  me  say  with  the  Apostle,  "  to  you  is  tlie  word  of  this  sal- 
vation sent." 

We  often  hear  people  saying,  "  If  I  was  religious,  I  would  do, 
and  feel  so  and  so,  but  I  feel  my  own  heart  is  so  evil — so  hard — 1 
feel  so  dead  and  so  sinful,  that  I  do  not  think  there  can  be  any 
hope,  or  peace,  or  comfort  for  me,  till  I  am  in  a  different  state  from 
this."  Believe  me  this  is  ignorance  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  this 
is  the  blindness  spoken  of  here.  What  is  the  Gospel  ?  A  full,  free 
pardon  to  sinners  just  as  they  are. — The  Gospel  does  not  say,* 
"  When  you  are  religious,  when  you  are  good,  when  you  are  im- 
proved, then  hope."  But  it  says — "  When  you  are  lost — guilty — 
vile — then  hope,  look  unto  Christ,  come  to  Christ,  in  the  midst  of 
your  sins — as  you  are."  The  only  way  on  earth  to  fly  from  sin  is 
to  fly  to  Jesus. — The  only  refuge  from  guilt  is  Jesus.  Come  to 
Him  who  came  to  save  the  lost,  the  guilty,  the  vile — "  they  that 
are  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  These 
are  His  own  words,  three  times  recorded  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It 
is  the  blind,  that  want  their  siglit — it  is  those  in  darkness,  who 
want  light — it  is  those  bound  by  Satan,  that  need  deliverance — it 
is  those  who  are  unpardoned,  that  require  forgiveness — those  who 
are  unholy,  require  to  be  sanctified — and  those  who  have  no 
inheritance  and  no  hope,  that  need  an  inheritance  among  the 
saints  in  glory.  It  is  not  for  anything  you  have  to  do,  not  by 
anything  you  are  able  to  do,  but  by  the  glorious  work  He  has 
wrought  Himself  that  all  these  blessings  are  given.     This  is  a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  241 

''  DISPENSATION  OF  THE  GRACE  OF  GoD  TO    YOU-WARD."       Clivist 

has  borne  the  giiik  of  all  that  weary  heart  of  sin  that  you  feel, 
that  heavy  heart  of  guilt,  that  deadness,  rebeUion,  unbelief,  bhnd- 
ness,  He  ^^  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  oivn  body  on  the  tree, 
that  ice,  being  dead  to  sins,  should  live  unto  righteousness.^' 
1  Pet.  ii.  24 — He  has  carried  away  all  the  judgment  of  God  that 
is  recorded  against  this  iniquity,  and  the  message  of  his  Gospel  is 
a  message  of  full  and  free  salvation,  ''Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  ivaters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy 
and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  loithout  money  and  with- 
out priced''  Isa.  Iv.  1.  "  Come  nnto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'"  Mat.  xi.  28,  ''look  unto 
me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earthJ^  Isa.  xlv,  22. 
Consider,  my  dear  friends,  how  often  this  mercy  and  grace  is  re- 
peated ;  and  surely  it  is  that  we  may  learn  to  dwell  on  it  as 
repeatedly — to  recur  to  it — to  repose  on  it— to  draw  forth  from  it 
contuiual  refreshment  and  strength  for  the  conflicts,  the  trials,  tlie 
necessities  of  our  earthly  pilgrimage.  Alas  !  how  many  persons 
there  are  to  whom  this  subject  instead  of  refreshment,  is  a  burthen  ; 
who  would  prefer  something  that  might  entertain  their  imagina- 
tion, or  amuse  their  fancy,  rather  than  that  truth  which  goes 
directly  to  enlighten  the  understanding,  and  to  renew  the  heart  by 
the  Gospel.  But  we  must  adhere  steadily  to  the  page  of  Truth — 
"  necessity  is  laid  on  us,  yea,  ivoe  are  ive,  if  we  prcacJi  not  the 
GospelJ^  1st  Cor.  ix.  16, — we  must  maintain  and  set  forth  "the 
grace  of  God  which  bringeth  salvation.^'  for  it  is  that  alone  which 
"  teacheth  us,  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  ive 
should  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world." 
Tit.  ii.  11,  12. 

It  is  a  very  bad  sign  of  a  man's  spiritual  state,  when  a  sinner 
complains  of  the  repetition  of  the  Gospel — it  is  a  very  bad  symp- 
tom of  his  condition  ;  it  is  not  likely,  in  that  state,  that  such 
persons  shall  be  among  the  number  that  will  never  tire  of  that 
song  throughout  eternity  ; — we  are  not  told  that  the  redeemed 
tire,  or  that  they  shall  ever  be  weary  of  their  song,  "  Worthy  is 
the  La?nb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  unsdom, 
and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  Rev.  v.  12.  We 
are  not  told  that  they  ever  tire  of  the  song,  "  Blessing,  and  honor, 
and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  forever  and  ever."  v.  13.  The  cadences  may 
be  varied  indeed — varied  symphonies  and  harmonies  may  resound 
from  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  harps  and  voices — but  the 
words  of  the  song  are  the  same  throughout  eternity.  Oh,  consider 
this  !  We  want  "  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel," 
Rom.  XV.  29,  every  moment ;  and,  blessed  be  our  God,  it  is,  like  its 
glorious  Author,  "the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever." 

The  Apostle  proceeds,  "How that  by  revelation  he  made 
KNOWN  UNTO  ME  THE  MYSTERY."  We  have  secu  that  it  was  an 
immediate  revelation  from  heaven  to  Paul,  he  saw  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  1  Cor.  xv.  8.     He  saw  "  a  light  from  heaven  above  the 

16 


242  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

brightness  of  the  sim"  and  he  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  him  a  direct  revelation  and  commission.  This  same  Jesus 
who  died  and  rose  again,  was  He  that  commissioned  Paul  to  go 
and  preach  salvation,  through  His  precious  blood,  to  the  Gentiles ; 
and,  through  that  very  commission,  we  have  this  glorious  Volume 
of  His  Divine  Revelation  given  to  us — we  have  "  life  and  inimor- 
tality  brought  to  light  through  the  Gospel"  2nd  Tim.  i.  10. 
The  Apostle  saitli  therefore,  that  "  by  revelation  he  made 

KNOWN    UNTO    ME    THE  MYSTERY,   AS  I  WROTE    AFORE     IN    FEW 

WORDS,"  alluding  to  his  statement  in  the  beginning  of  his  epistle, 
ch.  i.  9,  10,  where  he  says,  "  Having  ttiade  known  unto  ns  the 
niystery  of  his  rvill,  according  to  his  good  'pleasure  tchich  he  hath 
purposed  in  himself  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
time,  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
ivhich  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him,.'''' 
Here  ahuding  to  this  mystery,  in  that  first  part  of  his  epistle,  he 
then  proceeds  to  explain  it.     "  Whereby  when  ye  read,  ye 

MAY  understand  MY  KNOWLEDGE  IN  THE  MYSTERY  OF  ChRIST, 
WHICH  IN  OTHER  AGES  WAS  NOT  MADE  KNOWN  UNTO  THE  SONS 
OF  MEN,  AS  IT  IS  NOW  REVEALED  UNTO  HIS  HOLY  APOSTLES 
AND  PROPHETS  BY  THE  SpIRIT,  THAT  THE  GeNTILES  SHOULD 
be  FELLOW-HEIRS,  AND  OF  THE  SAME   BODY,  AND  PARTAKERS  OF 

HIS  PROMISE  IN  Christ  by  the  Gospel."  Now  this  mystery 
which  the  Apostle  here  unfolds,  appears  to  comprehend  two 
things. 

The  first  is  ;  that  it  was  not  known  in  the  whole  world,  among 
the  sons  of  men,  that  God  would  extend  the  glory  of  this  salvation 
to  the  Gentiles.  It  was  not  known  to  the  Gentiles  themselves, 
carried  away,  as  they  were,  with  their  dumb  idols.  Nor  was  it 
known  to  the  Jews,  or  to  their  prophets ;  for  they  believed  that 
the  whole  blessings  of  the  dispensation  of  the  promised  Messiah 
should  be  given  to  themselves  alone.  This  is  a  subject  hito  which 
we  cannot  enter  at  length,  but  if  you  will  examine  the  prophecies — 
read  them  simply  as  you  would  a  book  in  which  you  expected  that 
its  meaning  would  be  plainly  expressed — read  with  prayer,  for  a 
simple,  child-like  heart  of  faith — read  thus  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
study  that  prophet,  consider  his  prophecy  in  its  plain  and  obvious 
sense  ;  and  you  will  find  that  the  great  glory  which  is  promised 
to  the  earth,  shall  flow  to  the  world  through  the  Jewish  people, 
even  through  the  reign  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  over  that  nation. 
I  shall  not  enter  into  this  view  of  the  subject,  nor  consider  whether 
the  reign  of  our  blessed  Lord  be  a  personal,  or  a  spiritual  reign  ; 
l)ut  this  is  clear  as  light,  to  those  who  peruse  the  prophecies,  that, 
whatever  be  the  nature  of  the  reign  of  our  glorious  Redeemer — at 
His  second  advent  that  reign  shall  be  commenced — His  kingdom 
shall  then  l)e  established  over  Jerusalem,  and  that  from  thence. 
His  government  shall  flow  throughout  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Let  me  refer  you  to  Isaiah  ii.  2,  3.  Consider  the  plain  literal 
meaning  of  that  passage.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 
days,  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  243 

in  the  top  of  the  mountains^  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills, 
and  all  tiations  shall  flow  unto  it ;  and  many  people  shall  go 
and  say,  come  ye,  and  let  us  go  iip  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will  teach  us  of  our 
ways,  and  we  ivill  loalk  in  his  paths  ;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go 
forth  the  laic,  and  the  word  of  the  hord  from  Jerusalem^  Look 
at  the  first  verse, — "  The  vision,  that  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amos,  saw 
concerning  Judah  and  Jerusalenf''  Observe  the  vision  is,  "  con- 
cerning Judah  and  Jerusalem^  Then,  consider  again  how  plain 
these  words  are.  "  And  inany  people  shall  go  and  say,  co7ne  ye, 
and  let  us  go  tip  unto  the  mountain  of  the  Lord.,  to  the  house  of 
the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will 
walk  in  his  paths,  for  oiit  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem^  4th  v.  ^'- And  he  shall  judge 
am,ong  the  nations,  and  shall  rebuke  many  people,  and  they  shall 
beat  their  swords  into  plough-shares,  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing-hooks,  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither 
shall  they  learn  war  any  morey 

Just  ponder  these  verses — the  plain  truth  set  forth  in  them,  and 
you  will  see  this  same  truth  repeated  throughout  all  the  pro- 
phecies. You  will  see  there,  that  the  reign  of  the  Lord  upon  the 
throne  of  His  Father  David,  whatever  you  may  consider  the 
nature  of  that  reign  to  be,  shall  be  certainly  the  time  in  which  the 
glory  and  blessing  that  is  predicted  of  this  earth  shall  be  fulfilled. 
It  is  to  this,  the  Apostle  Paul  alludes,  as  we  observed,  in  his  pro- 
phecy in  Romans  xi.  L5,  where  he  speaks  of  the  calling  in  of  the 
Jews.  "  If  the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the 
world,^'  meaning,  that  if  when  they  rejected  Christ  as  they  did, 
and  when  in  consequence  they  were  themselves  cast  away,  and 
that  then  He  sent  His  dispensation  of  grace  to  the  Gentiles,  "  If 
the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  what 
shall  the  receiving  of  them  be  but  life  from  the  dead  ?" 

Now  the  Jews  were  totally  vmable  to  distinguish  the  first  from 
the  second  advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  advent  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  his  humiliation  when  he  was  to  come  to  be  "  made  a  curse 
for  usP  Gal.  iii.  13,  '•'■to  die,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might 
bring  us  to  God,^''  1st  Pet.  iii.  11,  they  entirely  overlooked ;  and 
therefore,  they  despised  and  rejected  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This 
mystery  then — that  the  Gentiles  should  be  gathered  in,  called  into 
His  church,  that  they  should  be  called  into  that  glorious  dispensa-^ 
tion  of  love  and  mercy,  in  which  "  there  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew, 
circumcision  nor  uncircumcision.  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  or 
free,^''  Col.  iii.  11,  this  mystery  was  not  known  to  the  Jews  or  to 
their   prophets,    "  as    it    is   now   revealed   unto   his    holy 

APOSTLES  AND  PROPHETS  BY  THE  SpIRIT." 

But  the  Second  point  comprehended  in  this  mystery,  seems  to 
be  not  only  as  we  have  seen  in  the  first,  that  the  salvation  of 
Christ  should  embrace  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  the  Jews,  and  that 
they  should  be  "owe  fold  and  one  shepherd'''' — John  x.  16,  but 
also  the  development  to  the  nations  of  the  earth  of  the  redemption 


244  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

which  is  proclaimed  to  them — the  glory  of  the  salvation  itself  that 
is  sent  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  "  should  be  fellow-heius 

AND  OP  THE  same  BODY,   AND  PARTAKl£RS    OF    HIS     PROMISE     IN 

Christ  by  the  Gospel.''  That  they  should  understand  that 
great  mystery  of  godliness  that  "  God  teas  manifest  in  the  flesh, ^^ — 
that  mysterious  work  of  redeeming  love  by  which  the  vilest  can 
be  pardoned,  and  yet  God  can  be  just  in  justifying  the  chief  of 
sinners, — that  mysterious  dispensation  of  grace,  by  which,  those 
who  were  following  their  dumb  idols  can  be  brought  to  the  God 
and  Father  of  their  salvation, — the  polluted  sinner  can  be  brought 
unto  Him  '•  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity,^''  and 
presented  to  Him  ^^  without  spot ,  or  tvrinkle,  or  any  such  /A/w^," — 
covered  in  the  righteousness  and  washed  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 

The  words  of  the  Apostle  indicate  still  more  the  nature  of  this 
mystery,  "  That  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,"  the 
same  word  that  is  used  in  the  passage,  Rom.  viii.  17.  "  heirs  of 
God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ T 

"  And  of  the  same  body," — the  same  thought  that  is  in 
the  passage,  Rom.  xii.  5,  "  We  being  inany  are  one  body  in 
Christ:' 

And  J) ar takers  of  ms  promise  in  Christ.'^  The  same  glorious 
privilege  on  which  the  Apostle  reasons  so  fully  in  Galatians  iii., 
concluding  with  the  words,  "  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek, 
there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female, 
for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  be  Christ's  then 
are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise." 

Each  word  indicating  the  glorious  mystery  of  the  union  of 
the  Church  with  Christ,  "fellow-heirs"  m  Christ — "of 
the  same  body"  in  Christ — "partakers  of  his  promise 
IN  Christ  by  the  Gospel."  These  showed  the  Apostle's 
^^  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of  Christ.'"  "  Whereof  he  adds, 
"/  loas  made  a  minister,  according  to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of 
God,  given  unto  me  by  tlie  effectual  working  of  his  poioer,  nnto 
me  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given, 
that  I  sho7dd  jjreach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  This  mystery  of  grace  and  love,  proclaiming 
salvation  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  through  all  the  earth — this 
mystery  of  gathering  in  the  Gentiles  to  the  fold  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd— of  the  union  of  His  Church  in  Him — of  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature — proclaiming  among  all  nations,  ^'■the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ" — going  to  the  philosophers  and 
votaries  of  Minerva,  at  Athens — to  the  worshippers  of  Diana,  at 
Ephesus — of  Jupiter,  at  Rome — and  proclaiming  the  glorious 
salvation  of  God  through  the  blood  of  the  Redeemer,  and  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  to  all,  this  was  committed  to  him,  and  its 
blessings  were  all  condensed  in  that  one  expression,  '■'■that  I  should 
preach  among  the  Gentiles,  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

We  must  reserve  this  for  another  occasion.  But  the  rejection 
of  the  Jews — the  calling  of  the  Gentiles — their  dispensation — and 
the  future  prospects  of  Jews,  Gentiles,  and  the  earth — open  a  most 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  245 

interesting  field  for  the  examination  of  the  prophecies.  It  is  a  sub- 
ject which  has  been  lamentably  neglected  in  the  Church ;  and 
though  much  has  been  said,  and  much  must  be  expected  to  be 
said,  of  vain  speculation,  even  by  sober  persons  who  may  make 
mistakes,  and  by  others  who  will  seek  perhaps  to  be  "  wise  above 
what  is  iDritten ;"  still  it  is  no  reason,  because  many  mistake,  and 
others  abuse  what  the  Divine  Word  reveals,  that  therefore,  it 
should  not  form  the  subject  of  deep,  and  close,  and  prayerful  atten- 
tion and  investigation,  by  all  who  desire  to  be  instructed  in  the 
truth  of  the  living  God.  There  are  many  reasons,  into  which  I 
shall  not  enter  at  present,  which  should  lead  us  to  consider  and 
examine  the  subject.  Men  speak  of  the  danger  of  mistakes.  But 
there  is  no  grosser  mistake,  and  no  greater  danger,  than  to  be 
ignorant  of  what  God  has  graciously  written  for  our  learning.  Let 
us  read,  and  watch,  and  pray,  humbly.^faithfully, — and  then  we 
shall  read  safely. 

Let  us  beware  indeed  of  vain  speculations,  of  questions  to  no 
profit.  Let  us  pray  that  we  may  be  kept  like  Mary  at  her 
Master's  feet,  that  nothing  may  divert  our  attention  from  the  great 
simplicity  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  applied  to  our  own  soul. 
That  is  the  great  point. — The  foundation  of  all  sound  knowledge, 
the  basis  of  all  solid  hope,  and  all  real,  or  stable  peace,  and  the 
only  true  principle  of  all  holiness  of  life. 

Be  assured  that  the  genuine  power  of  "  all  holy  conversation 
and  godliness,"  is  simply  the  Gospel — applied  to  the  sinner's  soul 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  constant  exercise  of  faith  and  hope  and 
prayer,  looking  unto  and  leaning  on  Christ — covering  our  naked- 
ness by  faith,  w4th  His  righteousness — ^washing  away  our  sins  by 
faith  in  the  fountain  of  His  precious  blood — leaning  by  faith  on 
the  arm  of  His  strength — and  looking  to  His  eye  to  guide  and 
keep  us  in  the  way  wherein  we  ought  to  go.  Let  us  pray,  dear 
friends,  that  we  may  be  brought  to  '■^  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ"  and  let  us  beware  that  we  be  not  corrupted  from  that 
simplicity.  May  our  God  teach  and  direct  us  all  according  to  the 
riches  of  His  grace  !  for  we  may  preach — or  we  might  hear  truth, 
not  from  a  poor,  weak  fellow-sinner,  but  from  an  inspired  Apostle, 
and  yet  both  that  Apostle  himself  and  those  who  hear,  must  be 
indebted  solely  to  the  sovereign  grace  and  power  of  God  for  fixing 
that  truth  in  their  heart,  and  keeping  it  practically  influential  upon 
their  life  in  every  moment  of  their  existence. 

May  the  Lord  teach  us  all  by  the  power  of  His  Spirit,  and  bring 
us  to  eternal  life,  for  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 


TWENTY-SECOND     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III. — 7,  8. 


"  Whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  according  to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God,  given 
unto  me  by  the  effectual  working  of  his  power.  Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least 
of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ." 

The  mystery  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks,  which  '■•in other  ages 
was  not  made  known  unto  the  sons  of  Tnen,  as  it  is  now  revealed 
unto  his  holy  apostles  and  pi~ophets  by  the  Spirit,'^  we  considered 
in  a  two-fold  sense. 

One,  as  it  refers  to  the  glorious  work  of  Christ, — redemption  by 
the  righteousness  and  blood  of  a  crucified  Saviour. 

And  the  other,  that  the  Gentiles  should  be  called  in,  and  made 
partakers  of  this,  and  fellow-heirs  of  that  glorious  kingdom  which 
is  promised  in  Christ  to  the  Jews.  The  Apostle  proceeds  to  men- 
tion his  own  ministrations  in  this  dispensation  of  love  to  the 
Gentiles — he  says,  "  whereof  i  was  made  a  minister,"  (name- 
ly, of  the  Gospel,) — "whereof  i  was  made  a  minister,  ac- 
cording TO  THE  GIFT  OF  THE  GRACE  OF  GoD  GIVEN  UNTO  ME 
BY  THE  EFFECTUAL  WORKING  OF  HIS  POWER.  UnTO  ME,  WHO 
AM  LESS  THAN  THE  LEAST  OF  ALL  SAINTS,  IS  TFIIS  GRACE 
GIVEN,   THAT    I    SHOULD     PREACH     AMONG    THE    GeNTILES    THE 

UNSEARCHABLE  RICHES  OF  Christ." — That  is  the  dispensation 
of  the  grace  of  God  of  which  he  speaks  in  the  2d  verse,  "  If  ye 
have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given 
me  to  you-wardP  We  referred  to  the  place  where  the  Lord  com- 
mitted this  ministration  to  him  (Acts  xxvi.)  and  he  says  here, 
speaking  of  himself  and  this  ministration,  "  unto  me,  who  am 

LESS  THAN  THE  LEAST  OF  ALL  SAINTS,  IS  THIS  GRACE  GIVEN, 
THAT  I  SHOULD  PREACH  AMONG  THE  GeNTILES  THE  UNSEARCH- 
ABLE RICHES  OF  Christ.  The  Apostle  speaks  of  his  own 
character  as  "  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,"  and  he 
tells  us  the  reason  of  this  in  1st  Cor.  xv.  9,  "  I  ain  the  least  of  all 
the  Apostles,  and  am  not  meet  to  he  called  an  Apostle,  because 
I  persecuted  the  church  of  GodP  This  is  a  very  important 
reason.  The  character  of  St.  Paul,  in  his  natural  state,  we  have 
on  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  speaking  by  the  mouth  of  the 
Apostle  himself,  Phil.  iii.  4 — 6.  It  was  a  character  of  the  very 
highest  order.  The  highest  order  of  morals,  the  highest  order  of 
religion,  m  a  certain  sense,  was  Paul's — he  says  himself,  "  If  any 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  247 

other  man  thinketh  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust  in  thejlesh,  I 
more ;"  v.  4, — there  was  sincerity,  morality,  devotedness,  conscien- 
tiousness, zeal,  indomitable  courage,  to  be  fovmd  in  the  character 
of  the  Apostle  Paul.  But  you  see,  that  so  far  is  this  sincerity,  con- 
scientiousness, and  devotedness  to  what  he  believed  to  be  the 
truth — so  far  is  this  from  being  accepted  before  God,  when  it  is 
not  the  truth — that  is,  when  not  founded  on  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus — so  far  is  it  from  being  approved  or  accepted  before  God — 
that  the  Apostle  brings  forward  this  very  zeal  and  devotedness  in 
a  wrong  cause,  not  as  a  proof  of  his  excellence,  but  of  his  guilt 
and  vileness.  He  says,  that  "  he  is  not  worthy  to  he  called  an 
apostle,  because  he  persecuted  the  church  of  GodP  This  is  a  very 
important  point  to  consider,  because  as  we  have  had  frequent 
reason  to  remark,  this  is  the  common  principle  of  the  natural 
mind,  that  if  persons  are  really  upright,  sincere  and  zealous  in 
their  religion,  it  is  not  of  much  moment  whether  or  not  they  hold 
certain  doctrines  or  opinions  ;  as  if  the  truth  of  God  consisted  of 
mere  vague  statements,  which  it  is  of  no  consequence  whether 
men  believe  or  not,  provided  they  are  sincere  in  what  they  profess. 
Sincerity  and  conscientiousness  are  only  the  means  of  sinners 
running  farther  from  God,  and  rebelling  with  a  higher  hand 
against  Him,  if  they  are  not  sincere  and  conscientious  in  God's 
truth,  because  the  more  a  man  is  devoted  to  a  false  religion,  the 
more  opposed  he  is  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  The  most  bitter 
opponents  of  the  Gospel  whom  I  have  ever  met,  were  men  con- 
sidered by  the  world  as  very  religious,  as  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees were,  the  chief  enemies  of  Christ. 

One  of  the  Articles  of  our  Church  is  very  clear  on  this  subject, 
and  although  the  Articles  of  the  Church  are  not  the  authority  of 
Scripture,  they  will  be  found  to  derive  their  authority  from  the 
Bible.     One  is  very  plain  on  this  point.  Art.  xviii.     It  states — 

'•  They  are  to  be  had  accursed  that  presume  to  say,  that  every  man  shall  be  saved 
by  the  \a.vf  or  sect  which  he  professeth,  so  that  he  be  diligent  to  frame  his  life  accord- 
ing to  that  law,  and  the  light  of  nature ;  for  holy  Scripture  doth  set  out  unto  us  only 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  whereby  men  must  be  saved." 

I  would  observe,  our  Church  does  not  pronounce,  of  her  own 
power,  as  if  she  had  a  right  to  curse  any  one,  but  she  says,  they 
are  to  be  held  so.  What  an  awful  but  common  state  of  delusion 
for  men  to  think,  that  provided  they  are  zealous  and  sincere  in  the 
sect  they  profess,  they  will  be  saved  :  whereas,  if  they  believe  not 
the  Gospel,  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon  them,  they  are  under 
the  sentence  of  death.  So  the  Apostle,  speaking  of  himself,  says, 
he  is  "less  than  the  least  op  all  saints,"  and  he  gives  the 
reason,  "  Because  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God.,  but  by  the 
grace  of  God,  I  am  what  I  amP — That  grace  of  which  we  have 
been  speaking  in  the  last  chapter — that  sovereign  grace,  arrested 
Saul  in  the  midst  of  his  blasphemy  and  persecution — seized  him 
on  his  way  to  Damascus — revealed  to  him  the  glory  of  Jesus — -his 
own  guilt  and  misery — the  riches  of  pardoning  love, — and  sent  him 


248  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

forth  to  testify  of  that  faith  which  he  once  destroy etl,  of  that  Christ 
whom  he  was  persecuting.  And  you  do  not  forget  the  passage  to 
which  we  referred  on  the  last  day,  in  1st  Tim.  i.,  wherein  the 
Apostle  shows  the  reason  why  he  received  mercy  ;  he  says,  "  / 
thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  who  hath  enabled  me,  for  that  he 
counted  me  faithful^  putting  me  into  the  ministry,  who  was 
before.^  a  blasphe^ner,  and  a  persecutor  and  injurious,  (but  I  ob- 
tained mercy,)  because  1  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief P  Let  me 
again  call  your  attention  to  this  verse  for  there  is  an  important 
error  connected  with  it,  into  which  I  did  not  sufficiently  enter  on 
that  occasion. 

Some  person  may  say,  "  If  one  is  ignorant,  he  will  obtain  mercy, 
because  the  Apostle  says,  ignorance  is  no  sin,  he  obtained  mercy, 
because  he  sinned  ignorantly  in  unbelief,  and  God  will  pardon  us 
when  we  sin  ignorantly." 

The  Apostle  Paul  says  no  such  thing ;  and  if  you  look  at  the 
passage,  you  will  clearly  see  this.  He  does  not  mean,  '•'•I  obtained 
m,ercy  because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief"  but  these  words 
refer  to  the  other  clause,  ^^ I  teas  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor, 
and  injurious,  because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief.''^  The 
sense  is  shown  by  placing  the  words,  "  but  I  obtained  mercy,"  in 
parenthesis.  The  16th  verse  proves  unequivocally  the  meaning 
of  the  passage,  "  hoivbeit,  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,"  not 
^'■because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief."  But  "/oy  this  cause  I 
obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  jirst,  Jesus  Christ  might  slioiv  forth 
all  long-suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter 
believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting." 

The  Apostle  Paul  holds  himself  forth  as  we  have  said,  as  an 
eminent  example  of  the  grace  of  God,  that  no  sinner  should 
despair,  when  such  grace  was  given  to  such  a  wretch  as  Saul  of 
Tarsus,  the  persecutor  and  blasphemer.  And  see,  what  a  blessing 
it  is  to  us  !  how  often  have  we  blasphemed  the  Lord  in  our  hearts  ! 
how  often  resisted  his  providences  and  his  ordinances  !  how  often 
has  our  heart  risen  in  unsubdued  opposition  in  a  thousand  ways 
against  Him  !  perhaps  it  is  so  even  now,  perhaps  there  are  many 
things,  against  which  some  hearts  amongst  us  rise  in  proud  re 
bellion  against  our  God  ;  perhaps  even  at  this  very  moment  we  are 
complaining  and  murmuring  against  him.  Well!  Paul  was  "a 
persecutor,  and  a  blasphemer,  and  injurious,"  and  he  is  held  out 
to  you  as  an  example,  that  you  may  know  that  the  grace  of  God 
can  pardon  any  sinner — and  that  you  may  bring  your  sinful  heart, 
laden  with  iniquity  as  it  is,  to  the  foot  of  the  cross  of  Christ — and 
that  you  may  know  that  in  Christ  there  is  full  salvation,  free  sal- 
vation for  the  very  chief  of  sinners.  Blessed  be  God  for  the  pardon 
of  the  persecuting  Saul !  blessed  be  God  for  the  pardon  of  the  thief 
on  the  cross  !  blessed  be  God  for  the  pardon  and  the  raising  up  of 
fallen  Peter !  Blessed  be  God  for  the  pardon  and  bringing  back 
of  guilty  David !  Blessed  be  God  for  the  riches  of  His  grace  to 
the  bloodthirsty  Manasseh !  Blessed  be  God  for  the  glorious 
Gospel,  which  is  a  disoensation  of  grace  to  the  chief  of  sinners. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  249 

The  dispensation  of  grace  given  to  St.  Paul  for  the  Gentiles,  is 
that  which  we  have  to  contemplate  in  this  passage.  He  says, 
"unto  me  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints  is 

THIS  GRACE  GIVEN,  THAT  I  SHOULD  PREACH  AMONG  THE  GeN- 
TILES  the  UNSEARCHABLE   RICHES  OF  ChRIST." 

There  was  a  very  eloquent  and  able  minister  of  our  Church, 
who  went  to  labor  among  his  flock,  ignorant  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ,  but  at  the  same  time  very  zealous  and  devoted  in  his  own 
way  of  religion.  He  was  sedulously  endeavoring  to  deliver  them 
from  their  sins,  and  to  promote  morality  and  virtue  among  them 
by  every  means  in  his  power ;  and  you  may  suppose  with  the 
same  success  that  must  always  attend  such  vain  efforts  as  these, 
to  make  the  law  do  "  what  the  Imv  could  not  do,  in  that  it  is  weak 
through  the  Jlesh,^^  Rom.  viii.  3.  Whitewashing  the  sepulchre 
can  never  purify  the  corruption  within.  "  Daubing"  the  wall  with 
untetnpered  mortar,^''  Ezek.  xiii.,  can  never  build  it  on  a  solid 
foundation.  Outward  reformation  can  never  renew  the  heart  and 
save  the  soul,  or  bring  the  sinner  nearer  to  his  God.  But  this 
clergyman  was  reading  this  chapter  one  day,  and  when  he  came 
to  this  verse,  "unto  me  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all 

SAINTS,   IS  this   grace  GIVEN,   THAT    I  SHOULD  PREACH  AMONG 

THE  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  ;"  he 
began  to  consider  what  the  doctrine  was  which  St.  Paul  was 
preaching,  "preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable 
RICHES  OF  Christ  !"  "  What  is  that ?"  said  he.  "Is  this  what 
I  preach  ?  I  am  preaching  virtue,  amiability,  goodness,  devoted- 
ness  to  God,  attendance  on  ordinances,  I  am  preaching  against  all 
sort  of  sins ;  St.  Paul  was  preaching  '  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ  !'  what  is  that?  what  can  he  mean?" 

See,  how  the  Holy  Ghost  is  pleased  to  use  various  means  in 
bringing  sinners  into  the  light  of  truth  !  The  blessed  Spirit  fast- 
ened that  word  on  that  man's  mind,  "the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ"  and  led  him  to  see  that  that  was  not  the 
doctrine  which  he  taught :  he  did  not  even  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  the  expression.  This  led  him  to  inquire  into  what  that 
meaning  was,  and  the  same  blessed  Spirit  satisfied  the  inquiry, 
and  led  him  to  discover  the  treasure  hid  in  the  field,  even  "  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,"  and  then  he  went  forth  and 
preached  these  "unsearchable  riches,"  and  the  blessing  of 
God  attended  his  labors,  he  experienced  in  his  congregation  the 
truth  of  the  Apostolic  testimony,  that  the  Gospel  is  "  the  poiver  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  helievethJ^  Rom.  i.  16.  And 
now,  perhaps,  there  are  some  in  this  congregation  as  ignorant  as 
this  Clergyman*  was.  Let  me  ask,  do  you  know  the  meaning  of 
"  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  ?"  Let  me,  I  entreat, 
ask  you  this  question,  did  you  ever  find  this  treasure  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures  ?  Do  you  know  the  meaning  of  it  ?  When  you  take 
the  word  of  God  into  your  hand,  can  you  open  that  book,  and  can 

*  This  story  is  told,  and  the  name  of  the  Clergyman  is  given,  to  the  best  of  my  rec- 
ollection, by  Newton,  in  one  of  his  letters. — Ed. 


250  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

you  find  in  it,  any  portion  of  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ  ?"  Can  you  lay  your  hand  on  any  passage  and  say, 
"here  is  a  portion  of  'the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,' 
a  treasure,  a  rich  treasure  for  my  poor  soul,  here  are  the  real 
riches  which  I  want  to  give  me  true  and  sohd  happiness  ?"  Can 
you  do  this  ?  Remember,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  saith — "  the 
kingdotn  of  heaven  is  like  a  treasure  hid  in  a  fields  Mat.  xiii. 
44.  If  you  know  the  meaning  of  these  words,  let  me  not  say  the 
meaning,  for  who  can  fully  know  the  meaning? — who  hath 
searched  out  these  "unsearchable  riches?"  But  if  you 
know,  in  any  degree,  the  meaning  of  these  words,  you  have  found 
the  treasure  hid  in  the  field ;  you  know  there  is  in  this  blessed 
book  a  treasure  greater  than  all  the  world  or  ten  thousand  worlds  ! 
you  know  that  the  only  treasure  for  your  soul  to  give  you  rest, 
peace,  and  happiness  in  time  and  in  eternity,  is  to  be  found  in  this 
blessed  word :  and  if  you  do  not  know  this,  then  you  are  poor  in- 
deed. How  destitute  the  sinner  is,  that  has  not  "  the  unsearch- 
able RICHES  OF  Christ."  If  he  had  all  the  world  beside,  the 
question  still  is  to  be  answered,  the  sum  is  still  to  be  calculated, 
^'■what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  oivn  soul,  or  what  shall  a,  man  give  in  exchange  for 
his  soul  ?"  Mat.  xvi.  26.  The  monarch  of  a  world  were  a  miser- 
able pauper  if  destitute  of  "the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ." 

What  are  they  ?  Go  to  a  man  in  an  arid  desert,  lying  on  the 
ground,  gasping  with  thirst,  at  the  gate  of  death,  beneath  a  burn- 
ing sun,  take  to  him  gold — and  jewels — offer  them  to  him — prom- 
ise him  a  kingdom  ;  and  what  do  you  bestow  on  him  ?  There 
is  that  for  which,  if  he  had  it,  he  would  barter  them  all. — A  cup  of 
water,  one  draught  from  the  stream — for  this  he  pants — this  would 
be  wealth  and  a  kingdom  for  him. 

Go  again  to  another  in  the  jaws  of  famine,  dying  from  hunger, 
pour  out  silver  and  gold — the  wealth  of  a  world  at  his  feet,  and 
what  do  you  cojifer  upon  him  ?  he  would  give  a  world,  or  a 
thousand  worlds,  for  a  single  morsel  of  bread. 

Again,  take  a  man  gasping  on  the  field  of  battle,  mortally 
wounded,  writhing  in  agony,  offer  him  riches,  offer  him  a  crown, 
will  he  thank  you?  No.  If  you  could  heal  his  wounds,— if  you 
could  raise  him  up  from  the  cold  bed  of  death, — if  you  could  re- 
store him  to  the  life  and  health  he  enjoyed  an  hour  before,  that 
would  be  wealth  and  riches  for  the  dying  man. 

Take  a  poor  criminal,  led  out  to  execution,  offer  him  all  that 
earth  could  give — what  could  he  do  with  it  ?  what  is  the  earth  to 
him  ?  But  procure  a  pardon  for  him,^gain  for  him  a  reprieve, 
there  is  a  world,  and  more  than  a  world  for  him. 

Well  then,  if  you  knew  your  own  actual  state,  you  would  see 
that  your  spiritual  condition  before  God,  is  just  as  hopeless,  just  as 
miserable,  just  as  desperate,  as  the  temporal  condition  of  any  one 
of  these  sufferers  I  have  described ;  you  are  spiritually  the  poor 
wretch  in  the  burning  desert,  without  a  drop  of  watei-j  and  if  you 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  251 

die  in  your  unconverted  state,  you  must  be  without  a  drop  of  water 
to  cool  your  tongue  for  .eternity.  You  are  worse  tlian  the  poor 
creature  who  is  famishing  with  hunger, — worse,  far  worse  than  him 
writhing  in  agony  on  the  field  of  battle, — worse  than  the  criminal 
about  to  be  led  to  execution  ;  these,  however  agonizing  their  state, 
are  merely  suffering  for  time ;  considered  in  reference  to  man's 
mere  animal  existence,  their  pangs  soon  must  terminate  ;  but  the 
misery  in  which  your  immortal  soul  is  sunk,  unless  you  are  de- 
hvered,  must  endure  for  eternity. 

Now  Christ  is  the  Water  to  the  soul  that  is  dying  of  thirst. 
John  iv.  10.  vii.  37. 

Christ  is  the  Bread  of  life  to  the  sinner,  perishing  for  hunger, 
John  vi.  32,  33,  35. 

Christ  is  the  Great  Physician  that  can  heal  the  dying  man. 
Mark  ii.  10,  11. 

Christ  is  the  King  that  extends  his  pardon  to  the  criminal  led 
forth  to  execution.     Luke  xxiii.  43. 

These  serve  as  a  partial  illustration,  of  "  the  unsearchable 
RICHES  OF  Christ."  You  understand  the  application,  if  you 
know  Christ  as  the  Deliverer,  the  Healer,  the  Saviour  of  your  im- 
mortal soids. 

The  knowledge  of  that  grace  of  God  which  pardons  sin,  and 
delivers  those  who  are  under  its  curse  and  power,  from  death  and 
hell — ^of  that  blessed  Saviour  who  has  ^^  borne  our  guilt  in  hisoum 
body  on  the  tree^'' — and  who  sends  a  proclamation  of  His  mercy 
to  a  lost  and  perishing  world,  illustrates  the  meaning  of  the 
Apostle,  when  he  says  "that  i  should  preach  among  the 
Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

Now,  who  were  the  Gentiles  ?  They  composed  a  world  sunk 
in  every  species  of  crime  ;  there  is  no  description  of  iniquity  into 
which  man  could  be  degraded,  no  degree  of  utter  alienation  of 
his  will  or  his  affections  from  God,  no  prostration  of  intellect  in 
the  worship  of  dumb  idols,  the  work  of  his  hands,  into  which  you 
will  not  find  the  Gentile  nations  fallen  and  debased.  Now,  what 
did  Christ  send  Paul  to  do  ?  What  was  the  message  of  the  Gos- 
pel with  which  He  charged  him  ?  The  Apostle  declares  he  was 
sent  to  them,  "that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles," 
— -the  original  word  is  stronger, — that  I  should  jtroclaim, — -go  as 
an  ambassador  from  God,  and  proclaim  "among  the  Gentiles 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ," — ^tell  them  of  a  Re- 
deemer that  came  to  save  the  vilest  sinnei", — tell  them  of  the 
justice,  the  judgment,  the  mercy,  and  love  of  God, — tell  them  of 
the  justice  that  pronounces  sentence  on  sinners, — but  which  Christ 
had  satisfied — tell  them  of  the  judgment  that  is  to  be  executed  on 
them,  but  which  Christ  had  borne — tell  them  of  the  mercy  that 
they  had  forever  forfeited,  but  which  Christ  had  purchased  for 
them — tell  them  of  the  wisdom  that  devised,  the  faithfulness  that 
carried  out,  and  the  love  that  began,  continued,  and  carries  on  the 
glorious  plan  of  salvation  for  a  guilty  world — tell  them  that  this 
is  the  True,  and  Holy  Lord,  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead — call 


252  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

them  thus  to  turn  from  their  idols  and  their  vanities,  to  serve  the 
Hving  God. 

Now,  if  we  look  to  the  history  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  we 
see  through  their  various  labors,  how  the  Apostle  executed  his 
divine  commission.  Let  us  take  one  instance ;  let  us  turn  to  Acts 
xiii.  St.  Paul  came  into  the  synagogue  in  Antioch  of  Pisidia, 
and  stood  up  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  those  assembled.  We  find 
him  beginning  at  the  16th  verse ;  he  gives  a  brief  history  of  the 
Jewish  people, — the  promise  of  the  Messiah, — and  the  fulfilment 
of  that  promise,  in  the  birth,  life,  character,  and  death  of  Christ. 
After  giving  a  brief  sketch  of  these,  he  testifies,  not  only  of  His 
death,  but  His  resurrection  from  the  dead ;  that  He  was  raised  up, 
and  that  He  saw  no  corruption,  37th  verse.  And  then  we  find, 
afterwards  he  testifies  w4iat  the  end  and  object  of  His  coming  was, 
"  Be  it  known  unto  yon,  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through 
this  man  is  jjreached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  by 
him,  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things  from  which  ye 
could  not  be  justified  by  the  laiv  of  MosesP  v.  38,  39. 

Then  he  warns  them  to  beware,  lest  they  despise  this  testimony, 
"  Beumre  lest  that  co?ne  upon  you  which  is  spoken  of  in  the 
prophets,  behold  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish ;  for  1 
work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  ivhich  ye  shall  in  no  wise 
believe,  though  a  vian  declare  it  unto  youP  v.  40,  41. 

Then  look  at  the  42nd  verse,  "  When  the  Jews  were  gone  out 
of  the  synagogue,  the  Gentiles  besought  that  these  words  might 
be  preached  to  them  the  next  SabbathP  He  proclaimed  to  them 
"the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ" — namely,  the  pardon 
of  their  sins,  through  a  crucified  and  risen  Saviour,  "  through  this 
m,an  is  proclaimed  unto  you,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;"  then  the 
"  Gentiles  besought  that  the  same  words  might  be  jnoclaimed  to 
them  the  next  Sabbath ;"  and  so  it  is  always  the  case,  the  moment 
the  sinner  is  brought  to  know  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  procla- 
mation of  His  great  salvation  is  the  joy  of  his  soul, — he  desires  to 
hear  the  same  things  over  again  and  again. 

I  knew  a  lady  once,  who  had  heard  the  Gospel  of  Christ  for 
many  years,  but  she  had  neglected  that  great  salvation,  and  con- 
tinued in  darkness  and  ignorance  till  she  was  very  old.  She  was 
taken  very  ill  at  one  time,  her  daughter  was  sitting  by  her  bed 
side,  and  speaking  to  her  of  the  riches  of  Christ.  She  was  read- 
ing the  Word  of  life  to  her,  telling  her  of  the  pardon  of  sin.  It 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bring  His  word  with  power  home  to  her  heart, 
and  she  did  the  very  same  thing  that  the  Gentiles  did  at  Antioch, 
she  raised  herself  up  in  the  bed,  and  said,  "  Oh,  m,y  dear  child, 
tell  me  that  again, — tell  me  these  words  again.^^  She  had  heard 
the  same  words  a  thousand  times,  but  she  had  never  believed 
them,  never  attended  to  them  before, — now  she  heard  them  and 
understood  the  blessing  they  conveyed,  and  cried,  "  Oh,  tell  me 
that  againy  Whenever  a  sinner  is  brought  to  Christ,  he  says, 
"  tell  me  that  again,  tell  me  more  of  Christ,  the  refuge  of  my  soul, 
more,  more  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ."     When  a  man 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  253 

finds  a  gold  mine,  what  does  he  do?  he  digs  deeper  and  deeper 
still,  till  he  discovers  more  and  more  of  the  treasure.  When  the 
sinner  finds  Christ,  that  is,  when  through  grace  he  understands 
and  believes  the  Gospel,  he  longs  for  more  of  the  inestimable 
treasure — more  of  the  unsearchable  riches — he  ^' counts  all  things 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ,^^  he  longs  for 
more  of  the  happy  privilege  of  trusting  on  Christ, — more  of  the 
power  of  leaning  and  resting  on  Christ, — casting  all  his  soul,  all 
his  sins,  all  his  sorrows,  all  his  cares,  all  his  wants,  all  his  hopes, 
doubts,  fears,  anxieties,  upon  Him, — he  longs  for  an  increase  of 
faith,  and  learns  more  and  more  to  wrap  his  naked  soul  in  the 
spotless  righteousness  of  his  Redeemer,  to  bathe  continually  more 
and  more  by  faith  in  the  fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness, — he  finds  the  riches  of  Christ  unsearchable,  because  he  finds 
his  own  sin  inexhaustible,  he  finds  the  deceit  of  his  own  heart,  he 
finds  the  depth  of  his  own  guilt  and  wants  unfathomable ;  daily 
he  finds  more  and  more  sin,  and  corruption,  and  varied  wants  and 
evils  in  himself,  and  sees  more  and  more  his  bankrupt  poverty, 
and  his  need  to  draw  on  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  ChristP 
Hence,  sincere  Christians  who  are  not  well  and  scripturally  in- 
structed, are  grieviously  cast  down  because  they  do  not  feel  their 
heart  growing  better,  but  rather  growing  worse  ;  for  they  feel  more 
unbelief — more  deadness — more  sin.  than  they  have  ever  felt  before. 
It  is  not  that  your  heart  really  grows  worse,  for  worse  it  cannot  be, 
but  you  begin  to  discover  its  evil  more  and  more,  to  understand 
— to  feel  it  more  and  more,  your  mind  is  more  enlightened  to  com- 
prehend the  spiritual  nature  of  the  law  of  God,  how  it  reaches  to 
every  desire,  wish,  thought  and  imagination  of  the  heart — you 
learn  more  of  what  you  ought  to  be,  and  you  learn  by  painful 
experience  more  truly  what  you  are.  It  is  then  you  are  brought 
to  know  somewhat  of  the  meaning,  and  to  see  the  blessing  of 
"  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,''^  whatever  be  the  painful 
experience  of  your  own  want  and  sin,  you  find  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  commensurate  to  all  your  necessities. 

His  righteousness  is  unsearchable,  ^^  his  righteousness  is  like 
the  great  moifntainsJ^  Ps.  xxxvi.  6. 

His  wisdom  is  unsearchable,  "  in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge.'^  Col.  ii.  3. 

His  grace  is  unsearchable,  "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did 
mtich  more  abound.^'  Rom.  v.  20. 

His  love  is  unsearchable,  "  m,any  waters  cannot  quench  it." — 
^^  Strong  as  death."  Cant.  viii.  6,  7, — It  '■^  passeth  knowledge." 
verse  19. 

His  faithfulness  is  unsearchable,  "  Thy  counsels  of  old  are  faith- 
fulness and  truth."  Isa.  xxv.  1.  We  would  turn  from  Him,  we 
would  go  back,  we  would  run  the  broad  way  to  ruin  as  fast  as 
ever  we  ran,  but  that  His  faithfulness  will  not  let  us  go.  What 
would  become  of  us,  if  it  were  not  written,  "  My  sheep  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  ?ny  haiid."  John  x. 
28.     Oh,  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ !" 


254  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Then  His  power  is  unsearchable,  "  By  thee  have  I  been  holden 
up  from  the  womb  P  Ps.  Ixxi.  6.  ^^  In  h'mi  dwelleth  all  the  falness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily.''^  Col.  ii.  9.  "  God  is  our  refuge  and 
atrengthP  Ps.  xlvi.  1.  "  My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
7iess"  "  most  gladly  therefore,^''  saith  the  Apostle,  "  will  I  rather 
glory  in  my  infrm,ities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  npon 
me.""  2nd  Cor.  xii.  9.  It  is  a  wonderful  experience  for  a  sinner  to 
attain  to,  to  be  able  to  look  at  his  infirmities  as  a  subject  of  glory- 
ing, because  they  magnify  and  endear  his  Saviour  more  and  more 
to  his  soul,  and  lead  him  to  discover  more  and  more  of  "  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ.^'' 

Then  the  tenderness  and  compassion  of  our  blessed  Saviour  are 
unsearchable,  his  long-suffering  is  unsearchable ;  which  of  you 
who  knows  the  Gospel  cannot  tell,  (I  am  sure  I  can,)  what  a  '•'•God 
of  patience^^  Rom.  xv.  5,  He  has  proved  to  us  ?  how  many  years 
He  hath  "  suffered  our  manners  in  the  wilderness.''''  Acts  xiii.  12. 

But  time  would  fail  were  we  to  enter  into  any  detail  of  these 
gracious  attributes  of  our  adorable  Redeemer.  If  those  who  love 
the  treasures  of  this  earth  take  pleasure  in  counting  their  silver 
and  their  gold,  we  may  be  permitted  to  take  some  tune  to  dwell 
on  that  which  we  prize  more  than  all  the  wealth  of  the  world  ; 
and  we  shall  dwell  yet  once  again  on  the  "  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ,^'  ^'for  we  have  not  been  redeemed  with  corruptible  things, 
as  silver  and  gold,  from  our  vain  conversation  received  by  tra- 
dition from  our  fathers,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as 
of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and  loithout  spotP  1st  Peter  i.  18,  19. 

May  our  souls  so  feel  their  need  continually  of  Christ,  that  we 
may  love  to  dig  deeper  into  the  mine  where  his  unsearchable 
treasures  are  to  be  found  ;  here  is  the  mine,  the  Bible ;  all  who 
once  have  found  the  "  treasure  hid  in  thisfeld,^'  the  deeper  they  go, 
the  richer  veins  of  ore,  do  they  discover  ;  the  more  we  search  the 
Scriptures,  the  more  we  find  of  their  treasure,  and  remember  the 
reason  of  it  is  this,  "  Because,''^  saith  our  blessed  Lord,  "  they  are 
they  which  testify  of  me  f  John  v.  39,  '■'■the  testimony  of  Jesus  is 
the  spirit  of  prophecy,^''  Rev.  xix.  10,  "  we  preach  Christ  cruci- 
fied," saith  the  Apostle,  1st  Cor.  i.  23.  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  beginning  and  the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  ivhich  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty,^'  Rev.  i.  8.  Let 
us  pray  that  our  souls  may  be  enriched,  more  and  more  with 
"  THE  UNSEARCHABLE  RICHES  OP  Christ,"  that  our  hearts,  filled 
with  the  joyful  hope  of  their  undefiled,  unfading,  incorruptible,  in- 
heritance, may  be  less  careful  and  anxious  for  the  passing  vanities 
of  a  transitory  world,  which  like  a  mirror  that  reflects  a  shadow, 
gives  back  to  the  eager  eye  but  the  unsubstantial  image  of  a  shade, 
that  our  hearts  may  be  filled  more  and  more  with  these  "  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ,"  "  The  blessing  of  the  Lord 
that  Wjoketh  rich,  and  he  addeth  no  sorrow  with  itP  Prov.  x.  22. 

Yes,  O  Thou  bounteous  Giver  of  all  good, 
Thou  art  of  all  thy  gifts,  Thyself  the  Crown! 
Give  what  Thou  canst,  without  Thee  we  are  poor, 
And  with  Thee  rich,  take  what  Thou  wilt  awav 


TWENTY-THIRD     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III.— 8,  9,  10. 


"  Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should 
preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ ;  and  to  make  all  men 
see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath 
been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ :  to  the  intent  that  now,  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the  church  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God." 

If  a  ship  freighted  from  a  foreign  cHme  for  our  shore,  with  the 
invoice  of  a  cargo  of  inestimable  vahie,  were  consigned  to  a  mer- 
chant, for  his  own  emolument ;  when  the  intelligence  of  her  arri- 
val in  port  had  reached  his  ears,  how  anxiously  would  he  hasten 
to  investigate  the  contents  of  his  expected  prize.  How  earnestly 
would  his  mind  be  exercised  in  the  various  thoughts,  arrange- 
ments, and  occupations  which  this  rich  consignment  entailed  on 
him. 

Now,  beloved  brethren,  when  the  Apostle  Paul  was  commis- 
sioned to  "  PREACH  AMONG  THE  GeNTILES  THE  UNSEARCHABLE 

RICHES  OF  Christ."  He  was  charged  with  a  freight  of  bless- 
ings, richer  than  all  the  merchandize  that  all  the  vessels  of  the 
world  have  ever  carried  on  the  bosom  of  the  deep  ;  and  this 
too  a  freight  consigned  to  every  sinner  who  hears  the  gra- 
cious message  of  the  Gospel.  "  Men  and  brethren,  children 
of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  whosoever  a7nong  you  fearcth 
God,  to  yon  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent,^^  Acts  xiii.  26. 
These  are  his  own  words  in  the  very  passage  which  I  quoted  in 
my  last  Lecture,  as  addressed  by  him  to  those  in  the  synagogue 
at  Antioch,  in  Pisidia,  "  To  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation 
sent,^'  and  let  me  add  that  those  who  have  received  this  blessed 
freight  consigned  to  them,  would  not  barter  it  for  all  the  treasures 
of  the  earth  or  of  the  sea. 

How  inexpressibly  important  is  the  question  then,  whether  we 
have  received  it,  or  know  its  inestimable  value  ?  whether  we  have 
received  the  invoice  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  the  Gospel  carries  the 
freight  to  us  of  the  "  unsearchable  riches  of  christ."  May 
our  God  lead  us  to  examine  the  rich  consignment,  and  enable  us 
to  draw  forth  treasures  from  these  unsearchable  riches,  that  "  onr 
souls  may  be  satisfied  as  with  ^narrow  and  fatness,^''  and  that  our 
'■•  mouth  may  praise  him  with  joyful  lips .'"  Ps.  Ixiii.  5. 

The  heart  of  man  is  continually  panting  after  something  it  im- 
agines to  be  good ;  continually  longing  for  something  to  satisfy 


256  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

its  vast  desires ;  and  as  long  as  it  pursues  the  things  of  time  and 
sense,  which  in  its  natural  state,  it  always  will  pursue ;  turning  from 
one  unsatisfying  vanity  to  another,  so  long,  the  very  nature  of  the 
immortal  soul,  precludes  the  possibility  of  its  happiness,  and  keeps 
it  in  continual  misery.  Because,  nothing  but  "  unsearchable 
RICHES,"  can  really  satisfy  the  wants  of  an  immortal  being  ;  and 
therefore,  the  invitation  sent  to  sinners,  are  invitations  to  come  to 
God  Himself  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth  come  ye  to  the 
ivaters"  Isaiah  iv.  1,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest^'  Mat.  xi.  28 ;  "7/"  any 
man  thirst^''  saith  Christ,  "  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink^'' 
John  vii.  37  ;  "  My  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all 
things  are  ready,  come  unto  the  m^arriage.^^  You  that  thirst  for 
happiness,  that  seek  for  enjoyment, — for  rest, — for  peace, — come 
unto  me  saith  Christ.  He  knows  what  is  in  man.  He  knows 
that  "  UNSEARCHABLE  RicHEs"  alouc  can  satisfy  the  desires  of 
the  immortal  soul.  So  He  saith, ''  Riches  and  honor  are  with  m,e, 
yea,  durable  riches  and  righteousness.  My  fruit  is  better  than 
gold,  yea,  than  fine  gold,  and  my  revenue  than  choice  silver.  I 
lead  in  the  ivay  of  righteousness  in  the  midst  of  the  paths  of 
judgment,  that  I  may  cause  those  that  love  me  to  inherit  sub- 
stance, and  I  will  fill  their  treasures.''^  Prov.  viii.  18,  19,  20,  21. 
When  Christ  saith,  "  /  will  fill  their  treasures,^''  then  must  the 
treasures  of  the  soul  be  filled  indeed  !  The  immortal  soul  is  not 
formed  by  God  to  be  satisfied  with  anything,  but  enjoyment  com- 
mensurate with  its  own  existence,  therefore,  it  is  not  to  be  found 
in  time  or  in  the  world,— eternity  and  Christ,  alone  can  fill  its  in- 
finite capacity,  therefore  the  riches  of  Christ  are  called  "  un- 
searchable RICHES,"  because  they  satisfy  the  desires,  they 
quench  the  thirst  of  an  immortal  being, — the  soul  is  never  cloyed, 
never  left  to  pine,  as  in  finite  enjoyments  for  the  brief  duration  of 
its  bliss :  it  never  reaches  the  end  of  its  unsearchable  and  inex- 
haustible possessions  until  it  has  found  its  treasure  and  its  rest  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Infinite  God. 

The  suitability  and  all-sufficiency  of  Christ,  for  the  wants  of 
the  sinner,  constitute  one  reason  why  the  blessings  of  Christ  are 
called  "  UNSEARCHABLE  RICHES."  I  said,  we  should  count  over 
some  of  the  items  in  our  treasure. 

Take  then,  in  the  first  place,  the  Wisdom  of  Christ,  nothing 
less  than  an  Omniscient  Saviour  could  possibly  be  suited  to  the 
wants  of  sinners  like  us.  Hence,  the  absurdity  as  well  as  the 
awful  idolatry  of  praying  to  saints  or  angels  ;  for  if  they  have  not 
the  attributes  of  an  Omniscient  God,  they  cannot  be  suited  to  the 
wants  of  man.  Christ  is  the  Omniscient  God,  "  in  him  are  hid 
all  the  treasures  of  tvisdoyn  and  knoivledge,^''  "  in  him,  divelleih 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily''  Col.  iii.  3,  9.  "  He  knoivs 
what  is  in  man,''  how  could  we  kneel  down  and  pour  out  our 
hearts  to  Him,  if  He  did  not  know  our  sins,  our  wants,  if  He  could 
not  enter  into  all  our  necessities  and  fears  ?  If  we  were  to  tell 
our  feeUngs,  wants,  sins,  to  any  friend  on  earth,  they  could  not 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  257 

understand — they  could  not  enter  into  them — impossible  !  But 
Christ  can,  and  does,  "  He  knoweth  our  frame^  he  rememhereth 
that  we  are  dust,"  Ps.  ciii.  14  ;  "  wi  that  he  himself  hath  suffered, 
being  te?tipted,  he  is  able  to  succor  them  that  are  tempted.''''  Heb. 
ii.  18.     O  !  what  an  inestimable  blessing  ! 

The  Apostle  says,  "  all  things  are  naked  and  open  to  the  eyes 
of  Him,  with  lohom  we  have  to  do.''''  Heb.  iv.  13.  What  a  frightful 
thought  for  the  ungodly  sinner,  that  would  try  to  hide  from  God  ! 
— for  the  sinner  who  is  looking  for  salvation  in  himself ! — trying 
to  deliver  himself — to  make  himself  clean  in  God's  sight !  What 
a  fearful  thought  for  such  an  one  to  have  a  God,  that  sees  all  the 
turnings  of  his  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  heart ! — what  a 
frightful  thought  for  a  poor  sinner,  who  is  trying  to  make  himself 
fit  for  the  inspection  of  Him,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
iniquity  ! 

But  what  a  blessing  for  the  soul  who  knows,  that  instead  of  de- 
livering himself,  all  his  deliverance  is  in  Christ !  His  very  wants, 
— sins, — necessities, — weaknesses,  these  are  the  very  reasons  why 
he  comes  to  Christ ;  these  are  the  very  reasons  why  Christ  is 
precious,  because  he  wants  a  Saviour  such  as  this.  And  there- 
fore, what  a  blessing  to  think,  that  the  wisdom  of  Christ  is  un- 
searchable, and  that  he  knowxth  all  things  !  if  we  are  sick,  and 
a  physician  is  called  in,  we  are  most  anxious  to  let  him  know  our 
case  ;  and  we  very  often  hear  persons  say,  of  a  physician  long  at- 
tending them  and  their  families,  "  Oh,  such  a  man  knows  my  con- 
stitution— he  knows  my  case — ^he  is  accustomed  to  my  disease — I 
value  him  above  all  others  !"  If  we  value  such  a  physician  for 
the  body,  what  a  blessing  it  is  to  have  such  a  Physician  for  the 
soul.  To  have  One  who  is  familiar  with  our  case,  who  under- 
stands our  disease,  who  knows  all  our  wants,^ — to  have  Him 
watching  over  us — watching  by  our  sick  beds,  "  Thou  wilt  m,ake 
all  his  bed  in  his  sickness,''  Ps.  xxi.  3  ;  watching  by  us  in  health, 
"  Behold  he  that  keepeth  Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep,^^ 
Ps.  cxxi.  4 ;  watching  over  us  with  the  Omnipresent  eye  of  in- 
finite wisdom, — of  everlasting  love,  and  of  Almighty  power ! 

Then  again,  the  Love  of  Christ,  how  unsearchable ! — the 
very  nature  of  God's  love  to  sinners  is  unsearchable.  We  do  not 
love  anything  on  earth  in  which  we  do  not  see  something  to 
make  it  loveable  or  lovely  in  our  eyes.  But  the  love  of  God,  the 
free,  full,  and  everlasting  love  of  God  for  sinners  cannot  be  derived 
from  anything  attractive  in  the  sinner ;  on  the  contrary  there  is 
everything  repulsive  to  make  God  hate  us,  to  make  Him  turn 
from  us.  Yet  His  language  to  His  people  is,  '•^  I  have  loved  thee 
with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  with  loving  kindness  have  I 
drawn  theeP  Jer.  xxxi.  3.  The  love  of  Christ  is  then  an  ever- 
lasting love  to  His  people.  I  believe  I  quoted  on  some  former  oc- 
casion the  remark  of  an  old  woman,  "  I  am  sure,  if  the  Lord  did 
not  love  me  before  I  was  born,  he  never  saw  anything  in  me  to 
make  Him  love  me  since,"  if  He  did  not  love  sinners  with  an  ever- 
lasting love,  He  never  would  love  them  at  all ;  but  He  does,  as 

17 


258  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

we  have  seen.  "  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ^  ii.  4 ;  and  again,  "  according 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  ivorld, 
that  we  should  he  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  loveP  i.  4. 
Then  if  His  love  is  unsearchable  in  its  commencement,  surely  it 
is  equally  so  in  its  continuance.  There  is  no  affection  on  earth  so 
strong  as  that  it  may  not  be  weakened  or  totally  dissolved  by  re- 
pulse, mgratitude,  baseness,  unkindness.  The  various  evils  of 
our  own  natural  tempers  will  often  obliterate  any  affection  that 
can  be  conceived  in  the  human  heart.  But  Oh !  what  can 
quench  the  love  of  God  to  His  people  !  Surely,  coldness — unbe- 
lief— distrust — ingratitude — baseness, — repulse, — and  provocation, 
if  these  could  banish  from  His  bosom  the  love  of  Jesus ;  I  am  sure 
there  is  not  one  in  this  assembly — nay,  not  a  sinner  in  the  world 
who  could  look  up  to  God  with  any  ground  of  hope  for  a  continu- 
ance of  His  love.  But  "  Christ  is  the  same,  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  forever P  Heb.  xiii.  8.  ^'- 1  am  the  Lord,  I  change  not,  there- 
fore ye  sons  of  Jacob  are  not  consumed.''''  Mai.  iii.  6.  Surely  this 
is  as  true  of  the  Gentiles  as  of  the  Jews.  So  we  see,  "  having 
loved  his  oimi  which  ivere  in  the  iiwrld,  he  loved  them  unto  the  endP 
Thomas  would  hot  believe  in  Him,  he  would  not  even  believe 
his  own  eyes,  '■'■Unless  I  j)ut  7ny  finger  into  the  jnint  of  the  nails, 
and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  6e/?ei'e,"  but  Jesus 
when  he  cometli  saitli  to  him,  "  reach  hither  thy  finger  and  he- 
hold  my  hands,  and  reach  hither  thy  hand  and  thrust  it  into  my 
side,  and  be  not  faithless,  hut  believing.''^  John  xx.  25-27.  He 
would  take  the  hand  of  His  unbelieving  disciple,  and  let  it  probe 
His  own  wounded  side,  sooner  than  give  him  up,  or  withdraw  His 
love  from  Thomas. 

Peter  denied  Him  with  an  oath,  and  yet  He  sends  a  messenger, 
to  "(to,  tell  his  disciples  and  Peter,"  He  particularizes  him,  "  that 
he  goeth  before  them  into  Galilee,  there  shall  ye  see  him."  Mark 
xvi.  7. 

Saul  was  "  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord."  Acts  ix.  1.  He  was  going  to  ^'^ Da- 
mascus with  authority  from  the  chief  priests  to  bring  them  hound 
to  Jerusalem.''''  but  the  love  of  Christ  stops  him  on  the  way,  and 
calls  him  to  Himself;  so  that,  whether  in  its  commencement  or 
its  continuance,  the  love  of  Christ  is  unsearchable  and  vuichange- 
able. 

Persons  continually  say,  that  to  speak  of  the  unchangeable  love 
of  Christ  is  an  excitement  to  sin.  If  ingratitude  will  not  provoke 
— then  let  us  be  ungrateful.  If  rebellion  will  not  force  Him  to 
withdraw  His  love — let  us  rebel.  If  sin  and  provocation  will  not 
incite  him  to  forsake  us — let  us  sin  and  provoke.  Is  that  the  lan- 
guage of  your  hearts  ?  Then  you  know  nothing  of  Christ.^ — Nay, 
this  is  the  very  thing  that  melts  the  heart,  and  draws  us  to  Jesus, 
if  we  are  taught  of  Him.  His  holy  Avord  commands  us,  "7/"  thine 
enemy  hunger,  feed  him, ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink ;  for  in  so 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  259 

doing,  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  headP  Rom.  xii.  20. 
He  desires  us  to  melt  down  our  enemies  by  heaping  coals  of  fire, 
— that  is,  kindness  and  affection  on  their  heads.  Thus  it  is  that 
Christ  acts  too.  He  draws  us,  when  our  hearts  would  stray  from 
Him — when  we  turn  to  idols,  to  vanities,  as  we  are  so  continually 
doing — the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  meets  us.  He  draws  us  back  to  Him- 
self. Perhaps  as  sometimes,  by  overwhelming  testimonies  of  His 
love — the  tenderness  of  reproof  mingled  with  love,  as  we  may 
suppose  beamed  from  His  eye  full  upon  the  face  of  Peter,  when 
"  the  Lord  turned  and  looked  upon  Peter ^''  and  "  Peter  went  out 
and  wept  bitterly P  Luke  xxii.  61,  62.  Or  sometimes,  by  leaving 
ovu'  idols  to  chasten  and  reprove  us,  till  we  find  "vanity  of  vani- 
ties" written  on  them  all,  and  we  turn  with  all  our  hearts  again  to 
Jesus,  as  our  best — our  only  good. 

The  love  of  Jesus,  the  believer  finds  to  be  unsearchable,  hy  ex- 
perience. Oh,  how  inexhaustible  it  is  !  We  know  too  well  how 
often  we  have  sinned  against  Him,  in  a  thousand — thousand, 
ways  ;  and  yet  He  is  just  the  same  unchangeable  Saviour  to  us  ! 
He  is  sending  to  us  the  messages  of  his  unwearied  love,  as  He 
does  this  day,  in  His  everlasting  Gospel ;  and  telling  us  to  look 
into  his  glorious  Word  for  the  "unsearchable  riches"  of  that 
love.  And  so,  this  is  the  very  subject  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks 
in  the  latter  end  of  this  chapter.  The  climax  of  His  prayer  for 
this  church  is  this,  "  that  ye  may  he  able  to  comprehend  with  all 
saints,  tchat  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height,  and 
to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  ivJiich passeth  knoivledge,  that  ye  might 
he  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  GodJ^  verses  18,  19,  20.  But  His 
love  is  the  love  of  a  Avise  and  tender  Saviour.  It  is  very  mistaken 
love  of  a  parent,  that  gives  w^ay  to  the  selfishness,  and  wilfulness, 
and  folly  of  iiis  child. — A  petted  child  is  an  unhappy  child,  and  an 
over-indulgent  parent  is  a  foolish  parent.  Christ  manifests  His 
love  continually,  in  the  visitations  He  sends  to  His  people ;  there- 
fore he  says,  "J..s  many  as  Hove,  I  rebuke  atid  chasten.'^  Rev.  iii.  19. 
So,  those  '•  whom  the  Lord  loveih,  he  chasteneth  ;  and  scourgeth 
every  son  whom  he  receivethP  Heb.  xii.  6.  The  child  who  has 
been  corrected — wisely  corrected  by  a  wise  parent — wisely  brought 
into  subjection — prudently  kept  in  order — carefully  restrained  and 
kept  from  evil,— there  is  no  child  in  the  world  that  loves  and  respects 
his  parent  so  much ;  and  in  no  way  can  parents  so  effectually 
evince  their  love  to  their  child.  So,  Christ  shows  His  love  to  His 
children,  and  that  very  thing  draws  them  nearer  and  nearer  to 
Him  ;  the  very  chastenings  of  His  love  are  precious  to  His  people  ; 
— His  rod  as  well  as  His  staff  comfort  them.  So  the  Apostle  tes- 
tifi?.?.  ''■No  chastening,  for  the  present,  seemelh  to  he  joyous,  but 
grievous;  nevertheless,  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  fcaceahle  fruit 
of  righteousness  to  them  that  are  exercised  liter ehyJ'  Heb.  xii.  11. 
The  knowledge  of  His  love  is  derived  continually  from  the  visita- 
tions and  trials  with  which  He  graciously  afllicts  His  servants. 
And  I  dare  say,  the  experience  of  all  will  testify,  if  we  are  taught 
to  know  the  Lord,  that  when  we  look  back  to  His  dispensations. 


260  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

we  shall  mark  His  chaslcnings,  trials,  visitations, — some  perhaps 
of  those  that  have  pressed  most  heavily  on  our  hearts,  when  under 
His  afflicting  hand, — we  shall  look  back  at  them,  as  some  of  the 
sweetest  proofs  of  His  love,  issuing  in  the  richest  blessings  to  our 
souls.  These  are  some  of  the  lessons  by  which  he  trains  us  to 
learn  that  love  holds  a  prominent  place  among  the  "  unsearch- 
able RICHES  OF  Christ.'' 

Then  take  another. — The  Power  of  Christ  ; — the  wisdom, 
love,  and  power  of  God  must  combine  to  form  a  Saviour  suited  to 
our  necessities.  Now  we  may  be  very  wise  to  know  what  would 
be  good  for  those  we  love,  and  we  may  have  hearts  full  of  ali'ec- 
tion  for  them,  so  that  we  would  gladly  do  anything  for  them  in 
our  power,  but  we  may  be  totally  unable  to  do  what  we  know 
their  necessities  require.  Not  so  Christ. — There  is  nothing  that 
He  knows  to  be  good  that  He  cannot  do,  and  there  is  nothing  He 
knows  to  be  good  that  he  ivill  not  do ; — His  love  loill  do  all,  and 
His  power  can  do  all  that  His  wisdom  sees  fit  for  His  children. — 
What  a  blessed  thought  that  is  ! — that  we  have  an  omnipotent 
arm  to  lean  on, — an  almighty  hand  to  hold  us  !  "  Wlio  is  this 
that  Cometh  up  from  the  wilderness,  leaning  upon  her  beloved  P^ 
Cant.  viii.  5,  resting  upon  Him,  knowing  how  faithfully  tender  He 
is, — how  mighty  is  His  arm  !  Oh,  what  a  privilege  it  is  to  have 
the  arm  of  Omnipotence  to  lean  on  !  and  so  He  saith,  you  know, 
speaking  of  His  love  and  power  exercised  towards  his  sheep,  "  / 
give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand:  my  Father  who  gave  them 
me  is  greater  than  all,  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of 
my  Father's  hand.  I  and  my  Father  are  one:'  John  x.  28,  29, 
30.  None  shall  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand, — the  tongue  of  ever- 
lasting Zot-e  declares,  what  the  hand  of  Onuiipotence  accomplishes. 

What  a  blessing  this  is  ! 

Remember,  then,  you  can  never  be  in  any  difficulty,  Oh  be- 
liever !  never  in  any  straits — in  any  trials — any  sorrow — in  which 
you  have  not  such  a  Saviour  as  this,  with  the  "  unsearchable 
riches,"  of  His  wisdom — His  love,  and  His  power  to  relieve  you. 
What  more  can  you  want?  Let  us  add  His  Faithfulness. 
The  faithfulness  of  Jesus !  the  "unsearchable  riches"  of 
Christ's  faithfulness  !  This  it  is,  that  gives  to  all  the  promises  of 
God,  that  certainty  which  enables  the  soul  to  repose  on  them,  in 
Christ ; — which  testifies,  that  "  all  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are 
yea,  and  in  him  Amen,  to  the  glory  of  God  by  us,"  2  Cor.  i.  20, 
all  yea,  and  all  amen.  It  is  not  yea  and  nay — it  is  not  that  He 
promises  what  he  declares  to  be  good  from  his  wisdom, — that  he 
promises  what  He  desires  to  do  from  His  love, — and  it  is  not  that 
He  promises  to  do  what  He  can  do  by  His  power, — but  He  promises 
what  He  knows, — what  he  desires, — what  He  is  able, — and  what 
He  will  do  from  His  faithfulness  and  truth.  Yes !  All  his  prom- 
ises are  yea  and  amen.  It  shall  be  said  at  the  last  to  every  re- 
deemed soul  around  the  throne,  as  Joshua  said  to  Israel,  "  Ye 
know  in  all  your  hearts,  cmd  in  all  your  souls,  that  not  one  thing 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  261 

hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things  which  the  Lord  your  God 
spake  concerning  you ;  all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you^  and  not 
one  thing  hath  failed  thereof ^  Joshua  xxiii.  14. 

Well,  then,  what  a  privilege  it  is  for  the  believer  to  walk  through 
the  fields  of  promise,  when  he  remembers  the  faithfulness  of  his 
covenant  God  !  Oh  think  of  that.  Man  may  deceive  you,  and 
will  deceive  you,  and  you  may  and  will  deceive  yourselves  ;  Christ 
never  can  deceive.  Oh,  what  a  blessing,  to  have  the  faithfulness 
of  Christ  to  trust  in  ;  the  '■'■brother  horn  for  adversity,^''  Prov.  xvii. 
17,  the  '■'■  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother  f^  '■'■when  my 
father  and  mother  forsake  me,  the  Lord  ivill  take  7ne  upJ^  Ps. 
xxvii.  10.  These  are  some  of  the  "  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ." 

Then,  if  we  speak  of  the  riches  of  His  grace  in  pardoning  sin, 
O  !  how  unsearchable  !  The  riches  of  His  blood, — that  fathom- 
less ocean,  Oh  !  how  unsearchable  !  What  sinner  has  ever  sounded 
the  depths  of  that  atoning  sea?  The  riches  of  his  righteous- 
ness, that  spotless  robe,  that  hides  "■  the  shame  of  our  nakedness^ 
Rev.  iii.  18,  which  is  "  u?ito  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.^'  Rom. 
iii.  22, — with  which  the  Father  is  well  pleased,  Oh  !  how  unsearch- 
able !  Who  can  ever  estimate  the  privilege  of  having  such  a 
Saviour  as  this  to  come  to  !  Well  might  the  Apostle  magnify  his 
glorious  oflSce — "that  I  might  preach  among  the  Gentiles 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

I  have  before  remarked  that  the  word  "preach  among  the  Gen- 
tiles,^'' means  ^'■proclaim  among  the  GentilesP  Recollect,  then,  it 
is  the  proclamation  of  the  King  of  kings.  If  you  saw  a  proclama- 
tion issued  from  the  Sovereign,  to  any  city,  or  to  any  district  or 
province  in  rebellion,  and  that  it  was  a  proclamation  of  pardon  ;— 
as  surely  as  that  proclamation  was  issued — as  surely  as  it  was 
posted  up — all  those  who  desired  protection  under  it  would  come 
in  with  confidence  to  claim  protection — why  ? — because  it  was  a 
proclamation  from  the  Sovereign,  of  pardon ;  because  in  that  royal 
proclamation,  the  royal  word  was  pledged  to  pardon.  So,  if  there 
is  a  proclamation  of  pardon  for  any  crime  committed  in  a  country, 
the  criminal  who  chooses  to  come  in,  comes  in  under  that  procla- 
mation ;  he  is  sure  he  cannot  be  arrested,  tried,  and  executed. 
The  word  of  the  Sovereign  is  pledged  that  he  shall  be  protected, 
and  he  comes  in  on  the  faith  of  it.  Now  remember,  the  riches  of 
God's  grace  are  proclaimed  to  sinners.  This  is  the  Gospel  of 
Christ — every  poor  sinner  is  invited,  encouraged,  commanded  to 
come  in.  The  Apostle  saith,  "  that  i  might  proclaim  among 
THE  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

Now,  perhaps,  there  are  some  of  you  who  never  thought  of  this ; 
for,  though  you  may  continually  hear  the  Gospel — Alas  !  how 
manj^  there  are  who  never  think  of  it.  Did  you  ever  consider, 
that  the  Gospel  was  a  proclamation  of  God's  mercy  to  your  soul  ? 
That  His  glorious  Word, — the  glorious  Gospel  preached  or  pro- 
claimed— is  a  proclamation  of  the  King  of  kings  of  illimitable  par- 
don to  the  chief  of  sinners.     This  is  to  "  proclaim  among  the 


262  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  op  Christ."  Well 
then,  you  are  Gentiles,  and  it  is  proclaimed  among  you  to-day. 
God's  message  of  pardon  is  proclaimed  to  you  this  day.  You  are 
rebels,  have  you  come  in  under  the  proclamation  ?  Are  you  out 
yet  in  arms,  or  have  you  come  in  at  the  proclamation — at  the 
word  of  the  King  of  kings — to  receive  pardon  ?  If  you  have  not, 
Oh  !  come  in  to-day.  Come  in  this  moment — "  all  tilings  are 
readif — "  To-day  if  ye  loill  hear  his  voice  harden  not  your 
heaj-tsP  Psal.  xcv.  7,  8.  You  do  not  know  when  he  may  cut  you 
off!  If  you  continue  but  another  night  in  arms.  He  may  send 
out  His  judgments,  and  sweep  you  into  eternity  ! 

But,  if  you  have  come  in  under  the  proclamation  of  mercy, 
then,  see  to  what  a  King  you  have  come  !  Remember  "  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ," — these  are  the  blessings 
proclaimed  to  you  in  the  Gospel.  You  recollect,  as  we  have  seen, 
when  the  Apostle  Paul  went  to  preach  or  proclaim  this  Gospel  in 
the  synagogue  in  Antioch,  "  the  Gentiles  besought  that  these 
words  should  be  i)reached  to  them  the  next  sabbathP  Now,  if 
Paul  had  preached  any  other  words,  tliey  would  have  been  sadly 
disappointed,  for  they  requested  that  '•'■these  words  should  be 
preached  to  them^''  namely,  the  gracious  pardon  of  sin,  '•  be  it 
knoimi  unto  you,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is 
preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins.''''  So  they  '■'■besought 
that  these  words  should  be  preached  to  them'"  again, — ^"Let  us  hear 
that  glorious  proclamation  again."  What  a  blessing  it  is,  that  the 
"unsearchable  riches  of  Christ"  is  the  glorious  proclamation 
of  God's  love  to  sinners  like  you  and  me  !  The  Apostle  goes  on  to 
show  the  result,  in  the  divine  dispensation  of  preaching  the  "  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ."  "  And  to  make  all  men 
see,  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  god, 

WHO  CREATED  ALL  THINGS   BY  JeSUS    ChRIST."       NoW,  yOU    SCC 

he  refers  again  to  the  subject  of  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  '•  if 
ye  have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God.  ivhich  is 
given  me  to  you-uiard,  how  that  by  revelation  he  made  hnoum 
unto  me  the  mystery T  and  here  it  is  "to  biake  all  men  see, 

WHAT  IS  THE  FELLOWSHIP  OF  THE  MYSTERY  WHICH  FROM 
THE  BEGINNING   OF    THE  AVORLD  HATH  BEEN  HID   IN  GoD,  WHO 

CREATED  ALL  THINGS  BY  Christ  Jesus."  This  mysteiy,  as  I 
remarked  to  you,  appears  to  be  two-fold, — 1st,  the  mystery  of 
the  union  of  Jew  and  Gentile  in  the  church  of  Christ.  And  2dly, 
the  great  mystery  of  the  union  of  both  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
in  one  body  as  their  Covenant  Head.  We  spoke  at  length  of 
the  mystery  of  the  union  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  we  touched 
then  rather  briefly  on  the  mystery  of  the  union  of  Christ  and  His 
people. 

This  subject  is  greatly  illuminated  in  that  wonderful  chapter, 
17th  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John,  in  which  our  blessed  Lord 
gives  His  Church,  to  see  Himself  standing,  as  if  in  His  priestly 
office  before  the  Throne,  commencing  even  while  on  earth  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  263 

office  of  Mediator;  showing  them  how  He  acts  as  their  Intercessor, 
and  reveahng  to  them  as  it  were,  the  nature  of  His  mediation, 
that  as  He  saith  verse  13,  "  Tliey  might  have  my  joy  fulfilled  in 
themselves.'''' 

He  acts  as  Mediator  in  tlie  cliaracter  of  a  man  who  prays,  and 
He  acts  as  Mediator,  in  the  character  of  God  who  wills.  He  acts 
in  the  character  of  man  v/ho  prays,  as  you  see  in  the  1st  verse  of 
the  chapter,  "  These  words  spake  Jesus,  and  lifted  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  and  said,  Father,  the  hour  is  cotne ;  glorify  thy  Son, 
that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee  ;"  and  so  He  says  in  the  5th 
verse,  "  A7id  noiv,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  ow7i  self, 
with  the  glory  ivhich  I  had  toith  thee  before  the  world  was." 
Here  and  in  several  other  parts  we  hear  the  voice  of  the  man  who 
prays. 

But  He  acts  as  Mediator  in  the  character  of  God  who  wills,  24th 
verse,  '^Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom,  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they  may  behold  m,y  glory,  which 
thou  hast  given  me  :  for  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation 
of  the  worldP 

Christ  does  not  pray  for  what  may  not  be  good,  as  we  often 
pray,  "  We  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  otight." 
Rom.  viii.  2Q,  We  might  pray,  and  the  very  granting  of  our 
prayer  might  be  our  destruction.  Even  the  heathen  saw,  that  the 
granting  of  men's  prayers  might  be  and  often  was  their  ruin,  so 
the  heathen  poet  says,*  "the  compliant  Gods  have  overturned 
whole  families  by  granting  their  own  petitions."  And  so,  if  God 
were  to  grant  all  our  petitions,  or  the  things  we  might  desire  or 
pray  for,  they  might  be  our  destruction.  But  Christ  cannot  pra)'^ 
thus.  He  prays  for  nothing  that  ought  not  to  be  granted,  and  that 
must  not  be  good.  We  see  Him  then,  I  say,  here  in  His  character 
as  Mediator.  And  mark  the  wondrous  mystery  of  union  with 
Himself,  of  which  he  speaks  in  that  chapter,  speaking  of  His 
people  in  the  9th,  IGth,  and  11th  verses,  He  saith,  ^^  I  pray  for 
them:  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast 
given  me  ;  for  they  are  thine.  And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine 
are  mine  ;  and  I  am  glorified  in  them.  And  now  I  am  no  m,ore 
in  the  world,  but  these  are  in,  the  world,  and  I  come  to  thee. 
Holy  Father  keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou 
hast  given  me,  that  they  tnay  be  one  as  we  areP  Then  in  20th  and 
21st  verses,  we  see  a  prayer  for  tlie  whole  Church  to  the  end  of 
time  ;  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  who  shall 
believe  on  me  through  the  word ;  that  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as 
thou  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  m,ay  be  one 
in  us:  that  the  ivorld  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me,"  22nd 
and  23rd  verses,  "  and  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have 
given  them ;  that  they  may  be  one,  eve?i  as  we  are  one :  I  in 
them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one  ; 

*  "  Evertere  domos  totas,  optantibus  ipsis, 
Dii  faciles."  Juv.  Sat.  X. 


264  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

nnd  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  tne,  and  hast 
loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved  meP 

These  verses  afford  not  only  a  theme  of  amazement  and  grate- 
ful adoration  to  the  Church  in  time,  but  they  shall  afford  a  sub- 
ject of  wonder,  thanksgiving  and  glory  to  the  Church  and  to  all 
the  Hosts  of  heaven  ;  yea,  and  of  astonishment  to  the  hosts  of  hell 
for  eternity  !  And  it  is  now  one  end  of  the  proclamation  among 
the  Gentiles  of  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Chi'isf"  "  to  make 

ALL  MEN  SEE  WHAT  IS  THE  FELLOWSHIP  OF  THE  MYSTERY, 
WHICH  FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORLD  HATH   BEEN    HID 

IN  God,  WHO  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the 

INTENT,  THAT  NOW  UNTO  THE  PRINCIPALITIES  AND  POWERS  IN 
HEAVENLY  PLACES  MIGHT  BE  KNOWN  BY  THE  CHURCH  THE 
MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD." 

And  this  mysterious  fellowship  of  Christ  and  His  church,  this 
amazing  work  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  which  God  the  Son  stands  in 
the  place  of  his  fallen  creatures,  becomes  their  Surety — becomes 
responsible  for  them — takes  all  their  debts,  as  their  fellow-man  in 
His  humanity  upon  Himself — pays  all  their  debts — discharges  all 
their  obligations  both  of  obedience  and  of  penalty — delivers  them 
from  death  and  hell,  to  which  eternal  Justice  must  else  consign 
them — carries  them  on  with  the  wisdom,  power,  and  k>ve  of  which 
we  have  been  speaking,  as  one  with  Himself — members  of  His 
own  mystical  body,  to  eternal  life — taking  all  along  their  guilt  and 
misery,  and  giving  them  all  along  His  righteousness  and  His  glory 
— this  union  in  its  manifestation  "to  the  principalities  and 
POWERS  IN  heavenly  PLACES  BY  THE  CHURCH,"  shall  be  the 
subject  of  adoration,  joy,  wonder  and  glory  throughout  all  eternity. 
Therefore  the  song  of  the  redeemed  shall  ever  be  a  song  of  thanks- 
giving and  praise  to  Him — "  Ame7i :  Blessing,  and  glory,  arid 
wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power,  and  might,  he 
unto  our  God  forever  and  ever.     AmenP  Rev.  vii.  12. 

This  is  the  subject  of  which  we  have  spoken  so  much  in  the 
6th  chap,  of  Romans,  and  in  the  1st  and  2nd  chap,  of  this  epistle, 
— the  union  of  Christ  with  His  people — so  that  in  His  death,  they 
are  to  reckon  themselves  dead  with  Him,  and  in  His  resurrection, 
alive  with  Him, — their  sins  all  cancelled — their  penalty  all  paid,  in 
His  death — their  glory  and  their  everlasting  life  secured  in  His 
resurrection  and  identified  with  His  life  ;  they  are  counted  one — 
"  raised  up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus,  that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the 
exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toward  us  by  Christ 
Jesus."  chap.  ii.  6,  7.  For  "  Whe?i  Christ,  u)ho  is  our  life  shcdl 
appear,  then  shall  loe  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Col.  iii.  4. 

And  Oh  !  my  friends,  if  we  are  indeed  "  looking  for  that  blessed 
hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ."  Tit.  ii.  13 — even  here,  with  all  our  blindness,  igno- 
rance, and  self-love  ;  with  all  our  deadness  and  insensibility  to  the 
awful  nature  of  sin,  with  all  our  obstinacy  and  unbelief  as  to  the 
riches  of  the  grace  of  God's  glory.  His  love,   His  attributes,  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  265 

all  the  wonders  of  the  person,  work,  and  character  of  Christ,  even 
here,  when  we  see  by  faith  a  little  of  these  things,  and  are  able  to 
realize  them  at  all,  so  as  to  live  on  them  substantially  by.  faith, — 
what  wonder  do  they  awaken  in  om*  souls !  what  thankfulness  ! 
what  feelings  of  joy  !  We  see  some  persons,  w^ien  they  realize 
these  things,  enabled  to  live  above  the  world  ;  to  "  look,"  in  thie 
language  of  a  beloved  and  sainted  friend,  "  not  as  if  up  from  earth 
to  heaven,  but  as  from  heaven  down  on  earth." 

Seldom  we  see  it,  when  the  old  man,  the  vile  body  of  sin  and 
death  is  strong  and  active ; — but  often  in  death  we  see  the  happi- 
ness of  the  Lord's  servants — their  triumph,  their  glory,  in  treading 
under  foot  the  last  enemy, — so  amazing  sometimes  to  those  who 
behold,  that  they  seem,  as  if  they  were  in  another  world,  almost 
in  possession  of  the  joy  and  glory  Avhich  faith  realizes  to  their 
view.  •'  /  see  the  heavens  opened"  said  Stephen,  "  and  the  iSon 
of  man  standing-  on  the  right  hand  of  God.''''  Acts  vii.  56.  And 
if  it  is  so  here,  what  shall  it  be  when  all  is  past  ?  when  we  shall 
no  longer  "^ee  tlirough  a  glass  darkli/,  but  face  to  face  V  1  Cor. 
xiii.  12. — ^when  we  shall  be  enabled  to  look  back  at  ourselves,  and 
to  see  all  our  sins,  all  om-  vileneness,  ingratitude  and  unbelief — 
and  all  the  way  that  the  Lord  hath  led  us,  through  the  wilderness  ; 
how  untiring,  has  been  His  patience — how  immeasurable  His 
grace — how  inexhaustible  the  resources  of  His  wisdom — how 
unwearied  the  watchfulness  of  His  love — how  unremitting  the 
exercise  of  His  power — how  unchangeable  the  constancy  of  his 
faithfulness, — or,  in  the  one  summary  expression  of  the  Apostle, 
how  UNSEARCHABLE  THE  RICHES  OP  Christ,  as  they  liave  been 
expended,  lavished  on  such  sinners,  in  calling  and  keeping  us, 
and  bringing  us  to  Zion  ! 

Oh  !  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  enter  a  little  more  into — to 
know  more  of  these  wondrous  truths — to  know  them  experimen- 
tally, practically — that  we  may  learn  more  to  be  dead  to  the  world 
— dead  to  the  things  of  time  and  sense — more  to  look  on  them  as 
they  are,  vain,  passing  shadows  ! — more  to  substantialize  by  faith, 
the  great,  approaching  realities  of  eternity ! 

What  a  thought  that  we  may  be  in  a  moment  in  the  midst  of 
it ! — that  we  must  be  so  very  soon — that  all  this  world  shall  be 
to  us  like  clouds  that  have  flown  along  the  face  of  the  sky, — gone, 
— passed, — and  where  are  they  ?  So  shall  all  the  things  of  time  be 
to  us  then ;  we  shall  carry  nothing  with  us  but  the  remembrance 
of  ourselves,  our  sins,  and  the  unsearchable  riches  of  our  Lord's 
grace,  goodness,  and  glory,  all  He  has  been  to  us,  and  done  for  us  ! 

Let  us  pray,  that  we  may  lay  these  things  to  heart,  that  they 
may  be  brought  home  to  us  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power,  then  we  shall  be  more  enabled  "  hy  the  mercies  of  God  to 
present  our  bodies  a  living"  sacrifice  holy  and  acceptable  utito 
God,  which  is  our  reasonable  service,  not  to  be  conformed  to  this 
world,  but  to  be  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  our  m,ind,  that 
we  may  prove  ivhat  is  that  good  and  acceptable  and  perfect  luill 
of  GodP  Rom.  xii.  1,  2. 


TWENTY-FOURTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  hi.— 9,  10,  11. 


"  And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ: 
to  the  inleni  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be 
known  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose 
which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

We  considered  on  the  last  day  some  of  the  blessed  truths  enfolded 
in  those  words,  "  the  iinsearchahle  riches  of  Christ,^^  and  some- 
thing of  "  THE  FELLOWSHIP  OP  THE  MYSTERY  WHICH  FROM  THE 
BEGINNING     OF     THE     WORLD,     HAD     BEEN     HID     IN     GoD,     WHO 

CREATED  ALL  THINGS  BY  Jesus  Christ," — of  that  iiiysterious 
fellowship  which  exists  between  Christ  and  His  Church,  in  that 
they  are  one  body  with  hini,  accounted  one  before  God  in  all  the 
covenant  blessings  of  salvation  which  Jesus  has  purchased,  and 
which  He  has  covenanted  to  all  His  people.  The  Apostle  says, 
that  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  "to  make  all  men    see 

WHAT  IS  THE  FELLOWSHIP  OF  THE  MYSTERY,"  for  tllis  purpOSC, 
"  TO  THE  INTENT,  THAT  NOW  UNTO  THE  PRINCIPALITIES  AND 
POWERS  IN  HEAVENLY  PLACES,  MIGHT  BE  KNOWN  BY  THE 
CHURCH  THE  MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD,  ACCORDING  TO  THE 
ETERNAL  PURPOSE  WHICH   HE   PURPOSED  IN  ChRIST  JeSUS  OUR 

Lord." 

All  created  things,  animate  or  inanimate,  intelligent  beings  or 
things  without  sense,  that  do  not  show  forth  the  glory  of  their 
Creator,  must  fail  of  the  highest  end  of  their  creation.  AH  things 
bespeak  the  glory  of  God,  that  are  really  in  their  true  position. 
"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament 
shoiveth  his  handy -to  or  k ;  day  unto  day  utter  eth  speech,  and 
night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge."  Ps.  xix.  1,  2.  All  God's 
intelligent  creatures  ought  to  glorify  their  God  as  all  inanimate 
creation  does.  Thus  in  any  view  that  is  given  to  us  of  the  beings 
that  smround  the  throne  of  God,  in  any  revelation  given  of  them 
to  us  in  the  Bible,  we  find  that  the  occupation  of  all  the  heavenly 
intelligences,  is  the  praise,  and  glory  of  their  Creator.  So  we  see 
in  Isaiah  vi.  1,  when  the  Prophet  has  a  vision  of  the  Lord  sitting 
on  His  Throne,  when  the  curtain  of  heaven  is  lifted  up,  and  the 
eye  of  the  Seer  is  permitted  to  pierce  through  it,  he  says,  "I saw 
the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train 
filled  the  temple,  above  it  stood  the  seraphim  ;  each  otie  had  six 
wiiigs,  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  ivith  twain  he  covered 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  267 

his  fee.',  andivilh  tira'in  he  dldjly."  '•  With  tivainhe  covered  his 
face  f' — an  old  wiiter  remarks,  as  if  lie  were  ashamed  to  lift  up 
his  eyes, — im worthy  to  stand  in  the  presence  of  God; — '■'with 
twain  he  covered  his  feet, ^^  as  if  he  were  ashamed  of  his  obedience. 
"  And  one  cried  unto  another  and  said,  holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  the  ivhole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory. '^  And  again, 
in  another  vision  which  the  Apostle  John  is  permitted  to  see,  as 
we  have  in  Rev.  iv.,  when  he  was  in  the  spirit  and  beheld  "  a 
throne  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  And  he  that  sat 
was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone ;  and  there 
tvas  a  rainboiv  round  about  the  throne  in  sight  like  unto  an  em- 
erald. And  round  about  the  tlirone  ivere  four  and  twenty  seats, 
and  upon  the  seats  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting  clothed  in  white 
raiment,  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold  ;  and  out 
of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings  and  thunderings  and  vaices 
and  there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  tJie  tlirone, 
which  are  the  Seven  Spirits  of  God.  And  before  the  throne  there 
was  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto  crystal :  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  round  about  the  throne  ivere  four  beasts,  (it  would  be 
better  translated,  four  living  creatures,)  full  of  eyes  before  and 
behind.  And  the  first  creature  iva.^  like  a  lion,  and  the  second 
creature  like  a  calf  and  the  third  creature  had  a  face  as  a  man, 
and  the  fourth,  creature  was  like  a  flying  eagle.  And  the  four 
creatures  had  each  of  them  six  wings  about  him,  and  they  were 
full  of  eyes  within,  and  they  ceased  not  day  nor  night,  saying, 
holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is 
to  come.  And  when  these  living  creatures  give  glory,  and  honor 
and  thanks  to  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  ivho  liveth  forever  and 
ever,  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fall  down  before  him,  that  sat  on 
the  throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  and 
cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying.  Thou  art  ivorthy,  O 
Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power ;  for  thou  hast 
created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were 
created.^^  I  say,  then,  in  every  view  that  is  given  to  us  in  God's 
word  that  shows  us  intelligent  creatui'es  in  His  holy  presence,  we 
see  all  their  intelligence  and  all  their  affections,  and  powers,  con- 
secrated to  the  praise  and  glory  of  their  God  ;  and  surely  it  ought 
to  be  the  position,  and  is  the  duty  of  all  intelligences  that  are 
created,  in  heaven  and  earth  and  under  the  earth. 

But  man,  fallen  man,  that  blot  on  the  face  of  nature,  degraded, 
apostate  man  refuses  to  glorify  his  God  :  he  will  not  glorify  his 
great  Creator,  he  bows  before  the  prince  of  this  world,  Satan. 
Yet,  even  out  of  this  state  of  ruin,  even  out  of  this  abyss  of  degra- 
dation, God  can  raise  up,  and  God  has  raised  up,  and  will  raise  up 
to  all  eternity,  a  church,  a  people  that  shall  glorify  Him ;  and 
thus,  fro]u  the  very  apostacy  of  man,  from  the  very  fall  of  man, 
from  the  very  guilt  and  rebellion  of  intelligent,  rational,  voluntary, 
accountable  agents,  even  through  their  means,  God  shall  show 
forth  His  own  manifold  wisdom,  manifest  His  own  power,  and 
build  His  glory  on  the  very  ruins  of  a  guilty  w^orld, — "  to  the 


268  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIAN3. 

INTENT  THAT  NOW  UNTO  THE  PRINCIPALITIES  AND  POWERS  IN 
HEAVENLY  PLACES  MIGHT  BE  KNOWN  BY  THE  CHURCH  THE 
MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD." 

And  here,  though  it  be  a  subject  which  we  cannot  presume  to 
enter  into  with  any  degree  of  dogmatism,  yet  I  would  humbly  say, 
that  we  can  see,  even  in  this,  a  reason,  why  man  has  been  allowed 
to  fall.     A  great  part  of  the  moral  character  of  Jehovah  must  have 
been  unknown,  unrevealed  to  His  intelligent  creatures,  unless  there 
was  allowed  in  some  part  of  His  dominions,  some  part  of  the  vast 
territory  over  which  He  presides,  unless,  I  say,  there  was  allowed 
a  positive  rebellion  against  His  holy  wnll,  we  could  not  see  the 
nature  of  His  moral  government,  the  glory  of  His  moral  attributes 
unless  His  law  was  violated.     How  could  justice  be  manifested  in 
punishing  sin,  if  there  was  no  sin  to  punish  ? — The  mercy  of  God 
could  not  be  known,  unless  there  was  rebellion. — How  could  mercy 
be  manifested  in  pardoning  rebels,  unless  there  were  rebels  to  par- 
don '/     Take  these  two  attributes,  justice  and  mercy,  which  con- 
stitute the  perfection  of  moral  government,  consider  these  two 
attributes,  and  how  could  they  be  manifested  unless  in  the  sin  of 
rational,  intelligent,  accountable  moral  agents,  as  men  are?     If 
we  add  to  that,  if  we  enter  into  the  subject  of  the  wisdom  of  God, 
^^  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God'^  spoken  of  here,  how  '■'■justice  and 
mercy  can   meet  together,^''  how    '•  righteonsness  and  'peace  can 
kiss  each  other,^^  how  perfect  holiness  that  must  banish  sin  forever 
from  His  presence,  can  yet  admit  the  vilest  sinner  into  that  pres- 
ence, and  only  glorify  holiness  still !     How  justice,  that  sentenced 
the  sinner  to  perdition  forever — that  banished  him  forever  from 
his  Maker's  sight — this  justice  can  take  the  sinner  and  bring  him 
out  of  the  very  depths  of  guilt  and  condemnation,  and  exalt  him 
to  the  throne  of  glory,  while  justice  is  only  magnified  still !     How 
mercy  may  be  extended  to  the  very  chief,  the  vilest  of  sinners,  and 
yet  that  that  mercy  shall  not  infringe  on  that  justice,  while  all 
but  reflect  glory  on  the  Creator  Himself,  and  all  can  centre  in 
"  Christ  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  the  express  image  of  his 
person,^^  one  with  Himself  forever  !     The  subject  is  too  vast  for 
human  intellect  to  attempt  to  expatiate  on  it.     But  short  as  our 
sight  is,  we  can  perceive  in  it,  the  manifold  wisdom  and  wonderful 
glory  of  our  God  : — and  what  shall  it  be,  when  we  shall  "  k7iow 
even  as  we  are  known .'"  1  Cor.  xiii.  12,  when  every  redeemed  in- 
dividual of  those  who  are  of  the  fallen  race  of  man,  shall  be  in 
himself  an  exemplification  of  that  justice  and  mercy,  and  all  the 
glorious  attributes  of  God,  wisdom,  power,  faithfulness,  love,  and 
all  these  attributes  shall  be  glorified  in  their  behalf  who  are  res- 
cued and  brought  from  the  jaws  of  hell  to  heaven.     Oh  how  shall 
God  be  exalted  and  glorified  in  that  day  !     We  see  it  not  now, 
but  yet,  the  principalities  and  powers  even  now  behold  it,  even 

now     to    "the     PRINCIPALITIES,     AND     POWERS     IN    HEAVENLY 

places,  is  known  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  op 
God." 

Here  we   perceive  this  expression,   "  in    heavenly  places" 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  269 

occurring  again,  as  in  Chap.  ii.  6, — and  some  persons  may  considei 
that  it  means  exclusively  the  angels.  We  cannot  reasonably 
doubt  that  it  includes  them ;  no  doubt  it  comprehends  the  hosts 
that  surround  the  throne  of  God,  the  cherubim  and  seraphim, 
those  hosts  of  which  we  were  speaking  this  moment  in  Isaiah  vi. 
We  know  "  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over 
one  sinner  that  repenteth.''''  Luke  xv.  10.  We  know  that  "  these 
things  the  angels  desire  to  look  intoy  1  Pet.  i.  12.  But  it  may 
mean  also  Satan  and  all  his  hosts,  these  may  be  included  in  "  the 

PRINCIPALITIES    AND    POWERS    IN  HEAVENLY    PLACES."       They 

are  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  being  "  in  heavenly  places,"  but 
if  you  consider  the  meaning  of  that  word,  you  will  find,  it  does 
not  mean  what  we  call  in  heaven, — in  the  place  of  happiness  and 
glory  with  God.  It  is  indeed  in  some  places  applied  thus,  but  it 
is  also  applied  to  places,  as  it  were,  over  our  heads,  which  we  call, 
when  we  look  up  to  the  sky,  the  heavens, — that  is  the  firmament 
above  us.  It  is  thus  the  term  is  applied  to  the  "  celestial  bodies J^ 
1  Cor.  XV.  40.  And  Satan  seems  to  have  his  seat,  as  it  were, 
above  us,  over  our  heads,  so  he  is  called,  as  we  have  seen,  in  the 
2nd  chapter  "  the  p?'ince  of  the  poiver  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 
now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience.''^  And  again,  if  you 
look  into  this  Epistle,  vi.  12,  you  see  this  expressly  stated,  "  ive 
wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities, 
against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
against  spiritiial  wickedness  in  high  places,^^  or  "  in  heavenly 
places,^''  it  is  the  same  word  which  is  used  in  both  passages. 
There  you  perceive,  in  the  vi.  chapter,  the  word  is  expressly  lim- 
ited to  Satan  ;  and  when  our  Lord  saith,  Luke  x.  18,  "  /  beheld 
Satan  as  lightning  fall  from  heaven^''  you  do  not  suppose  He 
means  to  say  that  Satan  was  enjoying  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
except  as  he  is  under  his  eye  and  in  his  presence  in  the  territory 
of  apostate  spirits  ;  but  it  means,  fallen  from  his  power  in  heavenly 
places,  he  is  "  the  prince  of  the  pouter  of  the  air,^^  wlxere  he  does 
exercise  his  power  as  it  were  with  a  rapid  ubiquitous  domination 
of  his  agency.  There  is  no  room  from  which  you  can  exclude  the 
air,  and  there  is  no  room  from  which  you  can  shut  out  the  power 
and  agency  of  Satan  ;  you  cannot  go  into  an}'  closet,  where  Satan 
will  not  follow  you.  Hence  the  absurdity  of  the  idea  of  monasteries 
and  nunneries  shutting  out  as  they  pretend,  the  world,  as  if  they 
could  thus  shut  out  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil  from  the  heart. 
It  cannot  be  so,  there  is  no  place  into  which  Satan  has  not  access, 
— -you  know  this,  believer,  you  know  this  from  your  own  sad  expe- 
rience ;  you  go  into  your  closet,  and  you  shut  to  the  door,  and  you 
pray  to  your  Father  in  secret,  but  you  know  full  well  that  you 
cannot  shut  out  the  enemy  of  your  soul,  and  you  cannot  shut  him 
out  of  your  own  heart,  he  has  power  there,  you  know  and  deeply 
feel  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  expression,  "  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air^  I  myself  have  no  doubt  that  the  fallen  angels 
are  included  in  this  passage,  "  to  the  intent  that  now  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might 


270  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

BE  KNOWN  BY  THE    CHURCH,  THE    MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD." 

I  think  it  means  collectively,  to  include  all  intelligent  creatures, 
angelic  and  satanic,  that  all  the  thrones  and  dominions  of  heaven 
shall  know  the  wondrous  wisdom  of  their  Creator  the  wondrous 
glory  of  the  Redeemer ;  and  all  the  powers  of  hell  shall  know 
and  tremble  at  the  majesty  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  who  makes 
even  the  very  sins  of  sinners,  and  the  very  snares  and  temptations 
of  Satan  redound  to  his  own  everlasting  glory. 

You  see  how  often  He  has  met  and  conquered  Satan,  and  made 
many  of  Satan's  snares  redound  to  his  own  glory  in  this  world. 

Thus,  see  how  Satan  ensnared  David,  how  awfully  he  en- 
trapped him  ;  he  thought  when  he  had  allured  David  into  crime, 
that  David  was  his  own.  But  mark,  the  Lord  sent  His  prophet 
with  His  word  to  the  heart  of  David,  and  He  rescued  him  out  of  the 
grasp  of  Satan,  and  David  remains  to  this  day  an  example  to  a  poor, 
fallen,  backsliding  sinner  who  might  be  perhaps  otherwise  hopelessly 
trembling  in  the  fangs  of  Satan,  David  remains  to  him  an  example 
that  ^^  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abonndj'^  Rom.  v. 
20,  and  that  God  will  rescue  a  poor  fallen  sinner,  and  bring  him  back 
to  Himself,  and  enable  Him  to  say,  as  David  did,  -^  Purge  me  with 
hyssop,  and  I  shall  he  clean :  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow.  Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness  that  the  bones 
which  thou  hast  broken  may  rejoice."  Psa.  li.  7,  8.  That  very 
51st  Psalm,  which  David  composed  after  his  fall,  has  been,  and 
ever  shall  be,  a  prayer  of  deep  humiliation,  of  grace,  of  gratitude, 
and  of  blessing,  to  poor  backsliding,  broken-hearted,  fallen,  but  re- 
pentant sinners. 

See,  again,  the  thief  on  the  cross,  how  Satan  was  triumphing 
there,  not  only  when  he  brought  that  poor  wretch  into  thefts, 
made  him  steal,  and  then  left  him  as  he  is  continually  leaving 
those  who  trust  him, — in  the  lurch, — left  him  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  justice,  when  he  was  sentenced  to  death  for  his  crimes  ; 
— no  doubt  Satan  was  triumphing,  rejoicing,  thinking  that  he  had 
gained  another  soul  into  his  grasp,  and  when,  still  further,  he  got 
him  to  blaspheme  the  name  of  the  only  Hope  and  Refuge  of  sin- 
ners, Christ  Jesus  ;  how  Satan  was  rejoicing  when  he  was  joining 
his  fellow-thief,  and  when  he  heard  the  two  thieves  blaspheming 
Christ,  as  well  as  the  multitude  before  him,  how  Satan  must  have 
triumphed  then  !  But  mark,  how  divine  grace  touched  the  heart  of 
that  poor  thief,  even  when  in  the  moment  he  hung  on  the  cross 
in  the  agonies  of  death,  grace  enhghtened  his  eyes,  and  enabled 
him  to  see  that  Christ  was  the  King  of  glory, — that,  though  hang- 
ing on  that  cross  as  a  malefactor.  He  was  "  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords,"  and  the  certainty  of  Christ's  kingdom  was  brought 
to  the  eye  of  that  thief  by  faith,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  he  said, 
"  Lord  remember  me  when  thou  comcst  into  thy  kingdomP  See 
how,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  wickedness,  the  blasphemy  of  that 
poor  man,  he  was  brought  to  see  the  Lord.  See  how  all  Satan's 
rage  was  over-ruled  in  that  instance,  and  how  it  has  been  made  a 
glorious  exhibition,  by  God's  grace,  of  love  and  mercy  to  many 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  271 

a  sinner  to  this  day.  Thus,  from  this  example,  we  may  go  to  the 
den  of  the  vilest  wretch — grovelling  in  the  lowest  and  darkest  abyss 
of  human  wickedness,  we  may  tell  him  in  the  depths  of  his  in- 
iquity to  turn  like  the  dying  robber  to  a  dying  Saviour — we  may 
tell  him  there  is  salvation  in  Christ,  even  while  trembling  as  it 
were  on  the  very  jaws  of  hell — we  can  proclaim  to  him  that  "  all 
sins  shall  be  forgiven  unto  the  sons  of  men,  and  blasphemies 
wherewith  soever  they  shall  blasphemeP  Mark  iii.  38.  We  can 
encourage  and  exhort  him  to  "  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel.'' 

Again,  how  Satan  must  have  triumphed  when  lie  had  led  Judas 
to  betray  his  Master !  how  he  nuist  have  rejoiced  when,  entering 
into  his  own  son,  John  xiii.  27,  "  the  son  of  perditio7i,^^  John  xvii. 
12 — he  instigated  him  to  betray  his  Lord — when  he  had  prompted 
him  to  lead  a  band  of  oificers  into  the  garden  to  take  Christ !  liow 
he  must  have  triumphed  when  he  had  led  that  unhappy  traitor  to 
betray  Him  too  with  a  kiss !  just  as  at  this  moment  his  servants  use 
the  words  charity  and  peace  for  the  very  purpose  of  betraying  the 
truth,  the  salvation,  and  the  cause  of  Christ.  When  we  speak 
a  word  in  defence  of  the  glorious  Gospel,  against  Popery,  Arianism, 
Socinianism,  or  any  anti-Christian  system  that  prevails  in  any 
part  of  the  world, — -"  It  is  want  of  charity — it  is  illiberal  to  find 
fault  with  the  religion  or  principles  of  any  other  body  of  Chris- 
tians." Such  is  the  common  cant—"  Every  man  has  a  right  to 
think  and  w^orship  God  as  he  pleases,  and  we  have  no  right  to  say 
a  word  on  the  subject."  Here  is  Judas's  kiss  of  charity,  and  as 
Satan  triumphed  when  he  had  inspired  Judas  to  kiss  his  Master  ! 
so  he  triumphs  this  day  w^hen  under  the  cloak  of  charity,  liberality, 
and  peace,  he  covers  the  most  awful  blasphemies  and  apostacy, 
and  the  most  wicked  attacks  on  Christ  and  His  kingdom. 

But  mark  how  Satan's  wrath  was  overruled.  He  instigated 
Judas  to  betray  the  Lord  Jesus — the  high  priest  to  condemn — the 
mob  to  denounce — and  Pilate  to  put  him  to  death, — he  filled  the 
hearts  of  the  multitude  when  they  cried,  "  Away  with  him,  away 
with  him,  crucify  him,  crucify  him,,^^ — the  rage  of  the  fiend,  all 
his  malice,  and  all  his  power,  were  concentrated,  as  it  were,  on 
the  head  of  the  suffering  Redeemer.  But  mark  how  God  ovei  • 
ruled  them  all !  These  were  the  very  means  of  Satan's  over- 
throw, and  of  our  salvation.  All  that  the  fiend  could  do,  served 
but  to  promote  by  his  very  malice  the  glory — and  to  make  known 
by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  For  "  Foras?mich 
as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  him,self 
Ukeivise  took  part  of  the  same,  that  through  death  he  might  de- 
stroy him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil,  and  de- 
liver them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime 
subject  to  bondage.^^  Heb.  ii.  4, — He  caught  Satan  in  his  own 
snare ;  "  ^Surely  the  tvrath^'  of  devils  as  well  as  "  of  man  shall 
praise  thee :  the  remainder  of  wrath  shalt  thou  restraint  Psa. 
Ixxvi.  10. 

And  thus  is  "made  known  by  the  church  the  manifold 
WISDOM  OF  God" — by  the  Head  and  the  members.     By  the  man- 


272  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ifestation  of  Christ's  love  and  power  in  the  salvation  of  every  sin- 
ner— by  the  individual  exercises  of  His  grace — the  individual 
application  of  His  precious  blood — His  spotless  righteousness — 
by  His  faithfulness — by  the  infusion  of  His  strength  into  every 
member  of  the  whole  body — by  all  the  deliverances  that  are 
wrought  for  them — all  the  snares  that  are  broken — all  the  temp- 
tations from  which  they  are  rescued — all  the  precipices  from  which 
they  are  held  back — all  the  abysses  of  sin  and  sorrow  out  of  which 
they  are  raised — all  the  whole  chain  of  providences  by  which  they 
are  surrounded.  I  say,  by  every  one  of  these  things,  Satan  is 
made  to  see,  and  to  feel  "  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God  ;"  and 
he  is  made  to  feel  that  all  his  power,  all  his  efforts  are  nothing 
when  he  strives  in  vain  to  pluck  the  sheep  of  Christ  out  of  His 
hand.  The  howling  of  the  wolf  but  makes  the  sheep  run  together 
into  the  fold. 

How  was  he  triumphing,  when  he  was  filling  Saul's  mouth  with 
blasphemy  and  rebellion  against  God  !  when  under  his  inspira- 
tion, as  it  were,  Saul  was  "  hreathing  out  threatnings  and 
HaugJUcr  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,'''  Acts  ix.  1 — along 
the  way  from  Jerusalem  to  Damascus,  going  to  drag  the  saints  to 
prison.  The  procession  of  Saul  and  his  companions  was  an  ova- 
tion for  Satan.  But  what  was  the  issue  ?  That  very  man  was 
stopped  on  his  journey,  arrested  in  the  middle  of  his  career,  not 
only  to  be  the  most  eminent  chosen  instrument  to  overthrow  the 
powers  of  darkness — but  the  very  blasphemies  and  persecutions  in 
which  Satan  chiefly  rejoiced,  became  a  beacon  of  the  light  and 
glory  of  the  Gospel — of  the  power~-of  the  wisdom — of  the  grace  of 
God  to  the  vilest  sinners  that  should  ever  exist  in  the  world.  "  / 
obtained  mercy, ^''  saith  Paul,  ^-tliat  in  7ne  first  Jesus  Christ  might 
shoio  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which  should 
hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlastingP  1st  Tim.  i.  16.  So 
that  out  of  the  depths  of  sin  we  may  turn  to  the  example  of  Saul, 
and  say — "  Grace  pardoned  the  blaspheming  Saul,  Christ  rescued 
Saul,  '  breathing  out  threatnings  and  slaughter^  "  "  Christ  is  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever,"  and  I  may  look  to  Christ  as 
well  as  Saul  did."  This  is  all  that  Satan  gained  by  inspiring 
Saul  with  this  blasphemy  and  wickedness.  The  Lord  Jesus  took 
that  very  man  to  be  his  most  honored  servant — to  ^^  preach  the 
faith  he  once  destroyed  f^  and  this  is  the  man  wdio  is  now  telling 
the  Church  at  Ephesus,  that  to  hijn  "i*  this  grace  give?/,  that  he 
should  preach  among  the    Gentiles  the  utisearchable  riches  of 

Christ,  AND  TO  MAKE   ALL  MEN  SEE  WHAT   IS  THE  FELLOWSHIP 

of  the  mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  had  been  hid  in  god,  who  created  all  things  by 
Jesus  Christ,  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  princi- 
palities AND  POWERS  in  HEAVENLY  PLACES,  MIGHT  BE 
KNOWN  BY  THE  CHURCH  THE  MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF    GoD." 

The  Apostle  saith  in  another  place  "  We  are  made  a  spectacle 
unto  the  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  meny  1st  Cor.  iv.  9.  If 
then  the  Church  is  a  spectacle  to  angels,  celestial  and  satanic, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  273 

most  assuredly  to  these  angels,  these  prmcipalities  and  powers,  is 
"made  known  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  op 
God." 

All — all  who  shall  be  brought  to  glory  hereafter,  shall  be  seen  as 
monuments,  individually  and  collectively,  monuments  of  "the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God." 

Look  back  at  your  life,  believer,  look  back  at  your  own  experi- 
ence of  your  whole  course.  Could  you  not  recount  many  sins, 
many  evils  into  which  you  had  fallen,  many  pitfalls — many 
snares — many  temptations — many  afflictions  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral— out  of  which  you  have  been  kept  and  brought  by  the 
grace  and  by  "  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God?"  What  stories 
I  could  tell  of  my  own  sinful  heart !  what  grace — what  mercy — 
what  patience — what  long-suffering,  have  I  not  experienced  at  the 
hand  of  a  compassionate  and  merciful  Lord  !  And  I  suppose  you 
could  say  the  same  for  yourselves,  who  is  there  who  is  really 
looking  to  Christ  who  cannot  say  it?  Think  of  your  rebellions 
since  you  were  a  believer  in  Christ,  think  of  your  sins  against 
light  and  knowledge — of  the  waywardness  of  your  will — the  vile- 
ness  of  your  heart — the  wandering  of  your  affections  from  your 
Lord — the  blindness  of  your  understanding — think  of  all  the  evils 
you  feel  and  know  in  yourselves,  and  yet  see,  there  you  are,  hear- 
ing the  sound  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  if  you  are 
taught  of  God,  saying  to  yourself,  "  Oh  !  merciful  Jesus,  Oh  !  my 
precious  Lord,  if  it  were  not  for  Thee,  if  Thou  wert  not  the  very 
Saviour  that  Thou  art,  I  should  be,  as  I  deserve,  in  hell !  But 
here  I  am,  blessed  be  Thy  Name,  hearing  Thy  gracious  voice  in 
Thy  glorious  Gospel.  The  volume  of  Thy  grace  is  open  before 
me.  Thy  faithfulness,  Thy  truth.  Thy  righteousness,  Thy  pre- 
cious blood,  Thy  love.  Thy  compassion.  Thy  long-suffering,  are 
all  developed  before  me  in  Thy  blessed  Word,  and  here  I  am, 
"  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation^  1st 
Pet.  i.  5.  Often,  often  as  it  seemed  to  me  ready  to  perish — to  be 
plucked  out  of  thine  hand,  still  thou  sayest,  "wo?ie  shall  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hand."  John  x.  28 — still  Thou  keepest  me,  Thou 
teachest  me  to  lift  up  my  prayer,  to  look  unto  Thee  my  Lord  as 
the  Hope,  the  Refuge,  the  Salvation  of  my  soul !" 

What  is  this  but  exhibiting  in  you,  as  one  member  of  the 
Church, '-the  manifold  wisdom  of  God?"  Does  not  Satan 
learn  it,  when  he  retreats  like  a  baffled  foe  from  all  his  attempts 
to  destroy  you  ?  When  he  sees  you  are  kept  from  his  power  safe 
in  the  protecting  grasp  of  an  Almighty  hand  ?  When  after  all 
the  thorns  in  the  flesh  that  he  sends  as  messengers  to  buffet  you, 
he  hears  your  Saviour  say,  "  My  grace  is  s^ifficient  for  thee  ?" 
2nd  Cor.  xii.  9.  When  he  sees  you  are  enabled  to  catch  all  his 
fiery  darts  upon  the  shield  of  faith,  from  which  they  rebound  and 
fall  before  you  quenched  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb — Does  he  not 
see  you  on  his  throne  of  darkness,  where  he  sits  as  "  Prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,^^  a  prominent  example  of  "  the  manifold  wis- 
dom of  God  ?" 


274  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Do  not  the  angels  of  light  behold  you,  as  they  are  led  from 
wonder  to  wonder  in  the  manifestation  of  Redeeming  love — as  they 
are  ^'-  sent  forth  to  minister  ^^  to  you  as  an  heir  of  salvation — ^you 
know  not  how  indeed,  but  is  it  not  written  that  they  are  so? 
Heb.  i.  14 — Is  it  not  written,  too,  "  The  angel  of  the  Lord  en- 
canipeth  round  about  them  that  fear  hitn,  and  deliver  eth  them  7''^ 
Psalm  xxxiv.  7. — ^And  if  the  Lord  were  to  open  your  eyes  as  he 
opened  those  of  the  Prophet's  servant,  how  often  might  you  see, 
like  him,  "  the  mountains  full  of  horses  and  chariots  offre,^^  2nd 
Kings  vi.  17 — round  about  you  and  the  church  of  Christ.  What 
visions  of  unimagined  existences  are  given  to  a  blind  man  if  it 
pleases  God  to  grant  him  sight !  and  what  might  not  eyes  to  see 
spiritual  l)eings  disclose  to  our  astonished  view  ?  But  there  are 
the  angels  of  God  looking  on  you — "  a  cloud  of  loitnesses  "  sur- 
rounding you — devils  watching  you — trying  to  draw  you  away — 
but  greater  is  He  who  is  for  you  than  they  who  are  against  you. 
And  then  at  the  last,  when  shall  be  revealed  all  the  righteous 
judgments  of  God,  all  the  amazing  developments  of  His  glorious 
deahngs  with  His  church.  Oh  !  what  shouts  shall  rend  the  skies, 
when  all  the  church  shall  be  exhibited  as  manifesting  the  mani- 
ifold  wisdom  and  love  of  the  Lord  !  the  very  cries  of  the  damned 
shall  resound  to  the  glory  of  the  eternal  justice  of  the  living  God  ! 
There  is  not  a  devil  or  a  fiend  in  hell,  or  an  angel  or  saint  in 
heaven,  whose  cry  or  whose  song  shall  not  resound  to  the  glory  of 
God — to  the  God  of  justice,  who  condemned,  or  to  the  God  of  love 
and  mercy,  who  has  kept  the  elect  angels,  and  redeemed  fallen 
sinners;  while  "to  the  principalities  and  powers,"  to 
angels,  men  and  devils,  "  shall  be  known  by  the  church 
THE  MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD." — Tlius  shall  it  be  openly 
known  to  all  "  when  he  shall  come  to  he  glorified  in  his  saints, 
and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believeP     2nd  Thess.  i.  10. 

"According  to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he  pur- 
posed IN  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  There  is  nothing  for- 
tuitous, no  chance,  no  accident,  in  God's  dealings.  "  Knomi  unto 
God  are  all  his  works  from  the  heginning  of  the  world,^  Acts 
XV.  18, — yea,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  None  of  God's 
remedies  for  sin  are  accidental,  such  as  a  physician  prescribes  on 
the  contingent  emergencies  that  spring  up  before  him.  God's 
remedies  are  not  like  these — Omniscience  cannot  feel  succession  of 
knowledge.  Succession  implies  imperfection,  and  cannot  exist  in 
the  Eternal  mind — from  eternity  to  eternity  He  is  the  First  and 
the  Last,  so  all  things  relating  to  His  Church  are  "according  to 

THE  eternal  purpose  WHICH  HE  PURPOSED  IN  ChRIST  JeSUS." 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  again  on  the  subject,  which  has  been 
before  so  largely  discussed,  of  the  consistency  of  the  voluntary 
agency  of  man,  as  a  responsible  being,  with  the  overruling  power 
of  God,  which  makes  that  agency  subservient  to  His  own  eternal 
purposes.  It  could  not  be  more  perfectly  illustrated,  than  in  the 
inspired  testimony  of  the  very  stupendous  fact,  which  is  here  pre- 
sented to  us,  the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord  and  its  glorious  results. 


n% 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  275 

If  we  speak  of  the  purposes  of  God.  Then  Jesus  was  ^''the 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  worlds  Rev.  xiii.  8.  If 
we  speak  of  this  in  connection  with  the  perpetrators  of  His  death  ; 
then  this  is  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  *'  Him  being  deliv- 
ered by  the  determinate  connsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  ye 
have  taken  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain.''' 
Acts  ii.  23, 

It  is  impossible  that  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  could  be  more 
distinctly  expressed,  and  the  wickedness  of  the  voluntary  agents 
who  executed  it,  more  clearly  and  emphatically  denounced.  It 
was  thus  that  all  its  cruelty  and  all  its  crime,  were  overruled  by 
God  for  good ;  but  as  yet  the  development  is  only  partially  un- 
folded ;  for  the  full  intent  is  not  as  yet  accomplished,  by  the  proc- 
lamation of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  to  the  nations  of  a 
guilty  world.  "To  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellow- 
ship OF  the  mystery,  which  from  the  Beginning  of  the 

WORLD  hath    been    HID  IN    GoD,  WHO    CREATED    ALL    THINGS 

BY  Jesus    Christ  :    to  the   intent  that    now  unto   the 

PRINCIPALITIES  AND  POWERS  IN  HEAVENLY  PLACES  MIGHT 
BE  KNOWN  BY  THE  CHURCH  THE  MANIFOLD  WISDOM  OF  GoD, 
ACCORDING     TO    THE    ETERNAL    PURPOSE    WHICH    HE  PURPOSED 

IN  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

The  Lord  Jesus  was  the  agent  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  as 
we  see  here  and  in  numberless  passages  of  Scripture,  as  John 
i.  3,  Col.  i.  16,  17,  Heb.  i.  2.  And  He  is  the  glorious  "  Word,''  in 
whom  is  revealed,  and  exhibited,  the  end  and  object  of  its  creation. 
As  "  the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firm,am,ent 
showeth  his  handy-workP  So  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  in  the 
firmament  of  His  church,  shall  declare  the  fulness  of  the  glory  of 
all  His  moral  attributes  to  all  the  principalities  and  powers,  as  all 
the  system  is  attracted,  supported,  illuminated,  and  animated  by 
His  life.  His  light.  His  power,  and  His  love. 

But  when  we  know  our  own  character,  and  the  character  of 
our  foes — -when  we  have  a  real  Scriptural  view  of  our  own  corrup- 
tion— of  the  power  of  sin — ^and  the  malice  of  Satan — we  never 
can  rest  on  any  promise  as  immutable,  or  any  hope  as  secure,  till 
we  know  that  all  things  relating  to  His  church  are  founded  on  the 
eternal  purpose  of  God.  And  it  is  a  blessing  to  think  that  we 
have  a  God  whose  purposes  are  unchangeable ;  that,  in  a  change- 
able world,  such  changeable  creatures  as  we  are,  have  an  un- 
changeable God  to  rest  on  as  our  salvation.  What  a  blessing  it 
is  to  liave  a  hope,  that  in  those  "  imnmtable  things  in  which  it  is' 
impossible  for  God  to  lie,  %ve  might  have  a  strong  consolation, 
who  have  fied  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  npon  the  hope  set  before  us  : 
which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  stead- 
fast" Heb.  vi.  18,  19.  What  has  a  sinner  to  rest  on  in  this 
world,  till  he  learns  to  rest  on  Christ  ?  What  can  this  world  give  ? 
See  how  God  sends  us  continually  lessons  to  teach  us  the  vanity 
of  all  below.  We  have  been  praying,  and  I  do  hope  have  prayed 
from  our  hearts,  for  those  whom  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  visit 


276  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

with  heavy  affliction.  Alas  for  beauty,  rank,  wealth  !  what  are 
they  all  ?  We  see  the  young,  with  all  their  ardent  inexperienced 
hearts  fixed  with  eager  hope  of  anticipated  enjoyment  on  the 
world.  The  phantom  form  of  happiness  seems  to  rest  like  the 
gorgeous  image  of  the  rainbow  on  the  earth,  but  still,  like  it, 
retreats  from  the  pursuit  of  their  eager  footsteps.  We  have  seen 
one  possessed  of  rank,  of  youth,  and  health,  and  beauty,  of  every- 
thing that  could  be  desired — that  earth  could  give — to  make  her 
happy.  We  have  seen  in  a  moment,  how  God  can  teach  a  solemn 
lesson  to  an  extensive  neighborhood — can  place  the  form  of  youth, 
and  rank,  and  beauty,  on  a  yawning  tomb — to  speak  this  solemn 
text  to  all  around,  as  she  sinks  into  its  cold  embrace — "  All  flesh 
is  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as  the  flower  of  grass  ;  the 
grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  awayP  But  Oh  ! 
what  a  blessing  for  sufferer  and  survivors,  when  her  dying  accents 
too  can  speak  the  rest,  "  hut  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for- 
ever.''    1st  Pet.  i.  24,  25. 

What  a  blessing  that  she  was  able  to  know,  through  grace,  the 
Lord  on  whom  to  lean !  and  that  she  was  able,  through  grace,  to 
lean  upon  her  Lord.* 

Now,  ye  parents  who  are  looking  with  anxiety  for  what  you 
call  the  settlement  of  your  children  in  this  world, — and  who  per- 
haps live,  and  leave  them  to  live,  without  thinking  of  the  settle- 
ment of  their  eternal  peace — without  laying  to  heart  a  thought  for 
their  "  inheritance  with  the  saints  in  lightP  Alas  !  if  you  saw 
your  children  cut  off  before  your  eyes — cut  off  without  a  hope  in 
Christ,  and  remembered,  that  you  had  ever  been  more  anxious 
about  "  what  they  should  eat,  and  what  they  should  drink,  and 
wherewithal  they  should  he  clothed,''  and  educated,  and  accom- 
plished, for  this  w^orld, — ^than  in  thinking  how  their  souls  might  be 
nourished  with  the  "  Bread  of  life,"  or  with  the  "  Living  water," 
— how  they  might  be  washed  in  the  blood,  and  clothed  in  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Oh  !  think  what  pangs  of  conscience,  if 
your  conscience  was  not  dead  in  sin,  would  wring  your  hearts  in 
such  a  case  as  this  ! 

And  you  young  friends  who  hear,— Consider  what  is  the  world 
to  you  if  you  know  not  Christ  ?  You  may  think  you  would  have 
been  happy  if  your  lot  was  cast  as  hers  was  : — yet  had  she  pos- 
sessed a  thousand  worlds,  what  were  they  all  compared  with  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  ?  If  she  had  not  known  Christ,  what  would 
they  be  all  to  her  now  ? — when  her  youthful  brilliant  eye  is  closed 
on  all  below  ;  her  young  and  warm  heart  is  become  "  a  clod  of  the 
valley !" 

Oh !  consider  these  things,— pray  that  God  my  incline  your 
hearts  to  His  truth,  and  your  footsteps  to  His  ways.  These  warn- 
ings are  not  sent,  to  be  spoken  of,  as  an  event  of  the  passing  day, 
and  then  forgotten  ;  but  as  solemn  lessons,  each  speaking  with  a 
voice  that  bears  hfe  or  death  in  the  sound,  "  Ye  know  not  what 

*  Lady  E.  S.  had  just  entered  into  her  rest,  in  the  earLy  l)loom  of  life,  1837. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  277 

shall  he  on  the  morrow.  For  what  is  your  life  7  It  is  even  a 
vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and  then  vanisheth  awayJ^ 
James  iv.  14.  "  Thefore  he  ye  also  ready :  for  in  such  an  hour 
as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  com^thP     Mat  xxiv.  44. 


TWENTY- FIFTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III. — 12. 
"  In  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence,  by  the  faith  of  him." 

Having  seen  in  an  imperfect  sketch — Alas !  how  imperfect  is  the 
best  that  man  could  draw  ! — ■'•'■  That  now  unto  the  principalities 
and  poipers  in  heavenly  places  is  tnade  known  hy  the  church  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God,  according  to  the  eternal  jnirpose  which 
he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord," — we  may  observe  how 
the  Apostle  applies  to  himself  and  to  all  believers  the  blessings 
that  belong  to  the  Church — that  they  were  individually  partakers 
of  these,  individually  possess,  and  have  a  right  to  enjoy  the  access 
to  God,  which  is  inspired  by  the  confidence  of  reconciliation  through 
Christ  Jesus.     "In  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with 

CONFIDENCE  BY  THE  FAITH  OF  HIM." 

We  see,  the  Apostle  here  speaks  of  blessings  common  to  all  be- 
lievers, present  blessings, — "  In  whom  we  have  boldness." 
All  who  believe  the  Gospel  have  these  present  blessings,  too  happy 
if  they  but  knew  and  enjoyed  them  as  they  ought.*  And  what 
are  these  blessings  ?  Access  to  God — boldness  in  access — confi- 
dence in  access — by  the  faith  of  Christ  Jesus. 

This  is  a  most  important  point  for  us  to  consider— the  individual 
application  of  these  blessings  to  our  own  souls.  It  is  nothing  to 
us  to  hear,  that  there  are  blessings  belonging  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  if  we  do  not  partake  of  them  ourselves.  It  is  nothing  to 
us  to  hear,  that  sinners  may  have  access  to  God  by  Christ  Jesus, 
if  we  do  not  come  to  God.  It  is  nothing  to  us  to  hear  that  they 
may  come  with  boldness — with  confidence, — if  we  do  not  come 
with  boldness  and  confidence.  One  great  glory  of  the  Gospel  is, 
that  it  is  a  blessing  individually  to  the  souls  of  all  sinners,  who 
through  grace  are  taught  to  look  unto  Christ.  Therefore  now,  let 
us  consider  this  blessing. 

We  have  had  this  subject  before,  in  the  18th  verse  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  and  on  that  occasion  we  referred  to  this  verse. 
There  it  is  written,  "  through  him  we  both  have  access  hy  one 

*  "O  !  fortunati  nimium  sua  si  bona  norint." 


278  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Spirit  unto  the  Father"  and  here  again,  "  in  whom  we  have 

BOLDNESS  AND    ACCESS    WITH    COnPIDENCE    BY    THE    FAITH    OF 
HIM." 

I  have  remarked  to  you  frequently  before,  and  we  cannot  too 
often  consider  it,  that  when  God  is  pleased  to  bring  before  us 
truths  repeatedly  in  His  holy  Word,  He  brings  them  before  us, 
that  we  may  study  them  with  reiterated  attention.  Recollect,  it 
is  children  who  have  "access  with  confidence"  to  their  Fa 
ther,  and  it  is  only  as  children  of  God  that  we  can  have  this 
access.  Then  if  so — we  must  come  in  the  spirit  of  children.  Re- 
member it  is  written.  "  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of 
God  as  a  little  child  shall  in  no  loise  enter  therein ^  Luke  xviii.  17. 
It  is  those  whom  God  instructs — and  children  must  have  children's 
lessons.  How  beautifully  is  this  set  forth  by  the  Prophet  thus — 
"  Whotn  shall  he  teach  hiowledg'e,  or  wlioni  shall  he  make  to  un- 
derstand doctrine  1  Them  that  are  weaned  from  tlie  milk,  and 
drawn,  from  the  breasts.  For  precept  tnust  he  upon  precept, 
precept  upon  precept,  line  upon  line,  line  tipon  line,  here  a  little 
and  there  a  little.''''  Isa.  xxviii.  9,  10.  How  this  too,  accords  with 
the  words  of  our  blessed  Lord,  "  Thou  hast  hid  these  thing's  from 
the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babesJ^  Luke  x. 
21.  How  often  as  children  have  we  repeated  our  lessons  over,  and 
over,  and  over,  to  learn  them  by  heart !  All  the  lessons  of  our 
Heavenly  Father  require  to  be  learned  by  heart  by  His  children, 
and  therefore  must  be  repeatedly  impressed  on  the  memory.  A 
master  on  the  subject  says,  that  Attention — Repetition — Pleasure 
— and  Pain,  are  the  chief  means  of  producing  impressions  on  the 
memory.  All  these  are  more  or  less  employed  by  our  Heavenly 
Teacher,  and  we  should  learn  to  profit  by  them  all.  He  opens 
our  heart  like  that  of  Lydia  to  attend — He  employs,  as  we  see 
here,  continual  repetitions  of  His  instructions — He  cheers  our 
hearts,  as  he  seeth  fit,  by  the  refreshing  consolations  of  the  Gospel 
— and  inflicts  on  us,  "  if  need  ie,"  in  love,  the  chastenings  of 
His  rod. 

Thus,  when  the  Lord  repeats  instruction  to  us  again  and  again, 
we  are  not  to  say — ■"  We  have  met  this  verse  or  this  subject  before, 
and  we  may  pass  on  to  another."  No,  God  brings  it  before  us 
again  and  again,  to  show  that  we  are  particularl}^  called  on  to  at- 
tend to  it ;  for  when  he  is  graciously  pleased  to  instruct  us  so  fre- 
quently, it  is  because  it  is  His  holy  will  that  we  should  give  our 
earnest  repeated  attention  to  it,  and  therefore  He  reiterates  in- 
struction in  His  blessed  Word. 

Let  us  then  again  consider  this  subject.  Believers  have  access 
— yea,  "  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  by  the 
FAITH  OF  Christ."  They  have  boldness.  We  may  observe 
how  totally  opposite  is  this,  to  the  view  which  the  natural  mind 
takes  of  God,  and  the  feeling  it  entertains  in  reference  to  Him.  If 
there  be  one  object  of  terror  more  than  another  to  a  fallen  sinner, 
that  object  is  God.  Adam  had  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  commun- 
ion with  Him,  when  he  came  forth  fresh  moulded  from  his  Cre- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  279 

ator's  mighty  hand,  when  "  God  saw  everything  that  he  had 
made,  and  behold  it  was  very  goodP  Gen.  i.  31.  But  when 
Adam's  conscience  told  Mm  he  was  a  sinner,  that  communion 
was  gone — and  as  far  as  human  power  could  redeem  it,  it  was 
gone  forever.  He  fled  with  a  blinded  understanding  and  an  alien- 
ated heart,  among  the  trees  of  the  garden,  and  when  the  voice  of 
God  summoned  him  from  his  vain  retreat— he  exhibited  the  fall 
of  his  intellect,  as  well  as  the  conscious  sin  of  his  soul,  he  said, 
"  I  heard  thy  voice  in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid  because  I 
was  naked,  and  I  hid  myself.''^  Gen.  iii.  10.  Now  though  we  do 
not  hear  God's  voice,  we  are  afraid  of  God  for  the  very  same  cause. 
Sin  is  on  the  conscience,  and  sin  on  the  conscience,  brings  into 
the  heart  the  terror  of  an  All-seeing  and  an  Almighty  Judge. 
Therefore  when  a  sinner  has  any  boldness  whatever  in  approach- 
ing to  God— when  he  can  approach  his  Maker  with  any  degree 
of  confidence  in  his  heart — it  can  only  arise  from  this,  that  he  has 
a  confident  expectation  and  security,  that  sin,  which  separated  him 
from  his  God — sin — which  lay  with  terror  upon  his  conscience,  is 
removed  from  him — -that  his  conscience  is  now  clear,  and  thus  be- 
ing clear  of  sin,  he  can  confidently  approach  his  Judge,  his  Cre- 
ator, his  God. 

This  is  the  reason  why  those  persons  who  are  ignorant  of  the 
Gospel,  and  who  are  seeking  for  justification  by  their  own  right- 
eousness— by  Sacraments — Priests — penances — fastings — alms — 
any  moral  or  superstitious  observances,  never  can  approach  to 
God  with  confidence  ;  or  if  they  think  they  can,  it  is  a  delusion — 
they  cannot  maintain  it  by  the  authority  of  His  divine  Word  ;  and 
therefore  they  generally  consider  that  the  very  mention  of  confi- 
dence, or  assurance  in  the  believer's  mind,  is  the  grossest  possible 
presumption,  because  it  is  a  thing  so  entirely  opposite  to  all  their 
own  feelings  and  experience.  For  when  persons  imagine,  that, 
by  their  own  righteousness,  or  any  of  the  means  I  have  mentioned, 
they  are  to  fit  themselves  to  approach  to  the  presence  of  God — 
their  conscience  b^ars  witness  against  them  that  they  have  not 
this  righteousness,  on  which  they  think  they  must  depend ;  so 
they  never  can  have  confidence  in  approaching  to  God,  because 
they  never  can  feel  that  sin  is  removed  from  their  conscience,  they 
never  can  believe  they  are  clear  from  sin  in  his  sight.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  the  privilege  of  a  believer  to  know  that  he  is  clear 
from  sin  before  God — perfectly  clear  from  sin.  "  What !"  you 
may  say,  "  Is  not  that  gross  presumption  ?  Is  it  not  great  audac- 
ity in  any  sinner  to  say,  he  is  clear  from  sin  ?"  The  question 
demonstrates,  that  the  person  who  asks  it  is  ignorant  of  the  means 
whereby  a  sinner  is  to  be  delivered  from  sin.     Consider  this. 

It  is  manifest,  he  thinks,  that  the  way  in  which  a  sinner  is  to 
be  cleared  from  sin,  is,  that  he  is  not  to  have  any  sin,  in  other 
words,  to  be  no  longer  a  sinner.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  sin- 
ner being  cleared  from  sin  before  God,  in  that  sense,  "  If  we  say 
that  we  have  no  sin,  ice  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
lis."  1st  John  i.  8.     Then,  the  question  is,  how  can  we  have  sin, 


280  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  yet  be  clear  from  sin  ?  how  can  we  be  sinners,  and  yet  be  free 
from  our  sins  ?  How  can  this  be  ?  Because,  sin  is  taken  away, 
not  by  its  non-existence  in  the  sinner — but  by  its  non-imputation 
to  the  sinner.  It  is  not  that  he  is  clear  from  sin  by  not  having 
sin— but  it  is,  that  he  is  clear  from  sin,  by  not  having  sin  laid  to 
his  charge — "  Even  as  David  also  descriheth  the  blessedness  of 
the  man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  ivorks^ 
saying.)  blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose 
sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not 
im,pute  sinP  Rom.  iv.  6,  7,  8. 

The  privilege  of  the  believer  is  to  know,  that  his  sin  is  thus 
taken  away — not  imputed  to  him.  Why  1  because  it  was  imputed 
to  Christ, — laid  on  Christ, — taken  off  the  sinner  and  laid  on  his 
Redeemer.  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  aW 
Is.  liii.  6.  Now,  if  the  sinner  is  brought  through  grace,  to  see  and 
know  this  glorious  truth,  "^o  believe  the  record  that  God  hath 
given  of  his  Son"  1  John  v.  10,  then  he  is  free  from  sin,  then  he 
says,  my  conscience  now  is  delivered  from  its  guilt,  because,  I  see 
from  God's  eternal  Word,  that  my  blessed  Redeemer,  "  bare  our 
sins  in  his  oionbody  on  the  tree,"  1  Pet.  ii.  24;  that  "Ae  hath  once 
suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  tmjust,  that  he  tnight  bring  us 
to  God."  1  Pet.  iii.  18.  This  is  the  truth  on  which  we  have 
been  dwelling  so  repeatedly,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  "  Now  in 
Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  sometime  ivere  afar  off,  are  made  nigh  by 
the  blood  of  Christ;"  Ephes.  ii.  13.  Thus  we  come  near  to  God 
— for  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth  us  frotn  all 
sin."  1  John  i.  7.  Then,  if  we  are  cleansed  from  all  sin,  of  course, 
we  can  have  no  sin  remaining ;  when  sin  is  taken  away,  sin  can- 
not remain  ;  so  that,  though  sin  exists  in  the  believer, — though  he 
feels  it  in  himself, — ^though  he  knows  it,  and  mourns  over  it  bit- 
terly in  his  heart — yet  it  is  his  privilege  to  know,  that  it  is  all  can- 
celled, and  that  it  cannot  hinder  him  from  coming   to  his  God, 

"having     boldness    and    ACCESS    WITH     CONFIDENCE    BY  THE 

FAITH  OF  Christ." 

Oh  !  dear  friends,  it  is  a  most  wonderful  privilege  to  be  able  to 
understand  the  grand  simplicity  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ, — so  to 
understand  it,  as  to  apply  it  practically, — daily, — hourly, — momen- 
tarily to  our  own  sinful  consciences.  When  sin  is  taken  away 
we  have  nothing  to  fear.  The  man  who  has  nothing  to  fear  is 
bold.  Having  no  fear  is  synonymous  with  boldness,  so  St.  John 
saith,  "  herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we  may  have  boldness 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  because  as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this  world." 
As  Christ  is,  so  are  his  people, — as  He  is  righteous,  so  are  they 
righteous^ — as  He  is  dead  to  sin,  they  are  dead  to  sin, — as  He  is 
alive  unto  God,  they  are  alive  imto  God — as  He  has  access  to 
God,  so  have  they  access  in  Him ;  because  they  are  accounted 
one  with  Him :  accordingly,  (as  we  have  been  often  dwelling  on 
this  subject)  you  recollect  the  Apostle  says,  "  reckon  yourselves  to 
be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord:"  Rom.  vi.  11 — reckon  yourselves  to  be  so.     Therefore, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  281 

it  is  He,  "  In  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  con- 
fidence BY  the  faith  of  HIM."  So  assuredly  it  is  our  privi- 
lege thus  to  come  to  God  by  the  faith  of  Jesus ;  it  is  our  privilege  to 
know  that  we  sliall  not  be  cast  away,  that  there  is  no  doubt  of  our 
acceptance,  no  doubt  but  that  we  shall  inherit  eternal  life.  This 
is  the  privilege  of  all  those  who  believe  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
"  This  honor  have  all  his  saints.  HallelujahP  Psal.  cxlix.  9.  I 
say,  it  is  their  privilege.  I  do  not  say  they  all  enjoy  it ;  they 
ought  to  enjoy  it :  but  alas  !  all  believers  do  not  enjoy  their  privi- 
leges, they  go  on  doubting  and  fearing,  and  trembling,  instead  of 
going  on  their  way  with  trust,  and  confidence,  and  joy,  and  bold- 
ness, looking  unto  their  Lord  and  Master,  their  blessed  Redeemer 
'■'■  heartily  rejoicing  in  the  strength  of  their  salvation."  Psa.xcv.  1. 
There  is  indeed  a  sense  of  holy  fear  and  trembling,  which  is  in- 
separable from  true  faith  ;  but  it  is  the  reverential  fear  of  joy  and 
love,  and  not  the  slavish  terror  of  enmity  and  unbelief  The  fear 
of  grieving  a  loving,  gracious  Father,  is  very  different  from  that 
of  being  sentenced  to  be  hanged  by  a  just  Judge.  St.  John  speaks 
of  the  latter  when  he  saith,  "  There  is  no  fear  in  love,  but  perfect 
love  casteth  out  fear,  because  fear  hath  torment.'''  1st  John,  iv.  18. 
St.  Peter  speaks  of  the  former  when  he  saith,  "  If  ye  call  07i  the 
Father,  who  without  respect  of  persons  judgeth  according  tb 
every  nian^s  ivork,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in  fear : 
Forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corrupt- 
ible things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation  re- 
ceived by  tradition  from  your  fathers ;  But  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  nrithout  spot  .•" 
1st  Pet.  i.  17,  18.  The  loving  confidence  of  faith  is  the  cause  of 
the  latter  fear.  The  unloving  terror  of  unbelief  is  that  of  the 
other  fear  which  "  hath  torment." 

This  is  the  reason  wliy  there  is  so  little  of  a  true,  genuine  ex- 
hibition of  the  power  of  the  Gospel  in  the  church,  because  there  is 
really  such  unbelief — -such  unbelief  in  believers.  Instead  of  going 
on  with  strength  and  confidence,  boldness,  and  faith,  and  love, 
united  to  Christ  and  united  in  Christ,  and  thus  "  striving  together 
for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,"  you  see  them  doubting  and  trembling, 
and  fearing — some  running  to  one  of  their  beggarly  elements, 
others  to  other  beggarly  elements,  not  firmly  united  together,  ex- 
alting their  respective  forms,  and  separated  from  each  other  ;  and 
why  ?  because  they  are  not  trusting  in  faithful  simplicity  in  their 
Lord  and  Master,  with  ardent  love  to  Him  "  who  hath  called  thejii 
out  of  darkness  into  his  tnarvellous  light,"  1st  Pet.  ii.  7, — -for  the 
glorious  work  He  wrought  for  them  and  all  His  people. 

Ignorance  and  unbelief  blind  the  eyes  of  men  who  are  called 
Christians,  so  that  they  do  not  comprehend  the  ground  of  a  sin- 
ner's confidence — they  know  not  what  is  that  ground — what  is 
the  cause  why  he  has  this  boldness.  It  is  vain  to  talk  of  boldness 
to  those  who  do  not  know  the  foundation  of  it.  If  you  see  persons 
in  fear,  and  desire  them  not  to  be  afraid,  you  never  can  take  away 
their  apprehensions  thus,  all  your  exhortations  will  not  calm  their 


282  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

fears  ;  but  if  you  can  prove  to  them,  and  convince  them,  and  make 
them  confident,  that  tliere  is  no  ground  for  apprehension ;  then 
their  fears  naturaUy  subside.  So  it  is,  that  it  is  in  vain  to  tell 
men  to  have  confidence  in  coming  to  God,  unless  their  under- 
standings are  enlightened  to  see  and  know  the  solid  ground  of 
confidence  that  God  gives  them  in  His  blessed  word.  Therefore 
let  us  consider  more  fully  what  is  the  ground  of  this  confidence. 
Why  have  believers  "  boldness  and  access  with  confidence 
BY  the  faith  of  Christ  ?"     We  answer  on  account  of 

The  work  of  Christ. 

The  office  of  Christ. 

The  character  and  person  of  Christ. 

Consider  these  three  things. 

I. — The  work  of  Christ  gives  boldness  and  access 
with  confidence  through  the  faith  of  him. 

The  finished  work  of  Christ  Jesus  is  a  full  remission  of  sins,  by 
the  one  offering  of  himself  once  offered  on  the  cross.  You  have 
this  set  forth  repeatedly  in  the  Word  of  God ;  you  may  see  it  rea- 
soned and  argued  out  in  Hebrews  x,  where  the  Apostle  compares 
the  legal  sacrifices  with  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  shows  the  ineffi- 
ciency of  all  those  sacrifices  from  the  fact  of  their  continual  repe- 
tition ;  and  the  completeness  and  fulness  of  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  from  its  being  offered  once,  and  but  once,  and 
that,  once  for  all,  10th  verse,  "  By  the  which  will  we  are  sancti- 
fied, through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for 
all.^'  1  have  cited  this  chapter  before ;  and  almost  lectured  on 
every  verse,  but  let  me  again  call  your  attention  to  the  11th  v. 
"  Every  jiriesf  (meaning  the  priests  of  the  Levitical  law,)  "  every 
priest  standeth  daily  ministering,  and  offering  oftentimes  the 
same  sacrifices,  ichich  can  never  take  aivay  sins.  But  this  man, 
after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sin  forever,  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  God,  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  he 
made  his  footstool ;  for  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever 
them  that  are  sanctified.''''  The  priests  stand  daily  ministering, 
they  offer  a  sacrifice  to-day,  they  are  obliged  to  stand  up  the  next 
day  and  offer  the  same  sacrifice,  and  the  next  day  to  offer  the 
same,  and  the  next  day  to  offer  the  same,  and  so  on, — and  by 
standing  up  to-day  to  offer  sacrifice,  they  confess  that  the  sacri- 
fices of  yesterday  were  not  sufficient;  therefore  the  daily  repetition 
of  sacrifices  daily  proves  the  insufficiency  of  these  sacrifices.  "  But 
this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sin  forever,  sat 
doion  at  the  right  hand  of  GodP  There  was  no  rising  up  to 
come  from  his  throne  to  offer  another  sacrifice  for  sin,  there  was 
no  repetition  of  his  glorious  offering  on  the  cross.  It  is  finished — 
once  for  all.  It  was  "  one  sacrifice  for  sins  forever. ^^  So  "  Ite 
sat  down  at  the  rigJU  hand  of  God,"  14th  v.  "/o/-  by  one  offering 
he  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctifiedP  Now  observe, 
"  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever  P  Surely  if  a  thing  is 
forever  perfected,  nothing  more  can  be  done  to  perfect  it.  Perfec- 
tion cannot  be  added  to.     And  if  a  thing  is  perfected  once,  it  can- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  283 

not  need  to  be  perfected  again.  If  Christ  has  perfected  all  His 
saints,  that  is,  those  who  are  sanctified,  which  is  another  tenn  for 
believers,  if  He  has  perfected  all  His  saints  forever,  nothing  more 
can  be  done  to  take  away  their  sins.  Christ  Himself  cannot  do 
anytliing  more  to  take  away  sins  than  he  has  already  done. 
Think  of  this,  consider  it  in  your  own  heart,  and  see  whether  you 
believe  or  understand  this  truth.  I  say,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
cannot  do  anything  more  to  take  away  your  sins  than  He  has 
already  done.  Now  do  you  believe  this  ?  Ask  your  own  con- 
science if  you  are  satisfied  that  it  is  truth  ?  If  you  are  not,  then 
ask  yourself  this  question,  "  What  is  to  be  done  to  take  away  my 
sins  ?"  What  do  you  suppose  is  to  be  done  1  Some  will  say, 
"Oh,  I  must  pray,  I  must  attend  the  Sacraments,  I  mast  change 
my  life."  That  will  not  take  away  your  sins.  If  you  were  to 
spend  from  this  time  to  the  end  of  your  existence  on  your  knees, 
it  would  not  take  away  one  sin.  If  you  were  to  go  to  the  Sacra- 
ment every  hour  in  the  day,  it  would  not  help  to  take  away  one 
sin.  Nothing  that  you  can  do,  or  that  the  whole  world  can  do  for 
you,  or  that  God  Himself  can  do  for  you,  can  take  away  one  sin, 
but  what  is  already  done.  This  is  true  indeed, — that  God,  and 
God  alone,  can,  by  His  eternal  Spirit,  enlighten  your  eyes  to  see, 
and  know,  and  understand  His  great  salvation  ;  but  that  is  not 
doing  anything  to  take  away  your  sins, — it  is  opening  your  eyes, 
that  you  may  see  the  glorious  work  that  has  been  done  already 
to  take  them  away, — namely,  the  glorious  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  He  has  finished  on  Mount  Calvary  for  sins,  that "  b]/ 
one  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified  J' 
Tlierefore  when  God  puts  a  work  perfect  out  of  His  hands,  He 
does  not  resume  that  work  to  do  anything  more.  If  an  artist 
or  a  mechanician  gives  you  a  work,  and  says  "  that  is  finished," 
he  tells  you  thereby  that  he  can  do  nothing  more  for  it.  When 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  tells  you  "  He  hath  jierfected,  by  one  offer- 
ings them  that  are  sanctified,^'' — that  is,  all  His  saints.  He  cannot 
do  anything  more  to  perfect  them.  Now  consider  this — think  of 
it — reason  on  it — digest  it — and  if  you  do  not  believe  it,  then  you 
know  not  "  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ" 

The  Apostle  saith,  "  Whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  also  is  a  witness 
to  us,  for  after  that  he  had  said  before,  this  is  the  covenant  that  I 
will  inake  with  them ;  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put 
my  laws  into  their  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  ivill  I lorite  them, 
and  their  sins  and  iniquities  ivill  I  remember  no  more.  Now 
uihere  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for  sinP 
Heb.  X.  18.  Observe,  ^^tvhere  remission  of  these  is,^' — He  has 
told  you  where  remission  of  sins  is  to  be  found — namely,  that  it  is 
to  be  found  in  the  finished  atonement  of  Christ — that  it  is  to  be 
found  in  the  perfect  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  Jesus  on  the  Cross  ;  and 
then,  having  told  you,  that  it  is  to  be  found  in  this  perfect  sacrifice 
— -and  having  told  you,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesses  this — and 
that  this  is  God's  covenant,  that  He  will  remember  their  sins  and 
iniquities   no   more — then,  he   comes  to  the  conclusion,   ^^  where 


284  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for  siny  There- 
fore it  is,  that  nothing  you  can  do  can  take  away  your  sins — nay, 
that  (I  repeat  it)  God  Himself  cannot  do  anything  more  to  take 
away  your  sins  ; — for  if  the  Lord  were  to  make  any  other  offering 
to  take  away  sin,  that  offering  would  be  an  acknowledgment  that 
the  whole  work  before  was  not  sufficient ;  and  that  all  that  has 
been  revealed  is  delusion  on  the  subject.  Thus  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel  annihilates  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass — that  awful  supersti- 
tion of  the  Church  of  Rome  ; — not  to  say  that  a  piece  of  paste  is 
made  an  object  of  worship,  or  called  God — the  very  idea  of  making 
an  offering  to  God  for  sin,  is  a  total  denial  of  the  finished  work  of 
Christ — a  total  rejection  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  The  very 
thought  that  Christ  Himself  could  make  another  offering  for  sin, 
would  subvert  the  whole  foundation  of  the  Gospel,  and  totally  ob- 
literate the  finished  work  of  salvation.  Hence  all  the  modified 
mummeries  of  Rome  that  are  sought  to  be  introduced  again  into 
our  Church,  arise  from  an  utter  ignorance  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ ; 
indeed,  the  chief  movers  and  conductors  of  the  heresy,  confess  that 
their  great  enmity  is  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in 
Christ ;  and  their  vain  superstitions  could  not  be  entertained  for  a 
moment  by  any,  but  those  who  are  lamentably  ignorant  of  the 
Gospel.  But  they  are  perfectly  congenial  to  the  natural  pride, 
corruption,  and  ignorance  of  the  human  mind,  and  hence  those 
who  hold  them,  pass  over  by  an  easy  and  natural  transition  to  the 
Church  of  Rome. 

Now  then,  mark  the  conclusion  which  the  Apostle  draws, 
"  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  by 
the  blood  of  JesasT  You  perceive  the  work  of  Christ  is  the  ground 
of  the  sinner's  boldness,  and  observe,  he  saith,  "  therefore,^''  viz., 
for  these  reasons — on  account  of  the  work  of  Christ — the  finished 
work  of  Immanuel — on  account  of  this,  that  nothing  more  can  be 
done  to  take  away  sin  ; — "  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness 
to  enter  into  the  holiest,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  liv- 
ing way  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  vail,  that 
is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and  having  a  high  priest  over  the  house  of 
God,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of 
faith.  Having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscietice,  and 
our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water P    Heb.  x.  19,  22. 

And  now,  let  me  entreat  you  to  consider  what  a  ground  of 
boldness  is  set  forth  here,  for  you,  and  me,  and  all  sinners  to  draw 
near  to  the  throne  of  Grace.  You  say  and  feel,  each  of  you  I  sup- 
pose, "  Alas  !  I  am  a  vile  sinner  before  God."  I  feel  the  same,  1 
am  a  vile  sinner  before  Him ;  if  God  were  to  enter  into  judgment 
with  you  or  me,  we  must  perish.  So  the  language  of  our  souls 
must  be  the  language  of  David,  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
thy  servant,  O  lLord,for  in  thy  sight  shall  notnan  living  be  jus- 
tified.^'' Psa.  cxhii.  2.  This  then  is  our  case,  all  of  us  are  on  a 
level,  all  alike,  "  there  is  no  difference,  all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God:''  Rom.  iii.  22,  23.  Consider,  then, 
what  is  placed  before  us  here— the  finished  work  of  Christ — that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  285 

Jesus,  by  one  offering,  hath  perfected  forever  every  sinner  that 
rests  upon  Him — every  sinner  that  is  a  behever  on  Him — He  hath 
perfected  them  forever — they  are  all  in  this  sense  perfect — they 
are  not  judged  by  different  degrees  of  character  as  among  men, 
but  they  are  all  viewed  as  one  complete  whole,  perfect,  delivered 
from  all  their  guilt,  because  their  blessed  Surety  has  died  for  them. 
Suppose  one  man  owes  ten  pounds,  another  twenty,  another  fifty, 
five  hundred,  a  thousand,  ten  thousand — were  some  man  of  ade- 
quate wealth  to  take  all  their  debts  upon  Himself,  and  pay  them 
all,  all  would  be  clear,  every  debt  would  be  cancelled,  every  debtor 
be  delivered  from  his  burthen. 

We  owe  a  countless  debt,  all  of  us ;  we  may  form  some  concep- 
tion of  some  few  of  the  items  against  us.  But  who  could  pretend 
to  count  the  number  ?  Oh,  "  who  can  tell  how  oft  he  offeudeth  ?" 
Ps.  xix.  12.  How  little  can  we  conceive  of  the  amount  of 
the  black  catalogue  of  our  transgressions  before  God  ! — but  "  the 
blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sinr  There  is  remis- 
sion of  sins  in  Him,  and  '•'•where  remission  of  these  is,  there 
is  no  more  offering  for  sin.'^  "  Having  therefore,  brethren,  bold- 
ness to  enter  into  the  holiest^  So  we  come  into  the  holiest,  we 
come  and  stand  in  the  presence  of  God.  True  we  must  say  in- 
deed, O  Lord,  behold  I  am  vile,  "  /  abhor  myself,  and  rejjent  in 
dust  and  ashes."  Job  xlii.  6 ;  but  vile  as  I  am,  "  Thy  blood 
cleanseth  from  all  sin."  Thy  blood,  the  blood  of  the  cross.  Thy 
blood,  the  blood  of  my  Redeemer,  is  the  fountain  where  I  bathe,  I 
come  as  one  of  the  flock  "  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own 
blood.''     Acts  XX.  28. 

Is  not  this  then  enough  to  give  a  sinner  boldness  ?  what  fear, 
what  doubt — what  cause  for  fear  or  doubt  have  we,  if  indeed  we 
are  enabled  to  trust  on  Immanuel's  Redemption — on  the  work  that 
Jesus  has  finished  on  the  cross  ? 

Now,  my  dear  friends,  if  you  do  not  understand  this — if  you  are 
not  brought  to  know  the  Gospel,  you  must  have  some  other 
ground  of  hope,  some  vain  refuge,  whatever  it  be — your  moral 
character — your  virtue — your  religious  observances— good  resolu- 
tions— sacraments — charities — Church — or  something  of  this  na- 
ture— you  are  looking  to  some  false  hope,  if  you  are  not  brought 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — therefore  you  are  not  happy,  you  have 
no  access  to  God, — no  peace  in  the  prospect  of  meeting  Him, — 
your  heart  is  far  from  Him, — you  are  living  without  Him  in  the 
world, — seeking  your  happiness  where  it  cannot  be  found, — follow- 
ing after  a  phantom — ^a  floating  image — ^an  airy  vision — a  cloud — 
a  delusion — an  "  unreal  mockery,"  turning  away  from  the  only 
solid  ground  of  peace  the  sinner  can  have — peace  with  God 
through  Christ, — "boldness  and  access  with  confidence 
THROUGH  HIM,"  as  goiug  to  a  reconciled  God  and  Father,  your 
sin  cancelled — blotted  out  forever — and  the  blessed  hope  of  ever- 
lasting life  opening  before  your  eye,  through  the  dark  vista  of  the 
grave,  a  light  from  the  glorious  portals  of  eternity.  Such  prospect  'v^ 
does  the  work  of  Christ  open  to  the  eye  of  the  believer. 


286  LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS. 

But  I  said,  we  have  not  only  the  work,  but 
II. — The  OFFICE  of  Christ,  to  give  us  "  boldness  and 
ACCESS    with    confidfnce."      Recollect   that   the   Lord   Jesus 
Christ  has  not  only  finished  that  glorious  work  on  the  cross,  but 
He  has  risen  and  ascended  to  the  right  hand  of  His  Father  ;  and 
there  He  appears  as  our  great  High  Priest,  having  carried  into  the 
presence  of  God,  for  us,  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant. 
When  the  high  priest  offered  the  great  annual  atonement,  he 
carried  the  blood  of  the  victim  into  the  holy  of  holies,  where  the 
presence  of  God  was  manifested,  over  the  mercy-seat,  between  the 
cherubim s.     That  was,  you  know,  the  emblem  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  who,  having  poured  out  His  precious  blood  as  the  great 
atonement,  of  which  all  others  were  types  and  shadows,  has  gone 
into  the   presence  of  God,  there  to  appear  for  us.     And  so  the 
Apostle  continues,  Hebrews  x.,  let  me  entreat  you  to  consider  this 
chapter,  for  it  gives  the  most  clear  and  simple  view  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  19th  verse,  "  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to 
enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living 
way  tvhich  he  hath  consecrated  for  iis,  through  the  vail ;  that 
is  to  say,  his  fiesh,  and  having  an  high  priest  over  the  house  of 
God ;" — he  not  only  points  the  view  to  the  work  of  Christ — His 
work — as  having  made  atonement,  but  he  points  you  to  the  office 
of  Christ,  as  being  a  high  priest,  and  as  having  carried  that  blood 
into  the  presence  of  the  Father,  there  to  appear  as  the  advocate  of 
His  people.     So  the  Apostle  John  saith,  "these   things  I  write 
unto  yon,  that  you  sin  not ;"  but  he  adds,  '•  and  if  any  man  sin, 
we  have  an  advocate  ivith  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteows ; 
and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.'^     1st  John,  ii.  1,  2.     He 
is  our  advocate  and  our  propitiation,  our  high  priest  and  our  sacri- 
fice— He  has  made  an  offering,  and  He  has  gone  into  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  and  carried  that  blood  into  the  holy  of  holies,  there 
to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.     So  the  Apostle  says,  in 
Hebrews  ix.,  in  the  6th  and  7th  verses,  where  he  is  mentioning 
the  subject  of  which  I  am  speaking ; — "  Noio  tvhen  these  things 
were  so  ordained,  the  pi^iest  ^vent  always  into  the  first  tabernacle, 
accomplishing  the  service  of  God,  but  into  the  second,  went  the 
high  priest  alone,  once  every  year,  not  without  blood,  which  he 
offered  for  himself,  and  for  the  errors  of  the  jieopleP    11th  v. 
"  But  Christ,  being  come  an  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by 
a  greater  and  m,ore  perfect  tabernacle,  not  made  icith  hands,  that 
is  to  say,  not  of  this  building ;  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and 
calves,  btit  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place, 
havhig  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  nsJ''     He  has  gone,  once 
for  all,  as  the  high  priest  into  the  holy  place ;  that  is,  into  the 
presence  of  God,  "  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  tis." 
And  in  Hebrews  iv.,  he  gives  the  same  ground  for  the  confidence 
of  the  sinner,  14th  verse,  as  we  saw  in  reference  to  chap.  ii.  18, 
"  Seeing  then,  that  we  have  a  great  high  priest  that  is  passed 
^into  the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  iSon  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  pro- 
f'ssion  ;  for  ice  have  not  an  high  priest  who  cannot  be  touched 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  287 

with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  hut  was  in  all  points  tempted 
like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin  ;  let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto 
the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  tnercy,  and  find  grace  to 
help  in  time  of  needP  You  see,  then,  the  priestly  office  of  Christ 
affords  a  ground  of  confident  access  to  the  behever. 

III. But  THE  PERSON  AND  CHARACTER   OF    ChRIST  ARE  SET 

FORTH  AS  A  GROUND  OF  BOLDNESS.  And  the  Apostle  also 
brings  tiiis  before  us  in  Heb.  x.  21.  '•'■Having  an  high  priest 
over  the  house  of  God,  let  us  draiv  near  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  assurance  of  faith P  Observe,  '■'•full  assurance  of  faith,^^ 
full  confidence — not  doubting  your  Lord,  not  hesitating  to  con- 
fide in  His  word,  or  His  work,  but  "  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our 
bodies  washed  with  pure  waterP  It  is  not  that  you  have 
not  an  evil  conscience,  or  a  consciousness  of  evil — it  is  not  that 
your  conscience  does  not  tell  you,  j^ou  are  a  sinner  ;  for  it  must 
be  a  subject  of  continual  exercise  of  conscience,  to  avoid  sin ; 
"  herein  do  I  exercise  myself^''  saith  the  Apostle,  "  to  have  always 
a  conscience  void  of  offence  both  toward  God  and  toivard  man." 
Acts  xxiv.  16.  It  is  a  continual  conflict  of  the  believer  to  en- 
deavor to  keep  his  conscience  void  of  offence  in  the  various  cir- 
cumstances in  which  he  may  be  placed  in  life.  But  every  day  he 
lives  he  will  feel  that  his  conscience  accuses  him  of  sin.  How  is 
he  then  to  cleanse  that  conscience  ?  It  must  be  sprinkled  with 
the  blood  of  Christ.  "  Having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience^  When  he  is  accused  of  guilt  his  conscience  says, 
"  True,  I  am  guilty,  but  '  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  7ne 
from  all  sin.''  1st  John  i.  7.  '  /  am  black,  but  comely,^ — black— 
^as  the  tents  of  Kedar,^— comely — '  as  the  curtains  of  Solomon.' " 
Cant.  i.  .5. 

Therefore,  when  your  conscience  charges  you  with  sin,  should 
you  try  to  silence  its  accusing  voice  by  prayers? — by  resolutions  .^ 
■ — by  promises,  like  a  child,  that  you  will  do  wrong  no  more  ?  No 
— you  must  go  directly  to  the  blood  of  Christ,  you  must  go  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  must  have  your  conscience  cleansed  from  sin 
by  Christ  before  you  can  do  anything  in  the  service  of  Christ. 
How  is  that  to  be  done  ?  Come  to  Christ  in  prayer  by  faith,  say 
to  Him, 

"  Lord  I  am  a  fallen  sinner,  behold  I  am  vile,  my  conscience  is 
defiled  with  sin,  I  come  to  Thy  precious  blood,  there  is  no  refuge, 
no  help  for  me  but  in  thee  ;  I  come  to  Thy  precious  blood — Thy 
word  assures  me  that  it  cleanses  from  all  sin ;  I  come  to  that 
blessed  Fountain — there  let  me  bathe.  Oh,  let  my  soul  cast  all 
its  heavy  load  on  Thee,  who  wast  wounded  for  our  transgressions. 
Let  me  rest  on  Thy  faithfulness,  Thy  glorious  work,  Thine  exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promises.     There  let  me  rest  forever !" 

When  you  are  enabled  to  commit  your  soul  to  Christ,  to  trust 
in  Him  thus  ; — then  you  can  rest  on  the  blood  of  your  Redeemer 
as  all-sufficient  to  wash  away  your  sins  ;  thus  is  your  heart 
"  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,"  when  ''■the  blood  of  sp  rink- 


288  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ling  that  speaketh  better  thhigs  than  that  of  Ahel^''  Heb.  xii.  24 — 
saith  "peace  he  stillP 

Come  then  to  Christ  for  pardon,  and  in  pardon  you  find  strength 
to  enable  you  to  contend  against  your  sins,  not  to  save  yourself, 
for  salvation  is  in  Christ  alone,  but  to  serve  and  glorify  your  Lord 
who  hath  loved  you,  and  given  himself  for  you.     It  is  thus  you 

"  HAVE     BOLDNESS     AND    ACCESS     WITH     CONFIDENCE     BY     THE 

FAITH  OF  HIM."  For  '■'•  hehig  justified  hy  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By  whom  also  ive 
have  access  by  faith  into  the  grace  loherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice 
in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God^  Rom.  v.  1,  2. 

The  character  and  person  therefore  of  Christ  are  full  warrant 
for  our  having  boldness.  "  Let  us  draiv  near  with  a  true  heart, 
in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an 
evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  jjure  water,  let  us 
hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  ivithout  waver-ing,  for 
he  is  faithful  that  j^romised."  Heb.  x.  23.  Here  we  have  the 
faithfulness  of  Christ.  And  in  Heb.  iv.,  he  brings  before  us  the 
sympathies  of  Christ,  15th  v. ;  "  we  have  not  an  high  priest  which 
cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirm^ities,  hut  was  in 
all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sinP  He  brings 
us  to  the  faithfulness  of  Christ  as  God — '•'■He  is  faithful  that 
promised^  He  brings  us  to  the  sympathies  of  Christ  as  man — as 
one  who  is  so  "  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities.''^  And 
on  both  grounds  gives  us  encouragement  to  come  boldly  to  Christ 
— '•Het  us  therefore  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we 
may  obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  tim,e  of  need." 
Heb.  iv.  16.  And  again,  ''  Having  boldness  to  enter  into  the  ho- 
liest by  the  blood  of  Jesus'^  Heb.  x.  19.     And  here  in  this  passage, 

"In  whom  we  HAVE  BOLDNESS  AND  ACCESS  WITH  CONFIDENCE 
BY  THE  FAITH  OF  HIM." 

Thus  then  in  happy  faith  in  the  Work,  the  Office,  and  Person 
of  our  beloved  Lord — His  work  of  Rigliteousness  and  Atonement 
— His  Office  as  Priest  and  Mediator — His  Person  as  God  and 
man — let  us  consider  what  a  glorious  privilege  it  is  for  a  sinner  to 
have  such  a  way  of  access  to  God !  what  a  wondrous  blessing  it  is, 
to  have  such  a  path  opened  not  only  of  approach,  but  of  approach 
with  boldness,  so  that  instead  of  leaving  our  salvation  as  a  matter 
of  doubt  and  uncertainty,  thinking  as  multitudes  who  bear  the 
name  of  Christian  think,  that  it  is  presumption  to  suppose  we  can 
be  in  a  safe  state  until  after  the  day  of  judgment — till  God  has 
decided  on  our  respective  merits  whether  we  have  deserved  to  in- 
herit eternal  life ! — It  is  our  privilege  to  have  through  grace  a 
blessed  hope,  a  joyful  assurance  of  salvation,  not  indeed  through 
our  own  merits,  but  through  the  merits  and  death  of  our  adorable 
Redeemer,  and  to  approach  through  Him  with  boldness  and  con- 
fidence to  God,  not  as  a  dreaded  Judge,  but  as  a  reconciled 
Father. 

Hence — the  faith  and  love  of  Christ,  give  boldness  in  the  pros- 
pect of  judgment,  as  saith  the  Apostle,  ^'^  Herein  is  our  love  made 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  289 

"perfect^  that  we  may  have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment P  1st 
John  iv.  17.  Hence — the  proper  attitude  of  a  Christian,  is  not 
that  of  awaiting  with  apprehension,  a  judgment  which  he  would  be 
thankful  to  avoid  ;  but  looking  with  hope  to  the  appearance  of 
the  Judge,  as  his  Deliverer,  and  his  Salvation.  This,  so  far  from 
being  the  terror,  is  the  joyful  expectation  of  the  Church.  Thus 
were  the  Christians  instructed  by  the  Apostles  as  saith  St.  Paul, 
"  Ye  turned  to  God,  from  idols  to  sei^ve  the  living  and  true  God, 
and  to  wait  for  his  Son  from  heaven,  whom  he  raised  from  the 
dead,  even  Jesiis,  which  delivered  us  from  the  icrath  to  com,eP  1st 
Thes.  i.  9,  10.  So  he  saith  that  "  To  them  that  look  for  hiin  he 
shall  appear  the  second  time  %vithout  sin  unto  salvation.''''  Heb.  ix. 
28.  So,  it  is  with  grace,  and  with  the  gift  of  salvation,  that  all 
sound  principle  of  genuine  moral  action  is  inseparal^ly  united,  as 
with  the  joyful  hope  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  We 
see  them  all  associated  together  in  their  scriptural  place  in  the 
Epistle  to  Titus,  "  For  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation 
hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us,  that,  denying  ungodli- 
ness and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly,  in  this  present  world ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and 
the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ ;  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  jjeople, 
zealous  of  good  worksT  Tit.  ii.  11,  12,  13,  14. 

Here  we  see  wiiat  the  grace  of  God  brings — namely,  ^^  salvation'^ 
— not  means  to  help  us  to  save  ourselves,  but  Salvation. 

We  see  what  the  grace  which  brings  this  salvation  teaches ; 
namely,  to  "  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  so- 
berly, righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  jwesent  woi'ldP 

We  see  what  the  grace  which  brings  this  salvation  teaches  us 
to  look  for,  namely,  the  glorious  manifestation  and  everlasting  en- 
joyment of  the  salvation  which  it  brings,  "  looking  for  that  blessed 
hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  great  God  and  Saviour, 
Jesus  ChristP  For  then  shall  be  revealed,  bestowed,  enjoyed,  the 
glorious  inheritance  which  Jesus  has  purchased  for  his  risen  saints. 
So  saith  the  Apostle  Peter  when  he  testifies  of  this  salvation,  and 
this  glorious  inheritance,  which  is  reserved  for  them  in  heaven, 
"  Be  sober  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought 
unto  you,  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."  1st  Pet.  i.  13.  For, 
as  St.  Paul  saith,  "  when  Christ  loho  is  our  life  shall  appear, 
then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him,  in  glory,"  Col.  iii.  4  ;  and  it  is 
in  this  ^^bles.9edhope" — this  ^^ glorious  appearing" — this  everlast- 
ing life  at  the  coming  of  Christ  in  glory,  that  he  teaches  the  saints 
to  comfort  one  another  for  those  that  are  gone  to  rest,  and  for  their 
own  everlasting  consolation.  1st  Thess.  iv.  13-18.  Therefore, 
how  well  may  those  who  look  unto  Jesus,  when  they  know  the 
solid  ground  of  Hope  for  eternity,  have  access  with  confidence 
through  the  faith  of  Him  to  the  Throne  of  Grace  in  time. 

"  Blessed  are  the  people  that  knoiv  the  joyful  sound."  Psal. 
Ixxxix.  5, — blessed  those  who  receive  the  great  salvation  which 

19 


290  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.       • 

this  grace  bestows — walk  in  the  path  of  hohness  and  peace  which 
it  teaches — and  shall  partake  of  the  glory  that  it  shall  bring  at 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  whom  be  praise  and  glory  for- 
ever, Amen. 


TWENTY- SIXTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III.— 13,  14,  15,  16. 


"  Wherefore  I  desire  that  ye  faint  not  at  my  tribulations  for  you,  which  is  your 
glory.  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of 
whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  you,  ac- 
cording to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the 
inner  man." 

When  we  were  beginning  this  chapter,  I  mentioned,  that  in 
the  first  verse  there  was  the  commencement  of  a  very  long  paren- 
thesis, which  might  be  considered  as  terminating  either  at  the  13th 
verse  of  this  chapter,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  first  verse  of  the 
next ; — that  you  might  either  suppose  that  the  words,  '•'-for  this 
cause  "  were  those  referred  to  by  the  Apostle  at  the  close  of  the 
parenthesis,  as  in  the  14th  verse,  so  that  the  reading  in  this  case 
would  ]>e, 

"  For  this  cause,  /,  Paul,  the  j^risoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you 
Gentiles,  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christy 

Or — you  might  suppose  that  the  word  ^'- prisoner  ^^  was  that  re- 
ferred to  at  the  conclusion  of  the  parenthesis;  and  that  it  was 
taken  up  at  the  1st  verse  of  the  4th  chapter. 

"  For  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you 
Gentiles  ;  beseech  you  that  ye  loalk  worthy  of  the  vocation  where- 
with you  are  called.''''  chapter  iv.  1. 

Now,  I  rather  think  that  the  proper  termination  is  at  the  13th 
verse  ;  and  my  reason  is  this.  St.  Paul  commences  this  chapter 
thus,  "  For  this  cause,  I,  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for 
you  Gentiles.''''  Then,  as  if  he  feared  that  the  mention  of  his  be- 
ing a  prisoner  would  cast  a  great  damp  on  the  spirits  of  his  breth- 
ren at  Ephesus  ;  he  commences  in  this  parenthesis,  not  only  to  ac- 
count for  his  being  a  prisoner,  but  to  show  that  his  imprisonment 
—so  far  from  being  a  matter  of  grief  to  his  Gentile  brethren — 
ought  to  be  a  subject  of  great  joy  to  them.  Why  was  Paul  a 
prisoner?  Because  (as  you  will  find,  on  referring  to  the  history  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles)  he  preached  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  the  Gentiles. 

You  recollect,  when  he  said  in  his  speech  to  the  Jews,  that  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  291 

Lord  had  said  unto  him,  ^^  Depart ;  for  I  will  send  thee  far  hence 
unto  the  Gentiles.  They  gave  him,  audience  unto  this  ivord,  and 
then  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  said,  Away  with  snch  a  fellow 
from  the  earth:  for  it  is  not  fit  that  he  should  liveP  Acts  xxii. 
21,  22.  In  consequence  of  his  persecution  by  the  Jews,  who  were 
aided  by  Fehx  and  Festus ;  Fehx  kept  him  in  prison  "  to  do  the 
Jews  a  pleasure,^^  Acts  xxiv.  27,  and  Festus  wished  to  bring 
him  to  be  judged  at  Jerusalem,  for  the  same  reason,  Acts  xxv.  9, 
But  he  not  choosing  to  be  carried  to  Jerusalem  to  be  judged,  ap- 
pealed unto  Caesar,  and  when  he  appealed  to  Caesar,  Festus  said, 
"  To  C(Bsar  thou  shall  go,^^  Acts  xxv.  12, — therefore  he  went  and 
was  a  prisoner  at  Rome  ;  and  thence  he  writes  to  them,  "  /.  Paul., 
a  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you  Gentiles,"  (fee.  But  then  he 
takes  occasion  to  unfold  to  them  the  mystery  which  was  now  re- 
vealed by  God,  that  the  Gentiles  were  to  be  fellow-heirs,  and  that 
to  him  was  given  the  glorious  office  "  to  preach  among  the  Gen- 
tiles the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,"  and  having  thus  set  forth, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  glory  of  that  mystery — the  union  of  Jews 
and  Gentiles  in  Christ ; — and  the  glory  of  the  salvation  of  Christ, 
how  that  "  to  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  jilaces 
loas  m,ade  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  loisdom  of  God, 
according  to  his  eternal  purpose  tvhich  he  purposed  in  Christ," 
and  having  shown  the  glorious  access  which  Jew  and  Gentile  have 
with  ''  boldness  and  confidence  by  the  faith  of  Christ :  he  con- 
cludes V.  13,  "Wherefore,  I  desire,  that  ye  faint  not  at 

MY    tribulations    FOR  YOU,  WHICH   IS   YOUR  GLORY."       I  tMuk, 

therefore,  that  the  parenthesis  from  the  second  verse  to  the  end  of 
the  12th,  contains  the  premises  from  which  he  draws  the  conclu- 
sion, to  cheer  and  console  them  on  account  of  his  imprisonment, 
"Wherefore,"  that  is,  for  these  reasons.  "I  desire  that  ye 

FAINT  NOT  AT  MY  TRIBULATIONS  FOR  YOU,  WHICH  IS  YOUR 
GLORY." 

When  he  saith.  "  /,  Paid,  a  j^risoner  of  Jesus  Christ."  "  Ah," 
thought  he,  "  these  poor  Ephesians  will  be  cast  down — they  will 
say,  '  What !  Paul  a  prisoner  !  this  great  Apostle  Paul  a  prisoner  ! 
Hath  the  mighty  God  abandoned  his  servant  to  a  prison  ?' "  "  Yes," 
saith  he,  "  I  am  a  prisoner,  but  consider  for  what  I  am  a  prisoner." 
Then  he  tells  them  the  glorious  cause  in  which  he  suffered,  and 
concludes  "Wherefore  I  desire,  that  ye"  be  not  discour- 
aged— "I  desire  that  ye  faint  not" — but  remember  that 
my  being  a  prisoner,  instead  of  being  your  grief,  is  your  glory. — 
It  is  for  preaching  the  Gospel  to  you  and  the  heathen  nations,  that 
I  am  a  prisoner — I  am  a  prisoner  for  being  commissioned  to  de- 
clare the  glorious  salvation  of  Christ  to  the  Gentiles ;  and  there- 
fore, so  far  from  being  cast  down  at  this,  you  ought  to  rejoice,  as 
it  is  your  joy — your  salvation — your  glory. 

Consider  how  needful  is  this  encouragement — we  are  continu- 
ally prone  to  be  cast  down  whenever  we  see  outward  afflictions  or 
tribulations  befall  the  church  of  Christ.  We  look  at  outward 
things,   and   are  ready  to  be  overwhelmed.     If  we  hear  of  our 


292  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

brethren  being  persecuted  or  afflicted,  or  suffering  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,  we  are  ahnost  fainting  at  heart  by  it.  If  we  heard  of  some 
of  our  ministers  being  sent  to  prison,  or  brought  perhaps  to  the 
scaffold  or  the  stake  for  their  faithful  testimony,  as  might  be  the 
case,  we  should  be  nearly  driven  to  despair  at  this.  But  let  us  re- 
member, that  the  covenant  of  God  for  all  His  people  is,  that  '■'•all 
things  are  working  for  their  good ;"  and  let  us  remember,  that 
the  history  of  the  whole  church  proves,  that  "the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  has  been  the  seed  of  the  church."  What  was  the  first 
signal  for  the  diffusion  of  the  Gospel  ? — ^The  persecution  that  arose 
on  the  death  of  Stephen.  You  see  in  the  history  of  that,  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  ; — the  disciples  went  everywhere,  preaching 
the  gospel  of  Christ — they  went  through  all  the  country  testify- 
ing. "  They  that  were  scattered  abroad  ivent  everywhere,  preach- 
ing the  word.''''  Acts  viii.  4.  And  so  it  has  been  in  our  own 
church  ; — so  it  was  when  Latimer  and  Ridley  were  brought  to  the 
stake  : — when  Latimer  said  to  Ridley,  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  brother, 
we  shall  light  a  candle  this  day  that  never  shall  be  extinguished 
in  England."  And  so,  the  very  means  taken  by  Satan  to  oppose 
and  put  down  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ — those  very  means, 
God  uses  for  the  diffusion,  promulgation  and  maintenance  of  His 
truth.  He  can  support  and  strengthen  His  people  in  suffering — 
enable  them  to  endure  affliction — persecution — death  for  His  glo- 
rious Gospel ;  if  it  was  only  to  show,  that  the  very  persecution  of 
the  Church  of  Christ  exhibits  the  glory  of  the  everlasting  Gospel. 
So  the  Apostle,  in  this  parenthesis,  on  which  we  have  been  dwell- 
ing for  some  time,  having  explained  the  commission  he  had  re- 
ceived, "  to  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ,^''  adds,  "wherefore,  I  desire,  that  ye  faint  not  at 

MY  tribulations  FOR  YOU,  WHICH   IS   YOUR  GLORY." 

Let  us  recollect,  that  the  test  iinony  of  our  Lord  to  His  Apostles 
was,  that  they  should  l)e  called  to  suffer  for  His  sake  ;  and  let  us 
remember  that  the  testimony  of  the  Apostles  themselves  to  the 
churches  was,  that  they  sliould  suffer  for  the  cause  of  truth,  "  All 
that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  'must  suffer  persecution" 
2nd  Tim.  iii.  12.  And  perhaps,  the  ease  that  the  church  of  this 
nation  enjoyed  for  so  long  a  period,  has  been  owing  to  this,  that 
there  has  been  so  little  faithful  testimony,  either  in  doctrine  or 
practice,  to  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ.  So  little  faithful  testi- 
mony in  doctrine  against  the  ignorance — the  falsehood — the  infi- 
delity— the  idolatry — and  superstition  of  the  nation  ;  and  so  little 
faithful  testimony  in  practice,  in  coming  out  from  an  ungodly 
w^orld,  and  being  separate  in  life  and  conversation  from  those  who 
have  a  mere  ^'■form  of  godliness,  but  who  deny  the  power 
thereof.^'  2nd  Tim.  iii.  5.  We  are  told  of  this  Apostle  and 
Barnabas,  at  Derbe,  that  "  when  they  had  preached  the  Gospel  to 
that  city,  and  had  taught  many,  they  returned  again  to  Lystra, 
and  to  Iconium,,  and  to  Antioch,  confirming  the  sotds  of  the  dis- 
ciples, and  exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the  faith  ;  and  that  we 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  293 

nmst,  through  much  tribulation^  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Acts  xiv.  21,  22. 

The  Apostle  saith  in  the  epistle  to  the  Philippians,  i.  12,  "  1 
would  ye  should  understand,  brethren,  that  the  thirigs  which 
happened  unto  me  have  fallen  out  rather  unto  the  furtherance  of 
the  GospelP  He  comforts  them  also  for  his  imprisonment  at 
Rome,  and  yon  know,  there  were  several  in  Caesar's  household 
called  by  this  very  means  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ ;  so  he  saith 
of  these  events  "  <%  that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are  made  manifest 
in  the  palace,  and  in  all  other  places  ;  and  many  of  the  brethren 
in  the  Lord,  waxing  confident  by  my  bonds,  are  much  more  bold 
to  speak  the  word  without  fearP  So,  you  see,  that  the  Apostle 
had  canse  to  desire  his  Ephesian  brethren  "  not  to  faint  at  his 

TRIBULATION  FOR  THEM,  WHICH   WAS    THEIR    GLORY."       It    WaS 

the  glory  of  the  Gentiles  that  Paul  should  be  called  to  suffering 
and  to  tribulation  for  the  testimony  which  his  heavenly  Master  had 
commissioned  him  to  bear  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  Lord 
said,  "  He  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  nie,  to  bear  m,y  name  before  the 
Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of  Israel.  For  I  will  show 
him,  what  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my  nam,^s  sakeP  Acts 
ix.  5,  16.     So  that  he  might  well  say  to  his  Ephesian  brethren,  "I 

DESIRE    THAT    YE    FAINT  NOT    AT     MY   TRIBULATIONS  FOR    YOU, 

WHICH  IS  YOUR  GLORY."  This  sceuis  then  to  me,  to  be  the  close 
of  the  parenthesis  ;  and  I  am  quite  satisfied  that  the  Apostle  in- 
troduces this  for  the  express  purpose  of  comforting  them,  when 
they  knew  that  he  was  a  prisoner  for  their  sake. 

I  therefore  think,  he  here  resumes  his  subject  repeating  the  first 
words  of  the  chapter,  "  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto 
THE  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"For  this  cause." — This  brings  us  back  to  inquire,  what  was 
the  cause  to  which  he  alludes '/  and  we  find  the  cause  in  the  con- 
clusion of  the  2nd  chapter,  and  thus  adduced  in  the  1st  verse  of 
the  3rd — viz.,  that  they  had  been  called  out  of  their  natural  dark- 
ness into  the  marvellous  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel — that  they 
were,  as  the  Apostle  had  thus  stated,  "  Now  therefore  ye  are  no 
more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  tvith  the  saints 
and  of  the  household  of  God,  and  are  built  upo?i  the  foundation 
of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus  Chr'ist  himself  being  the 
chief  corner-stone,  in  whom  all  the  building,  fitly  fram,ed  together, 
groweth  into  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lor'd,  in  whom  ye  also 
are  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the 
Spirit.^^  Eph.  ii.  19-22.  Wherefore,  since  you  are  so  called,  so 
founded  on  Jesus  Christ,  builded  together  into  an  holy  temple,  for 
an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit,  "  For  this  cause,  I  bow 

MY  KNEES  unto  THE    FaTHER     OF    OUR    LoRD    JeSUS    ChRIST." 

Connect  the  four  last  verses  of  the  second  chapter  with  the  14th 
verse  of  this  chapter,  and  you  have,  I  think,  the  true  continuity  of 
the  sense. 

We  learn  from  this,  that,  when  persons  are  first  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  then  indeed,  they  become  sub- 


294  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

jects  of  anxious  prayer,  both  for  themselves  and  for  all  who  watch 
over  them  and  love  them  as  their  Ministers.  No  man  prays  for 
himself,  till  he  is  brought  to  know  Christ  as  the  only  way  of 
access  to  God — till  he  comes  unto  the  Father  through  Christ,  "  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  hut  by  wje,"  saith  the  Lord,  Jolin  xiv. 
6,  and  although  Paul  ^^  after  the  straitest  sect  of  his  religion  lived 
a  Pharisee,^^  Acts  xxvi.  5,  yet  it  was  not  until  Christ  had  smitten 
him  down  on  his  way  to  Damascas,  and  revealed  Himself  to  him 
as  Jesus  whom  he  persecuted — it  was  not  till  then,  that  Paul  ever 
uttered  a  prayer  that  God  acknowledged  as  a  supplication  at  the 
footstool  of  the  throne  of  grace.  But  then  God  sent  Ananias  to 
him,  "  For,^^  saith  the  Lord,  "  behold  he  prat/eth.'"  Acts  ix.  11. 
So  when  sinners  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  they  see 
their  need  of  prayer,  they  see  their  utter  helplessness,  their  utter 
destitution  of  all  spiritual  light  and  spiritual  strength,  they  begin 
to  feel  the  plague  of  their  own  hearts,  that  they  are  indeed  "rfe- 
ceitfid  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wickedJ-  Jer.  xvii.  9 — 
that  their  "  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ,•"  Rom.  viii.  7  ; 
they  see  therefore  their  need  of  waiting  on  God  continually  in 
prayer  and  supplication.  "  A  prayerless  sinner,^''  an  old  writer 
says,  "  is  a  Christless  sinner,'"  and  we  may  convert  the  proposi- 
tion, and  say,  "  A  Christless  sinner  is  a  prayerless  sinner."  He 
knows  not  God,  if  he  comes  not  to  Him  in  prayer  and  supplication 
—and  he  comes  not  in  prayer  and  supplication  till  he  comes 
through  Christ. 

Persons  too  frequently  think,  and  it  seems  to  be  a  great  error  of 
the  present  day,  tliat,  if  we  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus, — to  know  that  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  sinners — 
the  Refuge  of  our  souls — in  opposition  to  the  general  systems  of 
error  and  falsehood  that  are  current  among  the  professors  of  relig- 
ion under  the  name  of  Christianity — that  if  we  are  brought  to 
this,  all  is  well. 

Now,  so  far,  in  a  certain  sense,  all  is  well.  It  is  a  great  bless- 
ing when  sinners  are  taught  to  know  Christ.  But  let  us  remem- 
ber, that  this  is  the  time  when  they  most  especially  have  need  of 
continual  prayer  and  supplication  at  the  throne  of  grace.  It  is 
then,  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives  that  they  are  brought  into  a 
capacity  of  serving  God — It  is  then  their  conflict  begins  against  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil — It  is  then  they  have  need  of 
prayer,  in  order  that  the  truths  they  know,  may  be  fastened  more 
and  more  deeply  in  their  hearts,  that  they  may  be  given  more  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  be  enabled  more  to  trust  Him,  to  love  Him, 
to  know  this  great  truth,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own,  for  ye  are  bought 
with  a  price ;  therefore  glorify  God  in  your  bodies  and  in  your 
spirits,  which  are  God'sJ^  1st  Cor.  vi.  19,  20. 

In  this  prayer,  which  the  Apostle  by  the  Spirit  of  God  offers  here 
for  the  Ephesian  Church,  we  see  what  the  Holy  Ghost  inspires,  as 
the  subject  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  all  w  ho  believe  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus,  and  let  me  entreat  your  earnest  attention  to  it.     "  For  this 

CAUSE     I    BOW     MY    KNEES     UNTO    THE     FaTHER    OF     OUR    LoRD 


lectures  on  the  ephesians.  295 

Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  you,  accord- 
ing to   the   riches   of   his   glory,  to  be   strengthened 

WITH     MIGHT     BY     HIS     SpIRIT     IN     THE     INNER     MAN  ;     THAT 

Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye, 

BEING  rooted  AND  GROUNDED  IN  LOVE,  MAY  BE  ABLE  TO  COM- 
PREHEND WITH  ALL  SAINTS,  WHAT  IS  THE  BREADTH,  AND 
LENGTH,  AND  DEPTH,   AND    HEIGHT  ;    AND    TO    KNOW  THE    LOVE 

OF  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be 

FILLED  WITH  ALL    THE    FULNESS    OF    GoD."       NoW,  I    think    yOU 

will  see  the  explanation  I  have  given  of  the  parenthesis  in  this 
chapter  very  beautifully  illustrated,  if  you  connect  not  only  the 
14th  verse,  but  the  15th  verse  also,  in  its  order  with  the  latter  part 
of  the  preceding  chapter.    Observe  that  beautiful  expression, "  I  bow 

my  KNEES  UNTO  THE  FaTHER  OF  OUR  LoRD  JeSUS  ChRIST,  OF 
WHOM  THE   WHOLE  FAMILY  IN  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH   IS  NAMED:" 

you  perceive  he  had  said  in  the  preceding  chapter,  "  ye  are  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and 
of  the  household  of  God.''''  You  are  now  brought  to  God's  family, 
you  are  now  not  only  '•^fellow-citizens  with  the  saints^''  but  of  the 
WQXj  ^^  household  of  (roc?,"  wherefore  "  I  bow  my  knees  tjnto 
THE  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the 
whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named," — that  family 
of  whom  you  are  become  members^that  blessed  family  of  whom 
ye  are  one,  and  with  whom  ye  dwell — what  a  glorious  name,  my 
dear  friends  is  this  to  be  given  to  the  Church  of  Christ — ■'■'■  The 
WHOLE  family  IN  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH  ! — the  family  on  earth 
— part  of  the  family,  and  as  much  a  part — as  all,  or  any  part  of 
the  family  in  heaven ;  "  For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus."  Gal.  iii.  26 — adopted  into  the  family  of 
God,  "  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  Gal.  iv.  6. 

"The  WHOLE  family  in  heaven  and  earth  !" — What  a 
blessed  thought !  If  we  turn  our  eyes  from  this  poor  world,  and 
look  with  the  eye  of  faith  to  the  company  that  surround  the 
throne.  If  we  turn  to  the  vision  that  the  Apostle  John  saw 
in  the  Apocalypse,  when  he  ^'■beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multi- 
tudoy  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kin- 
dreds, and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  be- 
fore the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
hands ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our 
God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb."  When 
we  behold  those  "  xvho  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have 
mashed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,"  who  "  are  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him,  day 
and  night  in  his  temple  :  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall 
dxDell  among  them.  They  shall  hunger  wo  more,  neither  thirst 
any  7nore ;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat. 
For  the  Lamb  which  is  the  ??iidst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them, 
and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters :  and  God 


296  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes^  Rev.  vii.  9-17 — if  we 
turn  our  eye — the  eye  of  faith  to  that  blessed  assembly,  we  should 
say,  "  How  happy — oh  !  how  blessed,  how  glorious  are  they  !  How 
blessed  should  we  be,  if  we  were  brought  to  join  that  celestial  com- 
pany ! — all  our  troubles,  sins,  sorrows,  conflicts,  temptations,  trials 
past, — yea,  the  body  of  sin  and  death  left  below,  or  transfigured  into 
a  glorious  body  like  the  body  of  Christ !  Oh  !  how  blessed  if  we 
are  brought  to  join  that  glorious  throng  !"  But  if  we  exercise 
that  faith  which  it  is  our  privilege  to  exercise  at  this  very  mo- 
ment ;  we  may  turn  our  eyes  upon  this  world,  this  wilderness  of 
sin  and  sorrow,  we  may  look  at  ourselves,  if  indeed  we  "  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,^^  vi.  24 — and  at  all  the  Lord's 
people,  in  the  midst  of  all  their  conflicts,  trials,  and  afflictions— 
and  it  is  our  privilege  to  know,  yea  our  privilege  to  be  assured, 
that  they  are  just  exactly  as  safe — that  every  believer  in  Christ, 
whatever  his  calling — whatever  his  station — however,  poor,  un- 
known, or  despised  he  may  be— is  just  exactly  as  safe — as  much 
in  the  presence  of  his  Lord — under  the  protection,  the  guardian- 
ship of  His  arm,  as  much  an  object  of  his  care  and  love,  as  any 
of  the  hosts  that  surround  the  throne  of  God,  and  cast  their  crowns 
at  his-  feet ;  for  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth" 
is  one  family.  "  There  is  one  body,  and  one  spirit,  even  as  ye 
are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling.  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all.  and  through 
all,  and  in  you  all,^''  saith  the  Apostle  to  this  very  Church,  chap, 
iv.  4-6.  Therefore  the  same  blessings  belong  to  them  all,  and  are 
just  as  secure  to  those  who  are  following  through  the  wilderness, 
as  to  those  who  have  reached  their  heavenly  rest.  The  language 
of  the  believer,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  blessed  hope,  may  be 
that  of  the  hymn  : 

"  Yes,  I  to  the  end  shall  endure, 

As  sure  as  the  earnest  is  given  ; 

More  happy,  but  not  more  secure, 

The  glorified  spirits  in  heaven." 

Nor  can  this  blessed  hope  even  for  a  moment  be  ever  separated 
from,  but  rather  must  be  ever  identified,  with  "  repentance  toward 
God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.^''  Acts  xx.  21 — 
and  with  the  love  and  service  of  our  Heavenly  Master. 

What  a  blessed  truth,  then,  is  conveyed  in  these  words,  "  the 

WHOLE  FAMILY  IN  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH  !"       Oh  !    let  US  COUsidcr 

— are  we  brought  indeed,  through  faitli  in  Christ,  lo  belong  to  this 
glorious  family  ?  Is  God  our  Father?  If  so,  what  a  sure  inheri- 
tance !  what  great  security  and  blessing  to  belong  to  the  family 
of  the  Omniscient,  Omnipresent,  Omnipotent  Jehovah !  How 
are  we  called  on  to  trust  our  Father  !  to  believe  all  his  "  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises .'"  How  are  we  called  on  to  fear  our 
Father  with  a  holy  fear,  not  the  fear  of  a  slave  or  a  culprit,  but 
the  holy  fear  of  a  reconciled  and  adopted  child !  How  are  we 
called  on  to  love  our  Father,  Him  who  hath  "  so  loved  us,  as  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  297 

give  his  beloved  Son  to  die  for  iis  P''  How — this  ^'■brother  born  for 
adversity^''  our  Covenant  Head,  "  who  loved  us^  and  gave  himself 
for  us  /"  How  are  we  called  on  to  serve  our  Father !  Think, 
what  a  Father  he  hath  been  to  us  !  Oh,  what  a  Father  hath 
God  been  to  every  one  of  His  children  !  There  is  not  one  who  can 
look  to  Him  with  the  eye  of  faith,  as  their  Father  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  must  not  say,  "  Oh  what  a  Father  God  hath  been  to  me  ! 
what  a  sinful,  rebellious  child  I  have  been  !  But,  Ah  !  my  pa- 
tient, tender,  loving,  gracious  God  and  Father !  what  a  God  and 
Father  he  hath  been  to  me,!"  How  then  can  we  ever  sufficiently 
appreciate  those  words,  "  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 

EARTH  !" 

There  is  also  a  beautiful  mode  of  expression  adopted  here  by 
the  Apostle,  when  he  reminds  them  by  this  name,  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  God  to  whom  he  prays.  He  does  not  say,  "  I  bow  my 
knees  unto  God,"  but  "  Unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ" — as  much  as  to  remind  them  of  the  confidence  of 
his  access, — v.  12 — the  certainty  of  his  acceptance — ii.  13 — the 
power  of  His  intercession — Heb.  ix.  24,  and  the  assurance  of  the 
response  to  that  prayer — John  xiv.  13-14. 

Then  consider — what  is  this  prayer  for  the  family  on  earth  ? 
•'that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of 
his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit 
in  the  inner  man  ;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded 
in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints, 
what  is  the  length,  and  breadth,  and  depth,  and  height, 

AND  TO  KNOW  THE  LOVE  OF  ChRIST  WHICH  PASSETH  KNOWL- 
edge, that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of 
God." 

"That  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches 
OF  HIS  glory" — what  a  wondrous  prayer  that  is  !  that  is  the  true 
way  of  praying  to  God.  Look  at  the  measure  of  this  prayer  of 
the  Apostle — "  that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the 
RICHES  OF  his  GLORY !"  The  Apostle's  commission  was  "^o 
"preach  among  them  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,^^  and  the 
measure  of  his  prayer  for  them  is,  that  God  would  grant  them — 
not  according  to  their  poor  petitions — nor  according  to  their  weak 
faith — nor  according  to  their  narrow  views  of  God's  dealing  out 
his  mercy  and  compassion  to  sinners; — but  "that  he  would 
grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory."  It  is 
an  admitted  principle,  that  the  child  should  be  provided  for  ac- 
cording to  the  rank  of  the  parent.  A  peer  will  desire  that  all  the 
wants  of  his  child  should  be  supplied  according  to  the  rank  that 
he  is  to  fill  in  society.  A  king  will  take  care  that  his  sons  should 
be  brought  up  in  all  things  according  to  the  rank  of  princes,  suit- 
able to  the  station  they  are  to  hold  in  the  world ;  that  is,  not  with 
reference  to  their  individual  merit — person,  or  character — but  in 
reference  to  the  station  of  their  Father  as  king,  and  in  reference 
to  their  own  position,  as  his  sons  and  as  princes. 


298  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

So  it  is  the  will  of  the  King  of  kings,  that  His  children  shall  be 
provided  for  "according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory."  Recol- 
lect, this  is  not  a  prayer  which  the  Apostle  Paul  utters  from  his 
own  imagination  ;  remember,  this  is  a  prayer  inspired  of  the  Holy 
Ghost — recorded  for  our  instruction  in  the  blessed  word  of  the  liv- 
ing God  :  this  is  a  prayer,  an  inspired  prayer  of  that  blessed  Spirit, 
of  whom  the  Apostle  saith  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  ^^'Like- 
wise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities :  for  we  knoiv  not 
what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought :  but  the  ^Spirit  itself  mak- 
eth  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which  cannot  he  uttered. 
And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to 
tJte  will  of  Gody  Rom.  viii.  26,  27.  Remember,  that  every  prayer 
of  the  children  of  God  is  a  prayer  aided  by  that  blessed  Spirit. 
Consider  then  that  this  is  a  recorded  prayer  of  the  direct  plenary 
inspiration  of  that  Spirit.  It  is  He  who  teaches  the  Apostle  to 
pray,  that  the  King  of  kings  should  grant  unto  His  people,  "  ac- 
cording TO  THE  RICHES  OF  HIS  GLORY." 

But  then,  the  measure  which  the  King  of  kings  is  pleased  to 
grant  to  His  children  is  not  a  measure  of  earthly  pomp,  or  power, 
or  riches,  or  rank,  or  any  of  those  things  that  men  call  great,  and 
which  we  might  say  was  a  suitable  provision  for  the  children  of 
an  earthly  king ;  "  But  God  has  chosen  the  poor  of  this  ivorld 
rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom  which  he  hath  prom^ised 
to  the^n  tliat  love  him,^^  James  ii.  5,  and  the  provision  that  He 
makes  for  them  "  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,"  is 
a  spiritual  provision. 

Lazarus  was  provided  for  "according  to  the  riches  of  his 
GLORY,"  when  he  was  "  laid  at  the  rich  man's  gate,  full  of  sores, 
and  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich 
tnayi's  table :  moreover,  the  dogs  cam,e,  and  licked  his  sores." 
Luke  xvi.  20,  21.  We  know,  he  was  a  child  of  God,  "  he  was  car- 
ried by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  v.  22. 

The  poor  widow  was  provided  for,  "according  to  the  riches 
OF  HER  Father's  glory,  when  all  she  had  was  but  '■^  two  mites, 
which  make  a  farthing,"  "  eve7i  all  her  living,"  Mark  xii.  42  ;  but 
she  was  given,  "according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,"  a 
heart  to  cast  it  into  her  Lord's  treasury.  All  the  treasures  of  the 
rich  men  were  nothing  of  a  provision,  "  according  to  the  riches 
of  His  glory,"  compared  to  the  two  mites  of  that  poor  widow. 
Therefore,  remember,  that  the  great  provision  "according  to 
the  riches  of  His  glory,"  is  a  spiritual  provision  for  his  child- 
ren. Oh  !  look  to  this,  and  remember  that  since  the  Holy  Spirit 
inspired  this  prayer  to  the  Apostle  Paul,  whatever  we  are  given  to 
pray  for,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  we  are  entitled  to  pray  for 
it,   according  to  the  same  measure, — that  is,  that  "he  would 

GRANT  TO  us,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  RICHES  OF  HIS  GLORY."    What 

a  blessed  thought  is  this  for  poor  sinners  like  us  !  But  alas  !  how 
little  we  feel  this  as  we  ought !  When  we  go  to  prayer,  we  meas- 
ure our  petitions  according  to  our  own  contracted  thoughts.     We 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESlANri.  299 

are  looking  to  ourselves,  groaning  over  our  sins,  and  our  vile  hearts, 
and  the  troubles — -the  cares — the  spiritual  and  temporal  trials  that 
encompass  us — the  many  evils  within  and  without,  under  which 
^•iu  this  tabernacle  we  groan  being  bnrthencd  f  2  Cor.  v.  4 — our 
minds  and  hearts  are  turned  to  these  things,  and  we  forget — ^alas  ! 
how  we  forget ! — ^what  a  privilege  is  open  to  us,  of  coming  to  the 
King  of  kings,  believing  and  praying  that  for  all  our  wants,  He 
shall   make   provision,    "according    to    the    riches    of    his 

GLORY." 

Such  is  the  measure  of  this  prayer — now  what  is  the  subject  ? — 
"That  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of 

HIS  GLORY,  TO  BE   STRENGTHENED,  WITH   MIGHT  BY  HIS  SpIRIT 

IN  THE  INNER  MAN."  As  you  are  called  to  be  parts  of  a  spir- 
itual temple,  as  you  are  built  on  Christ  Jesus,  as  you  are  made 
members  of  the  household  of  God,  and  builded  together  in  Christ 
for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit.     So  He  prays  that 

you  may  be  '•  STRENGTHENED  WITH    MIGHT    BY  HIS  SpIRIT    IN 

THE  INNER  MAN."  If  wc  aie  indeed  built  in  Christ,  ^^for  an  hab- 
itation of  God  by  the  ^pirit^''  it  is  only  by  the  indwelling  power 
of  that  Spirit,  that  we  can  be  enabled  to  know — to  trust — to  love 
— or  serve  our  God.  There  is  nothing  good  in  us  by  nature,  in  us 
'•'■  dwelleth  no  good  thing ^' ^o\\\.  \'\\.  18;  "there  is  no  health  in 
us."  There  cannot  be  a  more  beautiful,  a  more  just  and  forcible 
expression,  than  that  in  our  most  scriptural  Confession, — "  there  is 
jio  health  in  us;"  therefore  '•'■  Kvery  good  gift^  and  every  perfect 
gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights  f^ 
James  i.  17,  and  it  is  by  the  in-pouring  of  the  Spirit — the  in-dwell- 
ing of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts  alone,  that  our  understanding  can 
be  enlightened — our  wills  subdued — our  affections  sanctified,  and 
drawn  from  the  creature  to  our  God ;  and  just  in  proportion  to  the 
Spirit's  in-dwelling,  and  the  Spirit's  abiding  power  over  us ; — just 
in  such  proportion  shall  we  understand — choose — love — and  walk 
in  the  ways  of  God. 

Now  consider  that  if  this  was  a  prayer,  an  inspired  prayer  for  the 
Ephesian  church,  it  is  an  inspired  prayer  for  us — if  they  wanted 
it,  we  want  it — if  it  was  a  blessing  for  them,  it  is  a  blessing  for  us. 
Consider  the  words  of  our  Lord,  in  that  gracious  encouragement 
to  prayer,  given  to  His  disciples ;  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  Luke  xi.  5th 
to  13th  verses,  "  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and  shall  go 
unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  nnto  him,  Friend,  lend  me  three 
loaves  ;  For  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is  come  to  vie,  and  I 
have  nothing  to  set  before  him  7  And  he  from  within  shall  an- 
siver  and  say,  Trouble  me  not ,  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my 
children  arc  with  me  in  bed ;  I  cannot  rise  and  give  thee.  I  say 
unto  you,  Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  his 
friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity  he  ivill  rise  and  give  him, 
as  many  as  he  needeth.  And  I  say  unto  you.  Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  given  you;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you.  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth  ;  a?id  he 
that  seeketh  findeth  ;  and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened. 


300  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father^  will 
he  give  him  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  for  a  fish  give 
him  a  serpent  7  Or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  offer  him,  a 
scorpion  7  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  Koiv  to  give  good  gifts 
unto  your  children  :  how  much  tnore  shall  your  heavenly  Father 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  :■?" 

What  promise  can  be  more  explicit — what  encouragement  more 
certain  ?  Let  us  remember  that  this  is  a  blessing,  for  which  we 
are  warranted,  unconditionally  to  pray.  It  is  not  permitted  us,  I 
think,  to  pray  unconditionally  for  temporal  blessings  ;  for  the  very 
concession  of  our  prayers,  as  we  have  before  observed — the  very 
granting  us  the  desires  of  our  hearts  might  be  our  ruin,  if  the 
Lord  gave  us  what  we  might  call  good.  We  know  not  what  tem- 
poral blessings  might  be  fit  for  us.  Every  mercy  of  time — all  the 
comforts  of  our  existence — health — the  greatest  of  earthly  bless- 
ings— even  life  itself  ought  to  be  asked  conditionally  from  God. — 
"  If  it  be  Thy  blessed  will"—"  If  Thou  seest  it  good."  But  as  for 
the  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  are  to  ask  it  unconditionally — it 
must  be  good,  it  must  be  a  blessing  which  we  want,  it  must  be  a 
gift  of  which  we  have  need,  and  we  see  it  is  fully,  graciously,  posi- 
tively, emphatically,  promised  in  this  passage.  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  commands  His  people  to  ask  it  urgently,  impor- 
tunately— and  so  the  Holy  Spirit  inspires  the  prayer  of  which  we 
have  been  speaking,  into  the  heart  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  re- 
cords it  for  our  learning,  that  we  should  ask  it  unconditionally, 
immeasurably — yea,  "according  to  the  riches  of  God's  glo- 
ry, THAT  HE  WOULD  GRANT  US,  TO  BE  STRENGTHENED  WITH 
MIGHT   BY  HIS  SpIRIT   IN  THE   INNER  MAN." 

Then,  think,  dear  friends,  how  encouraging  this  is  to  us  poor 
sinners — these  promises — these  records — this  inspiration — this  ex- 
ample— these  exhortations — these  commands.  We  shall  hereaf- 
ter consider  the  work  of  the  blessed  Spirit.  What  is  His  influ- 
ence— what.  His  mode  of  operation  on  a  sinner's  heart.  And  may 
the  Lord  grant,  "according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  that 

YOU  MAY  BE    STRENGTHENED    WITH    MIGHT  BY  HIS  SpIRIT    IN 

THE  INNER  MAN  !"     Amen. 


TWENTY-SEVENTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  III.— 17,  18,  19,  20,  21. 


"  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded 
in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge, 
that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that 
worketh  in  us,  unto  him  be  glory  in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages, 
world  without  end.     Amen." 

We  come  now  to  consider  this  prayer,  which,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, is  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  given  to  the  Apostle  to 
pour  out  at  the  footstool  of  the  throne  of  grace  for  his  Ephesian 
brethren. 

Recollect  the  glorious  measure,  according  to  which  he  is  in- 
spired to  ask  of  God,  that  is,  the  measure  of  "  the  riches  of  his 
gloiy"  And,  recollect,  the  blessing  which  the  Lord  is  thus  called 
upon  to  grant  to  His  people, — that  they  may  be  "  strengthened  with 
might   by  his  Spirit  in   the   inner   rnan,  that    Christ    may 

DWELL   IN  THEIR  HEARTS  BY  FAITH."       The  ApOStlc  here  shoWS, 

what  is  that  strength  which  the  Spirit  imparts  in  the  inner  man 
of  the  sinner — -namely,  the  abiding  testimony,  which  it  is  the  office 
of  the  Spirit  to  bear  in  his  soul  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  when  he  promised  the  Spirit  to  His  disciples, 
told  them  what  one  great  office  of  that  Spirit  should  be, — ■'■'■  He 
shall  glorify  me  :  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine^  and  shall  show  it 
unto  you  ;"  John  xvi.  14.  And  you  recollect  our  Lord  saith  to 
Nicodemus,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,^^ — "  except  a  man  be 
born  of  water  and  of  the  tSpirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God."  John  iii.  3,  5.  Now,  if  you  compare  1st  John  v.  1,  with 
this  testimony  of  our  Lord,  you  will  find  what  the  meaning  of  be- 
ing born  again  of  the  Spirit  is  :t— for  there  we  read,  '■  Whosoever 
believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God."  This  is  the 
spiritual  birth — the  believer  is  brought  thus  into  God's  family,  and 
this  spiritual  birth  or  regeneration  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit ;  and 
the  means  by  which  this  is  effected  are,  that  the  sinner  is  taught 
his  own  guilt,  helplessness,  and  misery,  and  is  enlightened  to  see 
Jesus  as  the  refuge  and  salvation  of  his  soul.  So  we  see,  Gal.  iii. 
26,  "Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God,  by  faith  in  Chj'ist  Jesus." 
See  also  John  i.  12,  13. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  understand  this,  that  you  may 
have  a  scriptural  view  of  the  influences  and  effects  of  the  Holy 


302  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Spirit.  I  believe  there  is  nothing  that  brings  behevers  more  fre- 
quently into  darkness  and  distress,  and  keeps  them  so,  than  look- 
ing for  some  vague,  undefined  operation  of  the  Spirit,  Avhich  they 
expect  is  to  be  wrought  in  their  hearts,  and  by  which  they  hope 
those  hearts  are  to  be  made  so  much  better,  that  they  will  be  de- 
livered or  purified,  if  not  altogether,  yet  in  a  great  measure,  from 
sin.  And  when  this  expected  work  of  the  Spirit  takes  place,  then, 
they  think,  they  may  begin  to  hope  well  of  themselves,  and  to 
hope  that  they  are  the  children  of  God ;  but  they  cannot  indulge 
this  hope,  while  they  feel  a  power  and  indwelling  of  sin  within, 
from  which  they  think  it  is  the  peculiar  office  of  the  Spirit  to  pu- 
rify them. 

Now,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  judge  of  believers,  whom  I 
have  seen  bound  in  darkness  of  spirit,  I  think  there  is  nothing 
that  keeps  them  more  suffering  in  that  darkness,  than  this  un- 
scriptural  view  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit.  They  are  looking  for 
some  change  they  know  not  how — for  some  undefined  improve- 
ment, they  cannot  exactly  tell  what  it  is — but  it  is  some  sanctify- 
ing change  which  they  expect  to  feel ;  and  until  they  feel  this, 
they  cannot  suppose  they  are  entitled  to  consider  themselves  chil- 
dren of  God. 

Now  the  testimony  of  Scripture  is  "  Whosoever  helieveth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God,^^  1st  John  v.  1,  for,  as  the 
Apostle  testifies  in  1st  Cor.  xii.  3,  "  No  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is 
the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.'''' 

When  the  soul,  then,  is  enabled  to  know  Jesus  as  its  peace, 
(Chap.  ii.  13,  14),  when  the  soul  has  fled  to  Jesus  as  its  refuge, 
and  is  leaning  on  Him  as  its  hope ; — that  soul  is  born  of  God. 
True  it  is  indeed,  that  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  are 
ever  to  be  looked  for  by  the  believer — ever  to  be  prayed  for,  to  en- 
able him  "^0  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God^'^ — to  serve  and  glorify 
his  heavenly  Master ;  yet  as  certainly  as  it  is  by  being  brought  to 
Jesus  by  the  Spirit,  that  he  is  born  of  God— so  it  is  b)^  being  kept 
in  the  faith  and  love  of  Jesus,  that  all  the  sanctifying  influences 
of  the  Spirit  are  produced.  Therefore  when  the  Apostle  here 
prays,  "  That  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  7'iches  of  his 
glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner 
man,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  heart  by  faith," 
he  does  not  pray  for  two  distinct  gifts  or  blessings  for  the  Ephe- 
sians. 

First  that  they  "  may  be  strengthened  tcith  might  by  the  Spirit 
in  the  inner  manP 

And  secondly,  "  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  their  hearts  by 
faith^''  &c. 

No,  it  is  one  and  the  same  petition,  but  the  latter  part  is  explan- 
atory of  the  former.  He  shows  how  strengtli  is  given  to  the  heart 
by  the  Spirit — namely,  by  the  indwelling  of  Christ  in  the  heart  by 
faith.  Subjoin  that  word — "  namely''''  to  the  16th  verse,  and  this 
shows  the  Apostle's  meaning,  as  I  trust  we  shall  see. 

Let  us  turn  to  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  ch.  xv.,  to  that  consolatory 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  303 

address  of  our  blessed  Lord  to  His  disciples— observe  what  he 
says  in  the  4th  verse  of  tliis  chapter,  "  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you, 
as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the 
vitie,  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me."  The  branch  by 
abiding  in  the  vine  is  supported  by  it  alone — derives  its  life,  its 
verdure,  its  fruit,  its  beauty,  its  all,  alone  from  the  stem  ;  and  if  dis- 
severed from  the  stem,  that  all  is  gone.  The  believer  derives  his 
life,  his  spiritual  existence,  his  fruit,  his  all,  from  abiding  in  Christ ; 
severed  from  Christ,  he  is  withered — dead — only  lit  for  fuel  for  the 
fire.  So  saith  our  Lord.  "  If  a  jnan  abide  not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth 
as  a  branch,  and  men  gather  them,  and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and 
they  are  burnedJ^  v.  6.  The  Apostle  saith,  Col.  iii.  3,  "  Your  life 
is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  When  Christ,  uiho  is  our  life  shall 
appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory ^  Therefore 
the  whole  life  of  a  believer  is  derived  from  his  abiding  in  Christ. 
Since  then  our  Lord  saith  "  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you,"  the  ques- 
tion is — how  does  the  believer  abide  in  Christ?  and  how  does 
Christ  abide  in  the  believer  ?  You  have  that  explained  in  this 
prayer,  "that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith, 

THAT  YE,  BEING  ROOTED  AND  GROUNDED  IN  LOVE,  MAY  BE 
ABLE  TO  COMPREHEND  WITH  ALL  SAINTS,  WHAT  IS  THE 
BREADTH,  AND  LENGTH,  AND  DEPTH,  AND  HEIGHT,  AND  TO 
KNOW  THE  LOVE  OF  ChRIST,  WHICH  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE, 
THAT  YE  MIGHT  BE  FILLED    WITH    ALL  THE  FULNESS  OF   GoD." 

Let  us  now  consider  the  idea  of  "  Christ  dwelling  in  the 
HEART."  Before  he  can  divell  in  the  heart,  he  must  be  in  the 
heart.  Now,  Christ  being  in  the  heart,  means  simply  this,  that 
the  understanding  has  been  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to 
see  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  Jesus  as  all  its  righteousness 
and  its  justification — that  the  will  has  been  brought  by  the  same 
Spirit  to  receive  and  embrace  Christ  as  all  its  confidence — that  the 
affections  have  therefore  been  drawn  to  love  Christ,  and  to  cling 
to  Christ  as  all  the  hope  and  salvation  of  the  soul.  Therefore, 
Christ  dwelling  in  the  heart  means,  that  the  idea  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  kept  present  in  the  heart,  as  its  Peace, — its  Hope, 
— its  Refuge, — its  Joy, — its  Life, — its  All.  And  whereas,  whenever 
the  mind  is  enlightened  to  know  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  law, 
there  is  in  the  heart  a  continual  consciousness  of  sin,  self-conviction 
and  self-condemnation  before  God — a  continual  consciousnes,  that 
if  God  were  to  deal  with  us  after  our  sins,  we  must  perish  and  be 
cast  away.  So  there  is,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  heart,  testify- 
ing of  Christ  and  His  great  salvation,  a  continual  refuge  in  Christ 
from  all  these  evils.  Thus,  as  the  Apostle  saith  in  the  Hebrews, 
the  heart  is  "  sprinkled  from,  an  evil  conscience.''''  When  the 
charges  of  the  law  are  brought  against  the  heart,  and  our  con- 
science accuses  us  of  sin ;  the  Spirit  testifies  of  Jesus,  as  in  the 
10th  chapter  of  Romans,  that  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  lato  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth."  He  testifies  that  "  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  ns  from  all  sin,"  1st  John,  i.  7 ; 
therefore  the  heart  flies  from  its  own  self-accusations — its  fears — 


304  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

apprehensions — convictions — terrors  of  God — of  death—  of  judg- 
ment— of  hell — it  flies  from  all  to  Jesus — He  is  the  first  thought 
that  is  ever  present  for  its  relief. 

As  a  man  subject  to  attacks  of  a  dangerous  disease,  who  has 
perfect  confidence  in  a  certain  physician,  of  whose  skill  he  has 
often  experienced  the  benefit — He  has  been  often  attacked — often 
apprehensive  of  death ;  this  physician  has  come — prescribed  for  him 
a  certain  remedy — he  has  been  relieved,  and  restored  to  health. 
He  is  attacked  again  with  the  same  disease — he  immediately  re- 
curs to  this  physician  for  this  remedy — his  heart  turns  to  him — 
his  hope  is  fixed  on  him — he  sends  for  this  man — he  confides  in 
him — he  believes  that  he  will  again  restore  him  by  the  same  means. 
So  the  heart,  conscious  of  sin,  having  been  enabled,  through 
grace,  to  look  to  Christ, — having  experienced  the  healing  efiicacy 
of  Immanuel's  precious  blood — trusts  His  love — His  faithfulness — 
His  truth  and  power  ; — turns  to  Him — looks  to  Him — leans  on 
Him — rests  on  this  Great  Physician, — reposes  on  Jesus  for  pardon 
and  peace.  Therefore  Christ  dwells  in  this  heart ;  because  the 
heart,  in  its  want,  its  continual  necessity  and  grief,  turns  to  Christ, 
and  confides  in  Him  with  all  its  affections  and  desires,  as  its  hope, 
its  refuge — its  salvation.  This  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
It  is  for  this  the  Apostle  prays  in  these  words,  "that  Christ 

MAY    DWELL     IN    YOUR  HEARTS    BY  FAITH."       And  WC  shall    find 

that,  when  our  consciences  are  distressed  on  account  of  the  evil  of 
indwelling  sin,  it  is  because  Jesus  is  not  dwelling  in  our  hearts  by 
faith.  If  we  are  not  delivered  from  the  apprehensions  which  re- 
sult from  sin,  and  brought  to  trust,  to  love,  and  rejoice  in  our 
glorious  Master  in  liberty ;  we  shall  find,  by  experience,  that  it  is, 
because,  either  the  heart  is  not  trusting  in  Christ,  in  the  exercise 
of  faith  ;  or  is  turning  after  some  earthly  pursuits, — earthly  idols — 
earthly  vanities  ;  so  that  they  are  occupying  the  place  that  Jesus 
ought  to  hold  in  the  heart  and  affections ;  in  this  state,  darkness, 
doubt,  and  sorrow,  must  necessarily  oppiess  the  believer.  "  If  our 
heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our  heart  and  knoweth 
all  thingsP  1st  John  iii.  20.  But  if  it  is  looking  away  from 
these  to  Christ,  and  is  still  cast  down — then  it  is  not  looking  to 
Him  in  the  fulness  of  His  glorious  character,  in  which  He  is  set 
forth  in  the  Word  of  God.  It  has  some  doubts  or  apprehensions, 
either  of  his  want  of  power  to  heal  it,  or  of  the  full  and  complete 
efficacy  of  His  blood, — or  it  is  apprehensive  that  these  particular 
sins  that  are  afflicting  and  distressing  it,  are  so  great  in  number  or 
degree,  that  it  is  not  sufficiently  warranted  to  trust  in  Christ, — 
that  is,  it  is  doubting  the  glorious  completeness  and  fulness  of 
Christ.  Because,  whenever  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  dwells  in  the 
heart  by  faith,  whenever  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  really  leaned 
upon,  trusted — confided  in,  as  a  full  and  all-sufficient  Saviour  for 
our  souls,  then,  the  heart  is  strengthened,  we  are  enabled  to  go  on 
our  way  rejoicing.  Therefore,  the  Apostle  prays,  that  this  work 
of  the  Spirit,  namely — strength,  through  Jesus,  dwelling  in  the 
heart  by  faith,  may  be  wrought  in  his  Ephesian  brethren. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  305 

Our  liOrd  saith,  Rev.  iii.  20.  '•  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock  ;  if  any  tnan  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come 
ifi  to  him,  and  toill  snp  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  Like  a 
friend  coming  in  to  us,  and  sitting  down  with  us  at  oar  table,  and 
cheering  us  Avith  his  presence, — ^with  his  conversation, — his  love, — 
his  affection, — his  faithfulness  ; — so  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  comes 
into  the  heart  of  him  who  opens  his  heart.  He  knocks  at  the 
sinner's  heart, — He  knocks  now  at  your  heart, — at  my  heart, — He 
is  knocking  at  our  hearts  this  moment  by  His  word, — by  the  testi- 
mony of  his  blessed  truth.  He  saith,  "  Open  the  door, — take  me 
in, — I  will  come  in  and  sup  with  you. — I  will  come  into  your  heart 
and  cheer  and  refresh  you  by  my  presence,  as  your  Saviour, — your 
Lord."  So  the  disciples  whom  he  joined  on  the  way  to  Emmaus, 
said,  "  Did  not  our  Itearts  burn  within  ns,  ichen  he  talked  with  us 
by  the  way,  and  opened  unto  us  the  Scriptures.''''  Luke  xxiv.  32. 
Thus  the  Lord  Jesus  enters  into  the  heart  by  faith,  and  the  heart 
through  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  opening  the  door  of  its  will  and 
affections  to  receive  the  blessed  Guest,  in  His  Scriptural  character, 
as  an  all-sufficient  and  adorable  Saviour,  rejoiceth  in  the  strength 
of  His  sah'ation. 

So  the  Apostle  prays,  "that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
HEARTS  BY  FAITH  ;"  "  I tcHl  dwcll  in  them  and  tvalk  m  them?' 
this  is  his  covenant,  •'  /  ir'ill  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them,." 
How  dwell  in  them?  By  faith — by  the  Spirit  continually  tes- 
tifying of  Jesus  to  their  heart,  and  making  their  heart  look  to  Him. 
and  lean  on  Him. — to  "  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  con- 
fidence in  the  fiesh.''    Phil.  iii.  3. 

And  now,  the  great  subject  of  this  inspired  prayer  is  vitally 
necessary  to  every  one  of  us,  viz. : — "  That  Christ  may  dwell 
IN  OUR  hearts,  by  FAITH."  We  kuow  what  it  is  to  have  be- 
loved objects  dwelling  in  our  heart — their  image  will  be  present  to 
us — we  will  be  always  thinking  of  them.  If  we  were  in  distress 
or  difficulty,  and  we  kneAV  one  who  could,  and  would  relieve  us, 
our  hearts  w^ould  turn  to  him — if  he  were  absent,  we  would  say, 
"  If  thou  wert  with  me,  or  I  with  thee,  I  should  be  delivered  from, 
this  distress."  Tiie  poor  culprit,  in  prison,  and  under  sentence  of 
death,  if  he  thinks  there  is  a  friend  who  would  have  interest  and 
inclination  to  obtain  his  pardon ; — all  his  thoughts  are  dwelling 
on  that  person — his  expectations — his  anxieties — his  affections,  are 
turned  to  him— he  thinks  of  nothing  else — his  heart  turns  to  none 
other  upon  earth  but  him.  So  the  soul,  when  enabled  to  know 
Jesus  as  its  Hope  and  Refuge,  turns  to  Him — looks  to  Him — leans 
on  Him.  So  you  remember  what  Mary  and  Martha  said.  First, 
one  meets  the  Lord  Jesus — then  the  other  meets  Him  ;  and  the 
first  word  that  bursts  from  the  lips  of  each  is,  "  Lord,  if  thou 
hadst  bee?i  here,  my  brother  had  not  died."  John,  xi.  21,  38.  So 
they  were  looking  to  Jesus — they  were  loving  Him — leaning  on 
Him — and  they  knew,  if  Christ  had  been  there,  their  brother  had 
not  died.  Now,  it  is  the  privilege  of  the  believer  to  know,  that 
Christ  is  always  here  ;  we  need  never  say,  "  If  thou  hadst  been 

20 


306  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

here,"  for  He  is  always  present  to  His  people  that  are  looking  to 
Him ;  therefore  the  Apostle  prays,  "  That  Christ  may  dwell 
IN  YOUR  HEARTS  BY  FAITH," — that  He  iiiay  be  always  present 
in  their  hearts ;  as  David  says,  "  God  is  oar  refuge  and  strength, 
a  very  present  help  in  trouble  ;  therefore  will  ive  not  fearP  Ps. 
xlvi.  1,  2.  What  a  wonderful  blessing  to  have  Christ  dwelling  in 
the  heart !  Oh,  that  we  migiit  be  able  to  enjoy  this  blessing  con- 
tinually !  This  is  to  be  "  strengthened  with  niigJit^  by  the  Spit'it 
in  the  inner  tnan."  For  the  way  by  which  the  Spirit  imparts  His 
strength  is  by  testifying  of  Jesus — of  His  love — His  faithfulness — 
His  power — His  blood — and  righteousness — to  the  soul,  as  its  con- 
tinual refuge  and  comfort ;  and  thus  having  Jesus  dwelling  in  the 
lieart. 

We  see  an  eminent  example  of  this  in  the  Apostles.  When  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  taken  from  them,  they  did  not  either  appre- 
ciate or  understand  the  blessing  or  the  meaning  of  the  work  of  His 
.salvation.  As  far  as  the  Lord's  bodily  presence  could  attach  them, 
they  were  attached  to  Him.  They  had  been  with  Him, — walking 
with  him, — conversing  with  Him, — hearing  and  seeing  His  mira- 
cles, partaking  of  His  favor,  and  rejoicing  in  His  presence,  so  that 
as  far  as  His  personal  association,  communion,  friendship,  and 
love,  considered  merely  in  reference  to  His  character  as  a  man, 
could  attach  them  to  Him  they  were  attached,  yet.  when  He  was 
taken  from  them  and  crucified,  "  they  all  forsook  him  and  fled ;" 
they  did  not,  at  that  time  know  the  work  of  Christ ;  they  knew 
he  was  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  but  wiiat  He  was  to  do  for  them, 
or  how  their  guilt  was  to  be  removed,  or  how  their  souls  were  to 
be  comforted — how  they  could  rest  on  Him,  or  trust  in  Him,  or 
lean  on  Him,  or  rejoice  in  Him  they  did  not  know  :  and  you  recol- 
lect what  the  two  disciples  said  to  Him  on  the  way  to  Emmaus — 
having  mentioned  the  circumstances  that  had  happened  at  Jeru- 
salem in  His  crucifixion,  "  we  trusted  it  had  been  he  who  should 
have  redeemed  Israel ;"  Luke  xxiv.  21,  as  much  as  to  say,  we 
know  it  is  not  He,  because  He  was  taken  and  crucified.  In  igno- 
rance of  this — weak  and  without  strength,  "  all  the  disciples  for- 
sook him  andfledy  Matt.  xxvi.  56.  Peter,  after  all  his  declara- 
tions and  professions,  was,  as  you  know,  overcome  with  terror,— 
you  know  how  the  words  of  a  servant  girl  made  him  deny  his 
Master,  and  declare  with  an  oath,  "Ae  did  not  know  the  manP 

Now  look  at  this  same  Apostle,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  was  sent 
down  from  heaven  according  to  the  Lord's  promise  to  the  disci- 
ples :  when  that  Holy  Spirit  testified  of  Jesus  to  them,  when  their 
eyes  were  opened  to  see  the  glorious  work  wrought  on  Calvary  by 
their  crucified  Redeemer,  and  when  that  Blessed  Spirit  enabled 
them  to  know  the  glory  of  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified^''  and 
to  understand  the  full  meaning  of  this  glorious  commission,  "  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  mns  should  be  preached  i?i  his  name 
among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusale^n^''  Luke  xxiv.  47,  and 
when  Christ  was  brought  into  their  hearts  by  faith,  as  a  refuge 
for  their  own  souls  ;  then  mark  how  they  were  "  strengthened 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  307 

with  might  hy  the  Spirit  in  the  iniier  'ma?i" — see  what  they  did. 
— "  Behold  Peter  standing  up  with  the  eleven^  and  lifting  up 
his  voice."  Acts  ii.  14 — that  same  Peter  who  had  trembled  and  de- 
nied with  an  oath  the  accusation  of  a  servant  girl  that  he  had 
been  with  Jesus — behold  him  standing  up  boldly  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost  in  the  midst  of  all  the  Jews,  and  charging  them  with 
their  guilt ;  that  they  had  crucified  and  slain  this  Jesus,  the  Lord 
of  life  !  Behold  Peter  and  John,  standing  out  boldly  in  spite  of  all 
the  Chief  Priests  and  Pharisees,  and  preaching  in  the  name  of 
Christ — going  from  prison  to  the  temple  to  testify  of  His  salva- 
tion. 

What  made  them  do  so  ?  They  were  "  strengthened  with 
mighty  by  his  iSpirit,  in  the  inner  tnan  ;"  and  that  strength  was 
proved  by  this,  "  That  Christ  dwelt  in  their  hearts,  by 
Faith."  They  were  enabled  to  turn  to  Him  themselves,  as  their 
Saviour,  and  the  Refuge  of  their  souls — they  knew  their  guilt  was 
pardoned — that  the  blood  of  Christ  blotted  out  all  their  sins — and 
they  testified  of  that  great  salvation  to  all  the  people.  They  were 
^'•strengthened  with  might,"  by  the  Spirit  showing  to  their  hearts 
the  fulness  of  the  salvation  of  Christ ;  and  the  inspiration  of  that 
same  Spirit  taught  them  therefore  to  testify  of  Jesus,  from  the 
abundance  of  their  hearts,  to  others ;  and  so  they  went  into  the 
world,  preaching  the  everlasting  Gospel  of  Christ,  in  the  face  of 
power,  persecution,  and  death.  It  was  their  own  joyful  assurance 
that  their  guilt  was  pardoned  by  the  atoning  blood  of  the  Lamb 
of  God,  taught  to  their  heart  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  whose 
office  it  is  to  reveal  the  character  and  work  of  Christ  to  the  sinner, 
as  it  is  written  here — It  is  by  faith — and  faith  alone — that  the 
Apostles  themselves,  or  that  any  sinners  could  be  strengthened 
with  might,  under  any  circumstances  in  the  world.  It  is  by  this 
alone  we  can  be  strengthened  to  bear  up  under  all  our  trials,  what- 
ever they  may  be.  It  is  this  alone  that  bears  the  Christian  up 
against  inward,  as  well  as  outward  conflicts.  How  it  bore  up  the 
Church  against  outward  persecutions — led  the  martyrs  to  the 
stake,  and  cheered  them  in  the  furnace  !  It  is  this  alone  that  can 
bear  us  up  under  trials  and  conflicts  not  less  perilous  ; — rather,  I 
might  say,  more  perilous — more  difficult — that  gives  us  strength 
against  "  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil," — the  temptations  that 
surround  us — earthly  thoughts,  feelings,  affections — sins  that  are 
within  us — that  are  continually  drawing  us  away  from  Christ — 
continually  setting  up  idols  and  vanities  in  the  heart,  instead  of 
Christ.  Nothing  but  the  faith  of  Christ — the  indwelhng  of  Christ 
by  the  Spirit  of  God — nothing  but  this,  can  enable  us  to  carry  on 
our  warfare  against  these. 

Therefore,  when  the  Apostle  prays,  "  that  Christ  may  dwell 
IN  YOUR  heart  by  FAITH  ;"  think  what  he  prays  for  !  think 
what  it  is  to  have  Jesus  dwelling  in  our  hearts  !  our  hearts  con- 
tinually turning  to  him  !  so  that  wherever  we  roam  in  all  the 
wilderness,  we  may  say,  in  the  language  of  the  Poet. 


308  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"  Where'er  I  roam,  whatever  reahiis  I  see, 
My  heart  untravelled,  fondly  turns  to  thee — 
Still  to  my  brother  turns  ! — " 

A  Brother  "  horn  for  adversiiy,''  a  "  Friend  that  stlcketh  closer 
than  a  hrother^^  a  Saviour — a  God — whose  covenant  promise  is, 
•'I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee"'  Oh,  what  a  privilege 
it  is  to  have  such  a  Saviour  dwelhng  in  the  heart ! 

We  shall  all  know,  by  sad  experience,  that  everything  in  this 
poor  world  is  passing  away.  But  Christ,  is  an  enduring  Treas- 
ure. The  more  our  hearts  turn  to  any  one,  or  anything  in  this 
world  except  Christ,  the  greater  trial  we  shall  feel  in  that  very 
thing  ;  for  all  things  are  vanity,  all  are  shadows  ; — there  is  noth- 
ing substantial  for  the  heart  to  lean  on  but  Christ ;  when  there- 
fore,  the  Apostle  prays  for  his  brethren,   '-that  Christ  may 

DWELL  IN  YOUR  HEART  BY  FAITH,  THAT  YE  BEING  ROOTED 
AND  GROUNDED  IN  LOVE,  MAY  BE  ABLE  TO  COMPREHEND  M^TH 
ALL  SAINTS,  WHAT  IS  THE  BREADTH  AND  LENGTH,  AND  DEPTH 
AND  HEIGHT,  AND  TO  KNOW  THE  LOVE  OF  ChRIST,  WHICH  PASS- 
ETH    KNOWLEDGE,  THAT    YE   MIGHT   BE  FILLED  WITH     ALL    THE 

FULNESS  OF  GoD."  He  prays  for  all  blessings  for  them  in  time 
and  eternity  ;  for  "  in  Christ  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knmvledge^''  •'■in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head, bodily,  and  ye  are  complete  in  him."     Col.  ii.  3,  9,  10. 

"  That  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love."  He 
uses  here  the  image  of  a  tree,  which  shoots  forth  its  roots,  and  all 
their  fibres  into  the  soil  in  which  it  is  planted,  and  takes  fast  hold 
by  these  roots  and  fibres,  and  is  maintained  in  its  position  by  the 
hold  that  these  have  in  the  ground.  So,  he  prays,  "  That  ye 
being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,"  that  is — that  your 
hearts  may  spread  forth,  as  it  were,  all  the  fibres  of  their  affec- 
tions, and  take  root,  as  a  tree  in  the  ground,  in  the  love  of  Christ. 
Although  it  is  true,  that  faith  worketh  by  love,  and  that  love  is 
the  great  principle  which  faith  produces  in  tJie  sinner's  heart, — 
and  that  from  that  love,  all  acceptable  obedience  alone  can  spring ; 
it  is  not  this  love,  I  think,  which  is  spoken  of  here.  I  do  not  con- 
ceive St.  Paul  to  mean, — being  rooted  and  grounded  in  your  own 
love — for  independent  of  the  incorrectness  of  the  figure  that  a  tree 
could  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  itself — the  love  that  exists  in  our 
warmest  affections  would  be  a  poor  ground  of  strength  to  the  be- 
liever. No — it  means  "  that  ye  being;  rooted  and  grounded" 
in  the  love  of  God  towards  you :  it  appears  to  me  to  be  a  parallel 
with  Rom,  v.  5,  where  the  Apostle  says,  "//ope  maketh  not 
asham,ed,  because  the  love  of  God  is  sited  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  tmto  us.''^*     It  is  the  office  of  the 

*  The  first  time  I  ever  knew  the  meaning  of  Rom.  v.  5,  it  was  conveyed  to  me  under 
circumstances  which  I  can  never  forget.  I  was  called  many  years  ago  when  but  a 
short  time  in  the  Ministry,  to  visit  a  poor  creature  dying  of  a  fever. 

It  was  a  hovel  on  a  mountain  side  in  the  county  of  Wicklow.  The  door  leadLn;; 
from  the  miserable  chamber  to  the  kitchen  (the  only  other  room  in  the  habitation,)  was 
built  up  to  prevent  infection,  and  the  only  entrance  was  through  a  window  about  a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  309 

Holy  Ghost,  as  I  mentioned,  to  reveal  Christ;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  reveals  the  love  of  Christ ;— so  he  saith,  "  because  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  lohich  is 
given  unto  ?/5."  Then,  observe,  how  that  love  is  exhibited.  ''For. 
iDhen  ipe  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time,  Christ  died  for 
the  ungodly ;  for  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die,  yet. 
peradventure,  for  a  good  man  some  ivould  even  dare  to  die,  but 
God  commendeth  his  love  toivards  us,  in  that  while  loe  ivere  yet 
sinners,  Christ  died  for  usP  Rom.  v.  6,  7,  8.  This  is  that  love,  of 
which,  I  think,  the  Apostle  speaks  in  this  passage,  "  ye  being 
ROOTED  AND  GROUNDED  IN  LOVE," — having  fuU  Confidence  by 
the  Spirit  in  the  love  of  the  Lord,  having  your  hearts  established 
in  the  riches  of  His  grace  and  love,  spreading  out,  as  it  were,  all 
the  roots  and  fibres  of  your  affections  into  the  vast  field  of  the  love 
of  God— the  love  of  the  Father  in  giving  the  Son— and  of  the  Son 
in  coming  on  such  a  mission  of  love  and  mercy — trusting  and  con- 
fiding in  Him  in  every  office  of  His  love,  as  a  Prophet,  as  a  Priest, 
as  a'king.  See  how  He  has  taught  us— see  how  He  has  borne 
with  our  manners — our  ignorance — our  stupidity  !     See  how  He 


foot  and  a  half  square,  out  of  which  the  frame  had  been  taken  for  that  purpose, 
the  corner  of  that  wretched  apartment  on  some  straw  lay  a  young  man  of  21  dyiii 


In 

_  .  .      ,        .  .-ing' 

but  in  the  fullest  possession  of  his  faculties.  A  few  moments'  conversation  convinced 
me  that  I  was  there,  not  to  teach,  but  to  learn,  in  witnessing  the  triumph  of  a  believer 
over  sin,  death,  and  hell. 

The  young  man  was  rejoicing  in  Christ,  and  as  a  passage  of  Scripture  which  seemed 
appropriate  to  his  state  of  mind,  I  opened  the  5th  of  Romans,  and  began  to  read  it, 
applying  each  successive  sentence  to  the  young  man,  as  according  with  his  experi- 
tnce,  to  which  he  gave  a  most  cordial  response.  When  I  reached  the  5th  verse  I  said. 
"  Now  you  feel  how  true  this  is — you  have  that  blessed  hope  which  maketh  not 
ashamed,  for  you  feel  such  love  to  God  shed  abroad  in  your  heart,  that  it  must  be  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  which  is  given  to  you." 

"  Ah,  Sir,"  said  he,  '•  that  is  not  the  meaning  of  that  text  at  all." 
"  What !"  said  I,  "  not  the  meaning  !"  and  I  looked  at  the  verse  again,  never  having 
thought  that  any  other  could   be  attached  to  it — '  what  meaning,  then,  do  you  give 
to  it  V' 

"  Ah,  Sir,"  he  replied,  "  it  would  be  a  poor  hope  I  should  have,  if  it  was  derived 
from  any  love  I  feel  to  God.  When  I  think  of  what  He  has  done  for  me,  and  how  I 
oucrht  to  love  Him.  I  feel  so  cold  and  dead  compared  to  what  my  love  ought  to  be,  that 
I  would  be  in  despair,  instead  of  having  a  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed,  if  my  love 
to  Him  was  to  be  the  ground  of  my  hope.  No,  Sir,  it  is  God's  love  to  us  poor  sinners, 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  sheds  abroad  in  our  hearts,  and  it  is  that  gives  us  the  hope  that 
maketh  not  ashamed.     Read  on,  Sir,  and  you  will  see  it  is." 

I  read  on,  and  the  next  three  verses  convinced  me  at  once,  that  he  was  right — and 
that  I  had  taken  an  erroneous  view  of  the  text — which  of  course  I  immediately  ac- 
knowledged, and  never  can  I  tbrget  either  the  Comment  or  the  Commentator,  both  may 
well  serve  to  illustrate  this  passage. 

That  poor  youth  had,  not  many  months  before,  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  Gospel  through  the  means  of  my  lecturing  in  the  cottages  in  that,  a  distant  dis- 
trict of  the  parish.  Too  poor,  too  old,  and  too  much  engaged  in  labor  to  go  to  school, 
he  had  learned  from  a  young  companion  to  read,  in  the  evenings  when  his  work  was 
over,  that  he  might  read  that  book  which  had  revealed  a  Saviour  to  his  soul.  He  had 
read — and  had  been  taught  by  Him  who  can  teach  not  as  man  teacheth.  I  had  not 
known  him — I  had  not  to  my  knowledge  seen  him  before,  though  God  had  taught  him 
under  my  ministry.  I  saw  him  but  once  again — the  next  day — entering  into  "  the  val- 
ley of  the  shadow  of  death,"  and  fearing  no  evil.  That  night  or  next  morning  he  en- 
tered into  his  rest.  His  name  was  never  printed  in  this  world  before,  but  as  certainly 
as  it  is  recorded  here,  so  surely  in  "  the  Lamb's  book  of  life"  is  written  the  name  of 
Charles  Armstrong. — Ed. 


310  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

has  died  for  us  ;  how  He  has  carried  in  His  precious  blood  into  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  "  there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.^^ 
Behold  how  "  he  ever  liveth  to  Tnake  intercession  for  usP  See, 
how,  as  a  King,  He  has  watched  over  us — led  us — kept  us — pre- 
served us  from  evil — guarded  us  from  dangers — guided  us  through 
difficulties  and  perplexities.  We  can  raise  our  Ebenezer  here  and 
say,  " hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  its,^'  and  is  this  not  a  vast 
field  of  wondrous  love  in  which  our  hearts  may  be  "  rooted  and 
grounded"  forever. 

"  That  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may 
be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints,  what  is  the 
breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height,  and  to 
KNOW  THE  LOVE  OF  Christ."  Tliis  passage  proves,  that  it  is  of 
the  love  of  Christ  the  Apostle  is  speaking.  It  is  by  tasting  that 
the  Lord  is  gracious — by  having  the  heart  taught  to  know  and 
trust  in  His  love,  that  an  experimental  knowledge  and  comprehen- 
sion of  its  nature  alone  can  be  acquired.  It  is  thus  alone  His 
saints  can  learn  to  comprehend  '•  the  breadth,  and  length, 

AND  DEPTH,   AND  HEICiHT." 

They  learn  how  vast  its  breadth — that  it  is  spread  over  the  Vol- 
ume of  eternal  life  through  every  promise,  from  that  of  the  Seed 
to  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  to  the  invitation  to  drink  of  the 
waters  of  life  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse. 

They  know  how  immeasurable  is  that  love,  which  is  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting.  "  The  tnercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  ever- 
lasting- to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear  himJ^  Psal.  ciii.  17. 
''  Yea,  I  have  loved  thee"  saitb  He,  "  with  an  everlasting  love, 
therefore  ivith  loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  theeP  Jer.  xxxi.  3. 
So  our  Lord  '■'•Having  loved  his  oivn  which  ivcre  in  the  ivorld,  he 
loved  them  unto  the  end."  John  xiii.  1.  "  For  he  hath  said,  I  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee."  Heb.  xiii.  5. 

They  understand  how  unfathomable  are  the  depths  of  that  love, 
which  can  stoop  to  the  lowest  abysses  of  human  guilt  and  misery, 
and  raise  up  the  sinner  from  the  very  gates  of  perdition  to  ever- 
lasting life.  "  He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth 
up  the  beggar  from  the  dunghill,  to  set  them  among  princes,  and 
to  make  them  inherit  the  throne  of  glory,  for  the  pillars  of  the 
earth  are  the  Lord''s,  and  he  hath  set  the  world  upon  them." — 
1  Sam.  ii.  8.  "  Though  ye  have  lien  among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be 
as  the  ivings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with 
yellow  gold."  Ps.  Ixviii.  13. 

They  learn  the  height  of  it — that  it  reaches  to  the  veiy  throne 
of  God,  and  bringeth  those  who  were  afar  off,  nigh  to  "  the  High 
and  Lofty  one,  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy." 
Isa.  Ivii.  15.  It  taketh  those  who  "  have  come  out  of  great  tribu- 
lation, and  have  ivashed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb"  and  carrieth  them  up,  even  '••before  the  throne 
of  God,  to  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple."  Rev.  vii.  14, 
15.  "  I  go,"  saith  he  to  his  disciples,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you^  and  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  311 

and  receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  he 
also.''''  Joliii  xiv.  2,  3.  "  To  him  that  overcomcth  will  I  grant  to  sit 
with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame  and  arn  set  down 
with  my  Father  in  his  throne.''''     Rev.  iii.  21. 

The  Saints  can  comprehend  the  nature, — the  faithfuhiess, — the 
truth, — the  certainty, — and  security  of  these  promises,  these  deeds 
and  gifts  of  love.  But  who  can  scan  their  glory  ?  Who  can  ever 
measure  this  "breadth  and  length,  and  depth  and  height?" 
Therefore,  the  Apostle  adds,  "and  to  know  the  love  of 
Christ  which  passeth  knowledge"^ — as  much  as  to  say,  after 
all  you  have  heard,  learned,  and  known  of  the  love  of  Christ,  it 
transcends  the  utmost  limits  of  human  knowledge,  or  of  human 
thought ;  you  can  so  measure — -as  to  discover  that  it  is  immeas- 
urable, so  comprehend  it — as  to  find  that  it  is  incomprehensible. 

And  what  is  the  end  or  the  scope  of  this  inspired  petition  ? 

"  THAT   YE  MAY  BE  FILLED  WITH  ALL  THE  FULNESS  OF  GoD." 

When  Christ  dwelleth  in  the  heart  by  faith.  He  is  in  His  peo- 
ple, as  the  Apostle  saith,  "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory J^  Col. 
i.  27.  He  "i5  made  of  God  unto  you,  loisdom  and  righteousness, 
and  sanctification  and redeTnpt'ionP  1  Cor.  i.  30.  Now  "  it  pleased 
the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  divell.^'  Col.  i.  20. 
"  In  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge^ 
Col.  iii.  3.  "  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodi- 
ly, and  ye  are  complete  in  him,  which  is  the  head  of  all  princi- 
pality and  power. ^^  Col.  ii.  9,  10. 

Wlien  therefore,  Christ  dwelleth  in  the  heart  by  faith,  the  whole 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  in  it.  All  that  Jesus  has,  and  aU 
that  Jesus  is,  dwelleth  in  the  heart  and  filleth  it,  for  "  Christ  is 
all,  and  in  all.''''  Col.  ii.  11.  Nothing  then,  that  can  be  needful  for 
the  perfection  of  the  believer,  in  blessing  here  and  in  glory  hereafter, 
is  wanting  in  this  prayer.  It  comprehends  all  that  he  could  want 
for  time  and  eternity.  Here  is  strength, — faith, — love, — knowl- 
edge,— power, — completeness, — fulness  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in 
him  ;  therefore,  saith  the  Apostle,  "  All  things  are  yours,  whether 
Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  all 
things  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Chrisfs,  and  Christ  is  God^s.^''  1 
Cor.  iii.  21,  22,  23. 

When  this  Prayer  then  is  a  prayer  to  be  "  strengthened  with 
'might,  by  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man,"  it  implies  all  the  gifts  of 
the  Spirit ;  it  is  evidently  then  connected,  as  I  have  shown,  with 
the  last  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter,  in  which  they  are  said  to 
be  "  huilded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  by  the  /Spirit," 
and  seems  more  clearly  to  illustrate,  that  it  is  to  be  considered  as 
belonging  to  that  context. 

It  is  impossible  that  the  believer  can  be  '•  strengthened  with 
might  by  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man" — that  he  can  be  builded  in 
the  Church  ^'■for  an  habitation  of  God  by  the  Spii'it" — that  he 
can  be  as  the  Apostle  saith  in  another  place,  "  What  ?  know  ye  not 
that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  in  you, 
which  ye  have  of  God  ?"  1  Cor.  vi.  19 — and  again,  "  Ye  are  the 


312  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

temple  of  the  living  God,  as  God  hath  saith,  I  will  divell  in  them, 
and  walk  in  the?u,  and  I  ivill  be  their  God,  and  tJiey  shall  he  my 
people^''  2  Cor.  vi.  16.  It  is  impossible,  I  say,  that  the  believer  can 
be  thus,  without  bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  And  if  we 
consider  this  prayer  iti  its  results,  we  shall  see  how  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit  are  to  be  cultivated  and  produced,  which  seems  a  subject 
that  is  very  generally  much  mystified,  because,  not  simply  and 
scripturally  received  or  understood. 

It  is  not  denied  by  any  professing  Christian,  that  '■'■  faith  luorketh 
hy  love ;"  that  is,  when  faith  in  Christ  as  the  Refuge  of  the  soul, 
is  produced  in  the  heart,  it  makes  love  to  Christ,  the  motive  of  the 
conduct. 

In  the  catalogue  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  Gal.  v.  22,  the  first 
on  the  list  is  Love.  Now  as  our  blessed  Lord  teaches  us,  as  we 
have  seen,  that  it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  glorify  Him — • 
and  as  here  the  strengthening  power  of  the  Spirit  is  exercised,  in 
causing  Christ  to  dwell  in  the  heart  by  faith,  and  causing  the  heart 
to  take  root  in  the  love  of  Christ,  it  is  manifest — that  this  faith  in 
Christ  and  in  His  love  to  sinners,  in  which  the  Spirit  teaches  the 
heart  to  repose  its  confidence  and  its  affections,  must  necessarily 
produce  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  '■^  love,  joy,  peace,^^  &c.  It  is  when 
the  knowledge  of  His  love  is  "  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  hy  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  vnto  ns,"  Rom.  v.  5,  that  we  have  that 
"  hope  xohich  maketh  not  ashamed  ;"  so  this  is  that  love  of  which 
the  Apostle  speaks  Vvhen  he  saith,  "  The  love  of  Christ  constrain- 
eth  us ;"  2  Cor.  v.  14  ;  it  influences, — actuates, — inspires  us, — 
produces  love  in  oar  hearts  to  Him  who  hath  so  loved  us,  as  the 
Apostle  John  saith,  "  We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  ns,^^  1 
John  iv.  19,  and  thus  are  the  fruits  of  faith  produced  by  love. 
^^  He  that  ahideth  in  me  and  I  in.  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
'much  fruit ;"  John  xiv.  5  ;  and  thus  the  Apostle  prays  for  his 
Philippian  brethren  as  here  for  the  Ephesians,  ^^  this  I  pray ^'' 
saith  he  "  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in 
knowledge  and  in  all  judgineut,  that  ye  may  approve  things  that 
are  excellent,  that  ye  may  be  sincere  and  without  offence  until  the 
day  of  Christ ;  being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
tchich  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God.^^ 
Phil.  i.  9,  10,  11. 

It  is  thus  the  harmonizing  power  and  glory  of  the  Persons  of  the 
ever-blessed  Trinity  are  manifested  and  illustrated  in  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul !  The  Father,  in  the  gift  of  His  Beloved  Son  ! 
The  Son,  in  the  pouring  out  of  His  own  precious  blood  !  The 
Spirit,  in  the  illuminating  testimony  and  instruction  of  the  heart 
by  the  Word,  as  to  the  perfection  and  spirituality  of  the  holy  law — 
as  to  the  gloriovis  gift  of  the  Father,  and  the  glorious  oflices  and 
work  of  Christ ! — all  resulting  in  the  happiness — the  blessedness — 
the  holiness — the  glory  of  His  people. 

The  very  scheme  of  salvation,  "  by  faith  loithout  the  deeds  of 
the  law,''^  being  thus  made,  by  infinite  wisdom,  the  means  to  "  e^- 
tablish  the  laio'' — inscribing  it  on  the  heart,  as  it  were  in  the  blood 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  313 

of  Him  who  liath  redeemed  u^!  from  its  curse ;  thus  causing  the 
Go-ipcl  to  produce  in  the  heart,  love — which  is  the  law,  and  mak- 
ing that  law — which  is  love — -the  motive  of  obedience  in  those  who 
believe  the  Gospel. 

If  then,  we  feel,  as  we  so  often  do,  sinful  and  cold — groaning  in 
these  bodies  of  sin  and  death — suffering  under  the  power  of  our 
three-fold  enemy  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil — how  are  we 
to  be  lifted  up  ?  how  strengthened  and  refreshed  ?  How  enabled 
to  meet  and  conquer  our  foe  ? 

Not  by  abstract  desires  of  spiritual  aid,  to  be  given  to  us  in  some 
vague  and  undefined  way,  we  know  not  how,  and  know  not  what 
— but  by  coming  in  the  spirit  of  this  prayer,  directly  for  strength 
in  God's  appointed  way  ; — strength  from  the  Spirit,  through  the 
faith  and  love  of  Christ ; ^strength  to  take  Christ  in  all  His  love 
and  fulness  of  His  salvation,  against  every  foe  within  and  with- 
out, to  take  Him  as  our  Refuge,  our  Fortress,  our  Defence,  our 
Power  against  tlieni  all ;  and  answer  all  with  the  precious  blood 
of  the  Lamb.  It  is  thus  we  "  pnt  on  the  whole  armor  of  GodP 
chap.  vi.  11,  thus  we  take  ^Hhe  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  we  shall 
he  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked ;"  vi.  16  ;  and 
are  "  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.''''  Rom. 
viii.  37. 

The  Apostle  concludes  his  prayer  with  a  doxology,  an  ascrip- 
tion of  glory  to  God.     "  Now  unto  him  that   is  able  to  do 

EXCEEDING  ABUNDANTLY  ABOVE  ALL  THAT  WE  ASK  OR  THINK, 
ACCORDING  TO  THE   POWER  THAT  WORKETH   IN  US." 

After  having  prayed  for  them,  that  God  would  grant  this  peti- 
tion "  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory"  how  beautiful  is  this 
doxology  !  It  is  as  much  as  to  say,  no  matter  what  the  magni- 
tude or  extent  of  our  prayer  may  be,  whatever  it  may  compre- 
hend, our  God  is  "able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly,  above 
ALL  THAT  WE  ASK  OR  THINK."  What  a  glorious  view  that  is  of 
the  character  of  God  !  To  behold  Him  sitting  on  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  hearing  prayer  !  Pray  as  much  as  you  please — for 
what  you  please — for  all  things  you  can  want  in  earth  or  heaven 
— pray  for  them  '■'■according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace"  still  "he 

IS  able  to  do  exceeding    ABUNDANTLY,  ABOVE    ALL   THAT  WE 

ASK  OR  THINK."  Well  might  the  Apostle  say,  "  O  ye  Corinthi- 
ans, our  mouth  is  opeii  unto  you,  our  heart  is  enlarged,  ye  are 
not  straitened  in  us,  but  ye  are  straitetied  in  your  own  bowels,^^ 
2nd  Cor.  vi.  11,  12,  It  is  in  our  own  narrow,  niggard,  unbeliev- 
ing hearts  we  are  straitened  my  friends  ;  for  if  Ave  asked  accord- 
ing to  our  privilege  of  asking,  thought  could  not  reach  the  bless- 
ings it  is  our  privilege  to  ask.  After  all  we  can  pray  for,  we  come 
to  a  God,  "  who  is  able  to  do  exceedincj  abundantly  above 
ALL  that  we  can  ASK  OR  THINK."  So  the  Apostle  then  con- 
cludes "  UNTO  HIM  BE  GLORY  IN  THE  CHURCH  BY  ChRIST  JeSUS, 
THROUGHOUT  ALL  AGES,  WORLD  WITHOUT  END." 

The  business  of  a  Christian  Church  is  to  glorify  its  Master — 
the  business  of  every  individual  Christian  is  to  glorify  his  Master. 


314  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

It  is  a  melancholy  proof  of  the  spiritual  state  of  a  church,  when 
she  begins  to  set  up  her  own  power  and  authority,  instead  of  her 
Lord's,  and  to  magnify  herself  instead  of  her  Heavenly  King.  If 
God  reveals  the  riches  of  His  glory  to  us,  in  our  redemption  by 
Christ  Jesus  !  If  he  hath  bought  us  with  such  a  price  !  What  is 
it  for,  but  that  we  should  remember  we  are  not  our  own,  and  that 
we  should  glorify  Him  with  our  bodies  and  spirits  ?  Oh  !  that  we 
might  be  enabled  to  live  to  His  glory — that  our  God  would  enable 
us  to  live  more  and  more  above  the  world — to  mortify  more  and 
more  our  corrupt  affections — to  crucify  and  deny  ourselves — and 
live  to  Him  who  has  lived  for  us,  and  died  for  us  !  Yea  "  rather 
who  is  risen  again,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  ns^' — Rom. 
viii.  34.  Who  "  is  alive  for  evermore,  Ameji,"  and  "/m//i  the  keys 
of  hell  and  of  deaths  Rev.  i.  18.  Who  "  will  never  leave  nor 
forsake'''  the  poor  sinner  whom  He  has  taught  by  His  Spirit  to 
look  to  Him  as  his  refuge  and  strength. 

"Now  UNTO  HIM  WHO  IS  ABLE  TO  DO  EXCEEDING  ABUND- 
ANTLY, ABOVE  ALL  THAT  WE  ASK  OR  THINK  ;  ACCORDING  TO 
THE  POWER  THAT  WORKETH  IN  US,  UNTO  HIM  BE  GLORY,  IN 
THE  CHURCH,  BY  ChRIST  JeSUS,  THROUGHOUT  ALL  AGES,  WORLD 

WITHOUT  END."     Amcn. 


TWENTY-EIGHTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV. — 1,  2. 


"  I  therefore,  (the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,)  beseech  you,  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the 
vocation  wherewith  ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-sufier- 
ing,  forbearing  one  another  in  love." 

We  perceive  in  this,  as  in  others  of  the  Apostolical  Epistles,  the 
order  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  brings  the  Word  of  Truth  before 
the  mind  of  the  Church.  There  is  an  order  in  teaching,  as  there 
is  order  in  receiving :  and  the  order  which  the  Holy  Spirit  observes 
in  teaching,  is  the  same  which  He  preserves,  in  leading  the  hearts 
of  men  to  receive  His  truth. 

The  order  which  we  perceive  in  this,  and  other  Apostolical 
Epistles  in  teaching,  is  this, — 

The  Apostles  lay  down,  first,  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus ;  and  then,  they  enforce  on  those,  whom  they  address  as 
persons  who  have  received  the  faith  of  that  Gospel,  the  holy  pre- 
cepts of  the  Law.  And  this  order,  which  we  perceive  in  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  order  which  that  Blessed  Spirit 
preserves  in  enabling  sinners  to  receive  the  truth :  that  is — all  who 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  31» 

are  taught  of  God,  receive  first,  the  faith  of  the  Gospel — they  are 
^'- given  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth''' — 2  Tim. 
ii.  25,  they  learii  to  beheve  in  the  Lord  Jesus  as  all  their  salvation 
— to  look  to  Him — to  trust  in  Him — to  love  Him,  and  thus  through 
faith  they  are  led  by  love  into  the  sincere  desire  of  walking  ac- 
cording to  the  will  and  law  of  God. 

Let  me  entreat  you  to  remember  this.  In  this  is  involved  the 
whole  Scriptural  principle  of  true  Christian  moral  action.  This  is 
du-ectly  the  reverse  of  the  principle  of  all  unconverted  men.  All 
unconverted  men  go,  according  to  their  natural  ignorance,  in  direct 
opposition  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  mode  of  teaching  and 
receiving  Christianity.  Tiieir  doctrine — the  doctrine  of  every  man 
educated  or  uneducated,  until  He  is  taught  by  the  Word  and 
Spirit  of  God,  is  this — "  I  must  endeavor  to  observe  God's  law,  and 
by  the  observance  of  God's  law,  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  attain 
his  favor,  and  thus  I  trust  I  shall  endeavor  to  gain  salvation,"  (and 
perhaps,  he  adds.)  ^^'throiigh  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

Now  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  is  this,  you  must  first  receive 
salvation  through  Jesus  as  a  sinner — not  because  you  keep  the 
law,  but  because  you  break  the  law :  you  are  a  breaker  of  the 
law,  that  is  the  only  ground  on  which  salvation  is  proclaimed  to 
you.  It  is  sent  to  you,  not  as  a  righteous  man  but  as  a  sinner. 
If  you  are  ever  saved — you  must  receive  salvation,  because  you 
are  a  breaker  of  the  law,  acknowledging  and  feeling  that  you  are 
so,  and  receiving  it  on  these  conditions  as  a  lost  sinner.  Then, 
when  you  receive  the  salvation  of  Christ,  you  are  called  to  serve 
your  Lord  and  Master,  not  that  you  may  be  saved  by  your  own 
works ;  but  because  He  has  saved  you  by  His  works — -His  right- 
eousness, and  His  death.  Now,  if  there  be  any  of  you  who  do 
not  subscribe  to  this  ;  rest  satisfied,  you  are  ignorant  of  the  very 
foundation  of  man's  hope  and  of  the  Christian  faith — you  do  not 
know  the  very  first  principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ — you  know 
nothing  as  yet,  of  God's  appointed  means  for  the  salvation  of  your 
soul.  Therefore,  consider — reflect  on  it  well — investigate  the  sub- 
ject fully.  Search  the  Scriptiues.  Examine  them  faithfully,  with 
prayer — and  if  you  now  deceive  yoiu'self  with  the  imagination  that 
you  are  to  be  saved  by  your  own  efforts  instead  of  by  Christ,  if  you 
are  taught  of  God  you  will  learn,  that  you  must  be  saved  entirely  by 
Christ,  and  not  by  your  own  efforts.  For  remember  that  "  if  by  grace 
then  it  is  no  more  of  works,  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace ; 
but  if  it  be  of  works  then  it  is  no  more  of  grace,  otherwise  work 
is  no  more  loorkP  Rom.  xi.  6.  Remember  as  we  had  in  chapter 
ii.  10,  that  "  we  are  his  workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,"  not  created  in  good  works  unto  Christ  Jesus. 
This  truth  cannot  be  too  continually  kept  before  the  mind.  It 
ought  to  be  present  with  us  as  the  principle  and  foundation  of 
every  hope  of  life.  It  ought  to  direct  us  as  the  motive  in  the  dis- 
charge of  every  moral  duty.  It  should  never  be  absent  from  us, 
for  there  is  incorporated  with  it,  the  vital  existence  of  the  Christian 
reliffion  in  our  hearts. 


316  •  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

We  have  had  now,  in  these  three  preceding  chapters,  the  whole 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  clearly  and  faithfully  laid  down  by  the 
Apostle.  From  this  4th  chapter  we  commence  that  portion,  in 
which  the  Apostle  enforces  the  practical  influences  of  the  Gospel, 
pressing  on  the  Church  to  cultivate  from  its  blessed  principles,  the 
fruit  of  good  works,  of  holiness,  of  every  relative  duty  to  God  and 
our  fellow-creatures. 

Where  there  is  no  fruit,  we  must  argue  there  is  no  faith,  ^^  Faith 
if  it  have  not  loorks  is  dead,  being-  aloneP  James  ii.  17.  It  has 
no  existence — it  is  a  mere  lifeless  form  like  a  dead  body.  Where 
there  is  no  influence  of  the  Gospel,  we  necessarily  conclude  there 
is  no  faith  of  the  Gospel.  Where  men  are  living  in  the  service  of 
Satan,  the}^  cannot  be  the  servants  of  God,  "  No  man  can  serve 
two  jnasters,''  saith  the  Lord,  Mat.  vi.  24.  ^'-  Know  ye  not,  that  to 
whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are 
to  whom  ye  obeyf  Rom.  vi.  16.  We  must  put  works  away,  as  far 
as  pole  from  pole,  when  we  speak  of -a  sinner's  justification  before 
God.  That  is  not  their  position — they  have  no  place  there — with 
that  they  have  nothing  to  do.  But  we  must  bring  them  and  put 
them  into  their  own  proper  place — the  place  they  hold  in  the  Bible 
— in  the  believer's  conduct  and  character  before  God,  as  the  true 
Scriptural  test  and  evidence  of  tlie  sincerity  of  his  profession. 
Here  indeed,  obedience,  holiness,  have  their  place,  not  a  place  of 
merit,  or  justification,  or  redemption,  or  salvation  ;  not,  in  sup- 
planting or  dividing  the  glory  with  Christ.  His  is  all  the  merit — 
He  is  our  Justifier — He  is  our  Redeemer — He  is  our  Saviour.  His 
is  the  exclusive  office  to  give  pardon  to  the  sinner^ — ^peace  to  the 
conscience — and  salvation  to  the  soul. 

We  know,  alas  !  how  common  it  is  for  men  to  make  a  Saviour 
of  their  own  imaginary  virtues.  We  sometimes  read  accounts  of 
men  deriving  hope  and  consolation  from  these,  even  in  the  hour 
of  death ;  we  read  of  their  dying  happy  in  the  consciousness  of  a 
well-spent  hfe,  and  looking  to  a  heavenly  reward.  Those  who 
composed  such  eulogies,  would  far  more  truly  state,  that  they  died, 
blinded  by  ignorance^by  unbelief— by  sin,  and  Satan.  The 
man  whose  conscience  is  taught  of  God,  so  far  from  being  happy 
in  the  sense  of  his  virtues — or  his  excellence — is  humbled  and 
bowed  down  to  the  dust  in  the  consciousness  of  his  guilt  and  sin. 
He  feels  that  he  is  unworthy  to  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven— the 
language  of  his  heart  and  of  his  lips  is  that  of  the  Pubhcan,  ''God 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  J''  Luke  xviii.  13. 

Let  us  then  proceed— and  we  shall  find  in  the  very  begninmg 
of  this  chapter,  as  through  all  the  rest  of  the  Epistles,  how  the 
principle  that  I  have  stated  is  brought  before  the  Chinch  at 
Ephesus.  How  the  Gospel  is  kept  ever  before  them  as  the  as- 
sured foundation  of  all  their  hope,  and  how  this  is  pressed  on  them 
throughout,  as  the  principle  and  motive  of  their  conduct. 

The  Apostle  commences,  "  I  therefore  the  prisoner  op 

THE  LORD,  BESEECH  YOU,  THAT   YE  WALK  WORTHY  OF  THE  VO- 
CATION WHEREWITH  YE  ARE  CALLED." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  317 

Now  remember,  what  that  vocation  was,  wherewith  they  were 
called.  Remember  what  the  state  was  from  which  they  had 
been  called.  And  recollect  the  state  to  which  they  had  been 
called. 

The  state  from  which  they  had  been  called,  is  fully  set  forth  in  the 
2nd  chapter.  They  are  there  represented  as  having  been  "  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,^^  walking  in  them  "  according  to  the  course 
of  this  world,^^  under  the  dominion  of  "  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air"  v.  2 — "  i/i  the  lusts  of  their  flesh  fulfilling  the  desires 
of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,''  '•  children  of  wrath^^  v.  3 — "  loith- 
out  Christ,'^  "  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  strangers 
from,  the  covenants  of  prom^ise,  having  no  hope  and  without  God 
in  the  worlds  v.  12. 

Such  was  the  state  from  which  they  had  been  called  ;  and  what 
state  of  moral  misery  and  degradation  more  deplorable,  could  be 
conceived. 

But  what  was  the  state  to  which  now  they  had  been  called  ? 
"  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved 
them,  even  ivhen  they  were  dead  in  sins,  had  quickened  them  to- 
gether with  Christ.'''  chap.  ii.  4,  5.  They  Avere  now  "  accepted  in 
the  beloved,  in  inhom  they  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  sins,"  chap.  i.  6,  7—"  In  lohom  they  have 
obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the 
purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  council  of  his 
own  ivill,"  i.  11 — Now,  they  are  ^-raised  up  together  and  made 
to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,"  ii.  6 — "  Now 
in  Christ  Jesus,  they  who  sometime  were  afar  off,  are  made 
High  by  the  blood  of  Christ,"  ii.  13 — "  Noio  therefore  they  are  no 
more  strangers  and  foreigners  but  felloio-citizens  with  the  saints, 
and  of  the  household  of  God,  and  are  built  on  the  foundation  of 
the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone,  in  tvhom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together 
groweth  into  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  in  wliom  they  also  arc 
builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  /Spirit." 
ii.  19-22. 

This  was  now  their  present  condition.  It  was  impossible  they 
could  have  been  called  from  a  lower  state  of  spiritual  destitution, 
or  called  to  a  higher  state  of  blessedness  or  glory  in  this  world, 
than  that,  to  which  they  had  been  called  by  the  Spirit  through  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel. 

This  then  is  "  the  vocation  wherewith  they  are  called." 
And  mark,  the  Apostle  does  not  urge  the  observance  of  any  pre- 
cepts on  the  Church,  as  the  cause  of  their  being  called  into  the 
enjoyment  of  these  blessed  privileges.  But  on  the  contrary,  he 
urges  their  vocation  to  these  great  and  glorious  privileges,  as  the 
ground  on  which  he  presses  on  them,  the  observance  of  the  pre- 
cepts which  he  proceeds  to  inculcate. 

"I  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  lord,  beseech  you, 
that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  (or  calling)  where- 
with YE  are  called."    As  much  as  to  say, — "Bear  this  ever  in 


318  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

your  mind — Remember  what  ye  are  called  froin,  and  what  ye  are 
called  to.  Ye  are  called  to  be  members  of  the  household  of  God 
— children  of  the  Most  High — heirs  of  eternal  glory."  And  if  the 
Church  were  really  in  all  things  as  it  ought  to  be,  a  true  spiritual 
Christian  church — ^that  is,  if  it  were  in  the  power  of  man,  by  rules 
and  regulations,  and  means  and  ordinances,  to  enlighten  and  con- 
vert the  heart  of  man,  and  that  all  who  are  brought  into  the  out- 
ward profession  of  the  Church  of  God,  were  indeed  really  believere 
of  the  Gospel — and  spiritually,  and  truly  members  of  Christ's  mys- 
tical body — His  disciples  by  faith  in  Jesus,  and  children  of  God — 
they  would  be,  as  those  whom  the  Apostle  addressed  in  the  Church 
at  Ephesus,  "  Saints  and  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus,^^  chap.  i.  1, 
part  of  that  Holy  Catholic  Church  in  which  we  profess  our  belief, 
that  is,  of  the  holy,  spiritual  Church  of  Christ — of  that  spiritual 
body  of  God's  elect  people — who  shall  be  gathered  together  in 
Christ  out  of  every  kindred,  nation,  tongue,  and  people,  which  is 
indeed,  not  now,  and  never  was  visible  to  the  human  eye,  which 
is  known  only  to  God,  and  shall  only  be  revealed,  "  iji  that  day 
when  he  shall  make  up  his  jeioelsP  Mai.  iii.  17. 

But  there  is  not  one  of  you  who  does  not  profess  the  faith  of 
Christ.  You  cannot  be  members  of  our  Church,  which,  in  all  the 
doctrines  of  the  great  salvation  of  the  Gospel  which  it  teaches,  is 
^^  built  npon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus 
Christ  himself  hehig  the  chief  corner -stoneP  chap.  i.  20.  You 
cannot  be  members  of  that  Church,  without  at  least  making  your 
public  profession  of  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  You  profess  that  faith 
every  time  you  come  to  our  public  services,  as  clearly  as  the 
Church  at  Ephesus  could ;  you  profess  it  when  you  go  into  the 
chiu'ch  and  repeat  or  join  in  our  Liturgy.  Examine  it  well,  com- 
pare what  you  say  in  it  with  God's  Word,  and  you  will  see  what  a 
profession  you  make  there  of  being  disciples  of  Christ,  and  to  what 
you  profess  to  be  called. 

You  there  profess  yourself  a  lost  and  miserable  sinner.  Read 
your  Confession  and  your  Litany. 

You  there  profess  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ — His  pardoning 
love  and  mercy. — Read  your  absolution. 

You  testify  your  conviction  that  "  when  he  had  overcome  the 
sharpness  of  death,  he  did  open  the  king-dotn  of  heaven  to  all  be- 
lievers.^^— Read  your  Te  Deum. 

You  profess,  sinners  as  you  are,  to  rejoice  in  this  salvation, — 
"  O  come  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord,  let  us  heartili/  rejoice  in  the 
stretigth  of  our  salvation^ 

You  say  of  yourselves — '■'•we  are  his  people  and  the  sheep  of 
his  pastured 

Look  at  the  various  Psalms  and  portions  of  Scripture  that  you 
find  in  the  Liturgy  expressive  of  the  hope,  the  joy,  the  peace,  the 
salvation  of  the  redeemed  saints — look  at  these — ^reraember  this  is 
your  profession — this  is  your  religion — you  take  it  in  your  lips  into 
the  house  of  God  and  call  him  to  witness  that  these  are  your 
principles,   in  confession — and    these   your   hope,  in   praise   and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  319 

prayer  when  you  come  to  worship  before  Him.  But  alas  !  how 
many  come  '•■'•  with  a  lie  in  their  right  hand"  to  church,  when 
they  repeat  our  solemn  Scriptural  services  !  How  many  come 
there  with  a  profession  in  their  lips,  Avhich,  if  you  hear  their  real 
principles  as  they  express  them  out  of  church,  you  find  they 
totally  deny  !  They  reject,  when  enforced  from  the  pulpit,  the 
very  truths  to  which  they  not  only  assent  when  used  in  the  read- 
ing desk,  but  which  they  profess  to  adopt  as  their  own  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  for  the  truth  of  which  they  appeal  to  God.  Alas  ! 
the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England  shall  rise  in  terrible  judg- 
ment, against  those  who  belong  to  her  communion,  but  who  reject 
the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Remember  then,  that  when  you  were  baptized  into  the  faith  of 
Christ,  and  brought  into  the  outward  Church  of  Christ,  you  were 
called  into  the  profession  of  the  faith  of  His  Gospel. 

Remember,  you  have  now  arrived  at  maturity  of  understanding, 
and  full  responsibility  to  God,  at  the  time  when  you  make  this 
profession. 

Now,  the  Apostle's  argument  and  exhortation  to  all  who  are 
real  Christians,  on  the  principle  of  their  conduct  is,  that  it  ought 
to  be  this,  ^^  I  am  called  to  be  a  felloio-citizen  of  the  saints  and  of 
the  household  of  God,^^  and  therefore,  let  me  walk  worthy  of  my 
vocation.  Suppose  any  of  you  were  taken  into  the  household  of 
an  earthly  sovereign,  the  first  thing  you  would  think  of  must  be, 
that  you  should  frame  your  conduct  according  to  the  situation 
which  you  were  called  to  fill.  And  if  you  profess  to  be  members 
of  the  household  of  the  King  of  kings,  the  first  thing  to  consider 
is  how  you  are  to  walk  according  to  the  high  station  to  which  you 
are  raised.  You  are  all  called  to  be  members  of  God's  household 
by  the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  if  you  do  not  really  become  so — if  you 
reject  the  Gospel — consider,  that  for  all  this  God  will  bring  you 
into  judgment — reflect,  that  you  cannot  for  one  moment  alter, 
escape,  or  evade  the  condition  of  your  own  responsibility. 

Those  who  indeed  believe  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  are  really  mem- 
bers of  God's  household,  members  of  God's  family — and  therefore, 
as  such,  they  are  exhorted  from  the  "  vocation  wherewith 
THEY  are  called,"  to  serve  their  God. 

Oh  !  then  forget  not — ye,  who  do  really  know  and  believe  the 
Gospel — ^ye,  who  know  that  these  things  are  true — then,  knowing 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus — forget  not  the  principle — the  blessed  principle 
according  to  which  you  are  called  to  serve  your  God. 

The  Apostle  does  not  say, "  Walk  so  as  to  bring  yourselves  into 
a  state  of  reconciliation  and  peace  with  God — walk  so  as  to  entitle 
yourselves  to  God's  favor — walk  so  as  to  make  yourselves  fit  to 
become  fellow-citizens  with  the  Saints — to  qualify  yourselves  to 
become  members  of  the  household  of  God — to  entitle  yourselves  to 
an  inheritance  among  the  Saints  in  hght."  The  Apostle  does  not 
speak  thus.  If  this  were  the  language  of  the  Scripture,  alas  !  who 
could  stand  ?  What  conscience,  that  is  in  the  least  enlightened  to 
know  its  own  guilt  and  misery,  that  must  not  give  up  the  hope  of 


320  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

salvation  in  despair,  if  such  were  the  conditions  of  its  attainment? 
And  there  are  few  consciences  so  devoid  of  sensibihty  as  to  enjoy 
a  ray  of  bright  and  cheerful  hope  and  consolation,  when  the  mind 
is  so  blind  and  ignorant  as  to  expect  salvation  on  these  conditions. 

But  this  is  not  the  language  of  truth  and  of  the  Bible.  You  are 
not  called  to  serve  God  on  the  base  and  slavish  principle  of  mere 
self-interested  efforts  in  virtue,  no — but  on  a  principle  of  liberty,  of 
loyalty,  of  gratitude,  and  love.  When  man  expects  salvation  by 
his  own  exertions,  this  service  which  he  calls  the  service  of  God,  is 
a  service  of  intolerable  bondage  and  slavery.  When  man  is 
brought  to  serve  his  God  on  the  principle  of  the  Gospel  of  Truth, 
then  his  service  is  indeed  "  perfect  freedom."  So  this  is  the 
language  of  the  Apostle — "  Noic  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who  some- 
times were  afar  off^  are  made  nigJi  by  the  blood  of  Christy  for  He 
is  our  />eace,"  chap.  ii.  13,  14.  He  hath  cancelled  your  mighty 
debt.  "jfiTe  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  that 
ive  being  dead  unto  sin  should  live  unto  righteousness,  by  whose 
stripes  ye  were  healed.  For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray,  but 
are  now  returned  unto  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  soulsP 
1st  Pet.  ii.  24,  2.5.  "  Nov)  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and 
foreigners  but  felloiv-citizens  with  the  saints  and  of  the  house- 
hold of  God,  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles 
and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone,^^ 
chap.  ii.  19,  20. 

Seeing  then,  that  ye  are  redeemed  by  such  a  ransom — pur- 
chased at  such  a  price — called  to  inherit  such  a  blessing — exalted 
to  such  glory. — "I  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  lord, 

BESEECH     YOU,    THAT     YE     WALK     WORTHY    OF     THE    VOCATION 

WHEREWITH  YE  ARE  CALLED,"  woitliy  of  that  high  positiou  in 
which  God  has  placed  you — ^worthy  of  that  high  calling  to  which 
God  has  called  you — even  to  be  members  of  his  own  household — 
the  household  of  the  King  of  kings. 

And  think,  dear  friends,  what  a  mighty  privilege  this  is — what 
a  blessing  in  every  sphere  of  human  existence  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest. 

What  a  blessing  to  the  rich  !  What  it  is  for  the  sinner,  who  is 
rich  in  everything  in  this  world — who  has  all  his  heart  can  desire 
to  gratify  him,  and  make  him  feel  it  is  good  to  be  here — O  what  a 
blessing  to  be  called  to  know  that  he  has  still  a  ^- better  and  an  en- 
during substance,^''  even  "  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  tmde- 
filed,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  him,  loho 
is  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation,^''  1st 
Pet.  i.  4,  5,  and  that,  as  he  knows  that  his  tenure  of  earthly  goods 
is  very  slender,  even  a  thread  to  be  snapped  in  a  little  moment — ■ 
that  he  has  indeed  a  treasure  beyond  the  reach  of  rust,  and  moth, 
and  time,  and  death^that  God  has  not  left  him  to  his  own  sleepy 
and  foolish  heart,  but  "  called  him  out  of  darkness  into  his  mar- 
vellous light,"  1  Pet,  ii.  9,  and  given  him  "  a  house  not  made  ivith 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heaveyisP    2  Cor.  v.  1. 

And  think,  what  a  blessing  it  is  for  the  poor — for  those  strug- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  321 

gling  with  difficulties  and  poveity,  and  who  have  many  trials  to 
afflict  them  in  this  weary  world.  Think  what  it  is  for  such  to  lay 
their  hand  on  the  Bible  and  say,  "  Well,  I  am  tried  here,  but  it  is 
but  for  a  short  time,  and  my  God  has  given  me  a  rich  reversion,  my 
Father  has  given  me  too  an  '  inheritance  incorruptible  and  un- 
dejiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  a.wayJ'  He  has  called  me  to  glorify 
him  in  this  humble  rank,  in  this  lowly  state  of  poverty  and  want, 
this  is  the  place  in  which  my  glorious  Master  has  been  pleased  to 
call  me  to  honor  Him,  and  He  Himself  made  poverty  and  want 
honorable.  He  had  not  where  to  lay  His  blessed  head,  and  has 
called  me  to  follow  Him  here  below,  in  the  path  He  trod  before 
me.  I  have  unsearchable  riches  and  glory  in  prospect — if  I  have 
an  humble  portion  in  possession  ;  but  this  is  for  a  moment,  they 
are  for  eternity.  He  has  given  me  the  assurance  and  pledge  of 
that  glorious  inheritance  which  is  before  me,  to  which  every  day 
and  hour  brings  me  nearer  !" 

Oh  I  have  seen  many  poor  creatures  suffering — dying  in  pover- 
ty and  pain,  yet  I  have  seen  them  smiling,  rejoicing,  triumphing, 
in  the  midst  of  it  all,  in  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ.  There  is 
not  a  more  glorious  sight  on  earth,  than  to  see  a  poor  afflicted 
saint,  even  while  bent  beneath  the  pressure  of  distress,  enabled  to 
rejoice  in  that  blessed  Saviour,  who  has  called  him  out  of  darkness 
into  his  marvellous  light,  washed  away  his  guilt  and  given  him 
the  glorious  hope  of  this  inheritance.  In  such  a  case  we  see  how 
suffering  enhances  the  prospect  of  relief — we  see  how  Grace  di- 
vinely adjusts  the  apparent  inequalities  of  Providence  in  His 
church ;  and  balances  every  difference  in  the  lot  of  time,  by  a 
blessed  compensation  in  eternity. 

Think  then,  what  it  is  to  be  called  into  the  Lord's  household ! 
what  a  privilege  it  is  to  be  a  member  of  the  Lord's  family  !  You 
need  not  envy  a  king  his  birth,  his  crown,  or  his  kingdom,  if  you 
are  called  to  be  a  child  of  the  King  of  kings.  How  glorious  is 
that  happiness  which  God  holds  forth  before  us  in  his  eternal  word ! 
How  can  it  be  that  man  is  so  blind,  so  ignorant,  and  lost,  as  to 
trample  on  or  "  neglect  such  great  salvation.''^ 

But  we  see,  the  obedience  of  the  Gospel,  is  not  a  burden  that  the 
Apostle  lays  upon  us — it  is  not  a  hard  burden  of  subjection — a  hard 
obedience — a  hateful  obedience^a  slavish  and  an  unwilling  obe- 
dience. 

Such  is  the  obedience  which  the  unconverted  sinner  in  his  best 
efforts  tries  to  render — he  strives  against  his  grain — his  heart — his 
feelings — to  render  an  obedience  to  God's  commands.  But  this 
obedience  to  which  the  children  of  God  are  called,  is,  as  I  have 
said,  that  of  freedom,  liberty,  loyalty,  and  grateful  love.  See, 
what  David  saith,  '•'■  I  will  walk  at  liberty  ;  for  I  seek  thy  pre- 
ce/>^5,"  Psal.  cxix.  45.  "  I  will  run  in  the  way  of  thy  command- 
ments when  thou  shall  enlarge  Tuy  hearty  [or  when  thou  shall  set 
my  heart  at  liberty,^'')  Psal.  cxix.  32.  When  the  heart  is  set  free 
from  the  bondage  of  the  law — liberated  from  doing  works  as  a  con- 
dition of  salvation,  and  enabled  to  lean  its  hope  on  Christ,  then — 

21 


322  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

but  not  until  then,  it  is  at  liberty  to  love  and  serve  its  God— then 

when  we  can  serve  him,  not  on  the  slavish  principle  of  obtain- 

inff  a  reward,  but  on  the  principle  of  love  for  the  great  redemption 
He  hath  Avrought  for  us,  then  we  serve  HiAi  freely — serve  Him 
heartily — and  serve  Him  happily.     But  never  until  then,  can  ; 
service  from  man  be  either  rendered  to,  or  accepted  by,  his  Crea 
What  then  is  the  first  duty  which  the  Apostle  impresses  on 
lievers?    "I  therefore  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  besei 

YOU,  THAT  YE  WALK  WORTHY  OF  THE    VOCATION     WHEREWl 
YE  ARE  CALLED,  WITH  ALL   LOWLINESS  AND    MEEKNESS."       ( 

of  the  master  sins  of  man's  heart  is  pride.     "  The  lust  of  thefl. 
the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  I'lfe^''  1st  John  ii.  16,  maj 
said  to  comprehend  most  of  the  practical  iniquities  of  man.     P 
was  the  sin  by  which  our  first  parents  fell ;   it  is  at  least 
reigning  passion,  if  not  the  reigning  sin,  in  the  heart  of  every  one 
of  us. 

To  set  up  self — to  have  something — to  be  something — and  to  do 
something-  -is  our  heart's  prime  ambition.  We  cannot  be  content 
to  prostrate  self— to  have  nothing — to  l^e  nothing — and  to  do 
nothing.  Pride  was  the  very  first  sin  which  the  devil  called  into 
action  in  our  first  parents.  The  temptation  which  he  brought 
before  Eve  was  a  lure  to  her  pride,  "  your  eyes  shall  be  opened ; 
ye  shall  he  as  gods  knoioing  good  and  evil.''''  Gen.  iii.  5. 

We  beheve  pride  to  have  been  the  sin  that  cast  Satan  from 
heaven ;  and  we  know  it  was  the  sin  which  cast  out  man  from 
paradise.  So  also  the  very  first  sin,  to  the  root  of  which  the  Gos- 
pel lays  the  axe,  is  pride.  And  therefore,  when  the  sinner  is  brought 
to  believe  the  Gospel ;  the  very  principle  on  which  he  believes  in 
Christ  is  the  fact  of  his  lost  condition — this  is  the  prostration  of 
pride.  Pride  is  the  cause,  the  chief  cause  of  opposition  to  the 
Gospel  of  Christ :  "  They  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness 
and  going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not 
submitted  themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God?''  Rom.  x.  3  ; 
they  have  not  bowed  their  necks  down  to  submit  themselves — they 
are  too  proud  to  do  so. 

So  David  saith,  "  The  wicked,  through  the  pride  of  his  coun- 
tenance will  7iot  seek  after  GodP  Ps.  x.  4.  The  feeling  in  the 
natural  mind  that  takes  offence  at  the  cross  of  Christ,  is  pride. 
You  tell  man,  "  You  are  a  lost  sinner" — you  tell  him  "  you  can  do 
nothing  whatever  to  justify  your  soul  before  God — you  are  a  breaker 
of  God's  law,  and  stand  a  condemned  and  convicted  criminal." 
Then  the  pride  of  man's  heart  takes  fire,  he  bursts  out  at  once. 

"  What  sort  of  doctrine  is  this  ?  then  it  is  no  matter  what  I 
(Jo — I  am  on  a  level  with  the  vilest  criminal — all  virtue  and  vice 
is  reduced  to  the  same  standard. — What  is  this  ?  I — who  am  so 
and  so — virtuous,  moral,  excellent,  honest,  upright,  good-tempered, 
amiable — you  reduce  me  to  a  grade  with  a  man,  the  reverse  of  all 
this." 

Thus,  we  see  pride  is  ever  setting  itself  above  others.  "  But^'' 
saith  the  Apostle,  "  they,  measuring  themselves  by  themselves,  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  323 

comparing  themselves  wmong  them>selves,  are  not  iDiseP  2nd  Cor. 
X.  12.  If  God's  standard  of  judgment  were,  comparing  men,  one 
with  another,  that  language  might  suit  very  well.  But  when  God's 
law  is  the  standard  of  his  righteous  judgment  of  man,  then  the 
blind  sinner  who  is  ignorant  of  that  law,  is  offended  when  you  tell 
him,  that  he  is  a  violator  of  it  in  every  particular,  and  that  he  can- 
not save  himself — his  pride  is  angry,  because  he  has  been  all  his 
life  congratulating  himself,  like  the  Pharisee,  "  God,  I  thank  thee 
that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  uiijnst,  adulterers,^' 
&c.  When  you  bring  then  to  his  pride,  the  principles  of  truth  that 
lay  him  in  the  dust,  he  cannot  endure  it.  But  the  Gospel  pros- 
trates him  there.  It  is  for  sinners.  And  he  never  can  receive  the 
Gospel  until  he  receives  it  in  the  dust.  The  Gospel  addresses  him 
in  no  other  character  but  as  a  corrupt  and  guilty  sinner ;  gives 
him  no  credit  for  his  amiability — ^morality — or  anything  of  the 
sort — but  addresses  him  as  a  lost  and  guilty  sinner,  on  whom,  as 
under  the  law,  the  wrath  of  God  abideth.  In  that  position  the 
Gospel  finds  him — in  that  alone,  it  recognizes  him  and  addresses 
him— and  there  it  proclaims  to  him,  full — free — finished  pardon 
and  salvation,  as  a  condemned  sinner  ;  and  brings  to  him,  for  his 
deliverance,  the  righteousness,  and  the  blood  of  Christ. 

See  those  proud  rebels,  who  had  been  crying  out  against  Christ, 
^'- Away  with  him,  away  with  him,  crucify  him,  crucify  hi^n,'^ 
when  the  Lord  brought  home  conviction  to  their  consciences,  by 
the  preaching  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost— how 
did  they  act  ?  "  Whoi  they  heard  this,  they  were  pricked  in  their 
hearts,  and  said,  men  and  brethren,  what  shcdl  we  do .?"  So  every 
sinner  on  earth  that  is  ever  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  is  brought  in  the  same  way.  Some  may  liave  deeper 
conviction  of  sin  than  others.  In  some,  those  convictions  may  be 
more  slowly  produced ;  in  others,  they  may  be  more  sudden  and 
violent ; — but  every  individual  that  is  saved,  is  saved  in  the  same 
way — as  a  helpless,  ruined  sinner — ^brought  down  to  the  dust,  and 
leoking  to  Jesus  for  free  and  full  salvation. 

Now,  although  they  are  brought  thus  to  Christ,  pride  is  not 
eradicated  from  the  heart.  Remember  this.  The  pride  of  the 
natural  heart  remains  as  long  as  there  is  a  throb  of  life  in  it. 
Pride,  like  all  other  sins,  remains  lusting  against  the  Spirit,  in  the 
natural  heart ;  the  natural  heart  remains  unchanged — struggling 
forever  against  the  Spirit.  In  that  struggle  consists  the  constant 
conflict  of  the  Christian — and  in  the  mortification  and  subjection 
of  that  nature,  by  the  Spirit,  consists  the  Christian's  triumph  of 
faith  and  his  practical  religion. 

One  of  the  most  common  and  dangerous  mistakes  into  which 
many  believers  fall,  is,  that  the  natural  heart  of  man  undergoes 
some  improvement  in  itself  and  its  dispositions.  This  is  alike 
opposed  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  experience  of  every  redeemed 
soul.  It  never  does  so.  The  natural  heart  of  man  remains  the 
same  in  itself  to  the  end.  The  man,  on  the  whole  is  changed — 
"  If  any  man  he  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature.''^  2nd  Cor.  v.  17, 


324  LECTUHES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

He  is  a  new  man — but  lie  is  so  thus,  because  lie  receives  a  new 
principle — a  new  heart — another  heart,  a  heart  which  is  called, 
"  a  heart  offlesh^'' — which  is  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  opposing 
— resisting — subjugating  his  natural  heart.  Hence,  I  repeat,  the 
conllict  that  continually  exists  in  the  behever,  and  under  which 
he  is  constantly  harassed — •'  Uie  Jiesli  liisteth  against  the  tSpirif, 
and  the  /Spirit  against  the  flesh  :  and  these  are  contrary  ilie  one 
to  the  other ;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  thitigs  that  ye  ivoidd.'' 
Gal.  V.  17.  So  saith  the  Apostle  of  himself,  ^^  I  see  another  law  in 
my  meuibers,  tvarring  against  the  law  of  my  m,ind^  and  bring- 
ing 'me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin,  ivhich  is  in  7ny  memhers.'^ 
Rom.  vii.  23. 

Our  Article  on  original  sin,  the  9th,  is  very  plain  on  this  point, 
and  describes  our  state  by  nature,  both  before  and  after  conversion, 
it  says, 

•'This  infection  of  nature  doth  remain,  yea  in  them  that  are  regenerate,  whereby 
the  lust  of  the  flesh,  called  in  Greek  phronewa  sarkos,  which  some  do  expound  the 
■wisdom — some  sensuality — some  the  affection — some  the  desire  of  the  flesh  is  not  suh- 
JLct  to  the  law  of  God.  And  although  there  is  no  condemnation  for  them  that  believe 
and  are  baptized,  yet  the  Apostle  doth  confess  that  concupiscence  and  lust  hath  of 
itself  the  nature  of  sin." 

Indeed  the  Apostle  disposes  of  the  question  in  a  single  text,  for 
using  these  very  Greek  words  which  we  translate  "  the  carnal 
mind,"  he  saith  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enm,ity  against  God,  for  it 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  6e."  Rom. 
viii.  7. 

Hence,  therefore,  this  Apostolic  exhortation,  and  all  other  ex- 
hortations in  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  are  directly  or  indirectly  against 
ourselves  ;  we  must "  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,^'  Titus, 
ii.  12 — ^^  crucify  the  flesh  vnth  its  affections  and  lusts,''  Gal.  v.  24 
— "  mortify  our  m,em,bers  tohich  are  on  earth,''  Col.  iii.  5 — "  7iot 
yield  our  m^embers  as  instrnments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin." 
Rom.  vi.  13.  The  whole  Christian  walk  is  a  walk  of  conflict ; — 
that  is.  a  conflict  between  our  own  corrupt,  natural  inclinations, 
and  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  very  important  we  should  know 
and  recollect  this.  For  there  are  many  believers  going  on  their 
way,  mourning,  in  anguish  and  darkness  of  soul,  because  they  do 
not  feel  the  change  they  are  looking  for — that  is,  the  absence  of 
sin  in  themselves.  They  think  they  are  to  be  improved  to  a  cer- 
tain state,  in  which  there  is  to  be,  in  a  great  degree,  if  not  alto- 
gether, an  absence  of  sin.*  But  they  are  like  men  waiting  for  the 
river  to  flow  by.  The  corrupt  fountain  of  evil — the  natural  heart, 
remains  a  corrupt  fountain  still ;  but  the  mind  of  the  Sprit  is  given 
as  a  gift  by  the  Lord  Jesus  to  oppose — to  contend  against — and  to 

*  A  late  writer,  whose  theology  is  as  false  as  it  is  fashionable,  speaking  of  Mat.  v. 
8,  says,  "  Truth  itself  is  here  manifesting  its  own  eternal  essence  ;  to  '  see  God'  being 
the  one  only  happiness;  and  purity  of  heart— the  one  only  qualification."  Meaning 
— not  a  "  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience"  by  the  blood  of  Jesus — which  is  true 
— but  a  heart  purified  from  the  indwelling  of  sin,  which  is  utterly  without  even  a 
shadow  of  truth. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  325 

subdue  the  flesh,  "  Casting  doivn  itnaginations,  and  every  high 
thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
bringing  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  ChristP 
2   Cor.  X.  5.     The  Apostle   therefore  exhorts  them   "  to  walk 

WORTHY  OF    THE    VOCATION    WHEREWITH    THEY    ARE    CALLED, 

WITH  ALL  LOWLINESS  AND  MEEKNESS."  If  a  Christian  were 
necessarily  made  lowly — if  pride  were  remov^ed  by  conversion — 
there  would  be  no  necessity  for  calling  on  believers  to  watch 
against  it ; — men  could  not,  in  this  case,  mortify  evils — for  there 
would  be  nothing  to  mortify.  The  very  command  to  watck 
against  their  affections  and  lusts,  implies  and  proves  their  existence. 
"With  ALL  lowliness  and  meekness."  These  words  are 
different  in  their  signification  :  Lowliness  signifies  lowliness  of 
mind ;  it  is  elsewhere  translated,  "  in  lowliness  of  mind  let  each 
esteem  other  better  than  themselves.''''  Phil.  ii.  3.  And  in  this  re- 
spect it  differs  from  meekness — the  one  referring  to  the  conduct 
and  demeanor ;  the  other,  to  the  principle  of  the  mind.  A  lowly 
mind  will  produce  a  meek  deportment,  and  a  gentleness  of  manner. 
A  man  who  thinks  humbly  of  himself,  will  not  act  proudly  and 
haughtily  to  others  ;  and  this  exhortation  first  goes  to  the  root  of 
the  evil  in  the  mind,  and  then  to  the  conduct. 

You  have  been  called  to  the  feet  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus, 
and  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  cross,  there  then  abide,  and  as  be- 
cometh  those  bought  at  such  a  price,  "  walk  with  all  lowli- 
ness AND  meekness."     ''^  Let  this  ?nind  be  in  you  which  ivas 
also  in  Christ  JesnsJ'     Phil.  ii.  5.     And,  my  dear  friends,  if  we 
are  really  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  this,  among  other  graces,  is 
that  in  which  the  Christian  especially  grows,  lowliness  and  humil- 
ity.    Some  old   divine,  when  asked  what  is  the  first  Christian 
grace  in  which  the  Christian  grows  ?  answered — ^Humility.     And 
when  asked  what  was  the  second  ?  he  replied — Humility.     And 
what  was  the  third  J — Humility.     I  appeal  to  the  experience,  of 
any  of  you  who  know  the  Gospel,  and  who  feel  the  burthen  of  an 
evil  heart,  and  I  will  venture  to  assert  that  your  experience  testi- 
fies, that,  the  more  you  know  of  yourselves,  the  more  evil  you 
have  found,  and  continually  find  in  your  heart,  therefore,  if  you 
are  taught  of  God,  this  is  your  experience,  and  this  is  the  reason 
why  you  should  grow  in  humility.     Let  us  remember  to  mark  the 
difference  between  true  humihty  and  that  sort  of  mock  humility 
which  is  very  often  the  fruit  of  pride.     We  affect  to  value  our- 
selves at  a  far  lower  rate  than  we  really  do,  and  to  seem  much 
lower  in  our  own  estimation  than  we  really  wish  to  stand  in  that 
of  others.     But  true  humility  is  a  just  and  sober  sense  of  our  own 
guilt  and  misery,  which  teaches  us,  not  before  man,  but  before 
God,  in  our  own  closets  and  in  our  own  hearts,  to  prostrate  our- 
selves at  His  feet  and  cry,  "  God  be  m,ercifid  to  me  a  sinner" 
Luke  xviii.  13.     When  we  are  taught  of  God,  as  we  grow  in  the 
knowledge  of  His  truth,  we  see  cause  of  deep  humiliation,  not  only 
in  our  general  conduct  in  which  we  so  frequently  fall  into  sin — but 
we  learn  to  see  cause  of  humiliation,  most  especially  in  all  our 


326  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

holy  things,  yea — in  our  best  thoughts  ;  we  find  our  best  deeds 
and  thoughts  defiled  and  polluted  by  sin. 

Perhaps  our  fiiends  may  say,  whether  we  be  ministers  or  not, 
how  earnestly  we  pray — how  devoted  we  are — how  warmly  we 
write — how  faithfully  we  preach — or  how  exemplarily  we  dis- 
charge our  duties  in  all  our  stations. — But  we  feel  before  God. 
that  it  is  in  the  discharge  of  our  most  lioly  duties  we  have  most 
cause  of  himiiliation  in  His  siglit ;  no  matter  what  man  may 
think,  or  say — we  feel,  if  taught  of  God,  that  God  sees  us  all  vile, 
j]^lluted,  guilty  creatures.  This  must  follow  from  the  knowledge 
of  God,  '■'■  I  have  heard  of  thee  hy  tlie  hearing  of  the  ear,  hut  noiv 
mi?ie  eye  seeth  thee,  wherefore  I  abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes,'^  Job  xlii.  5,  6.  Therefore,  growth  in  the  knowledge  of 
our  own  hearts  teaches  us  to  grow  and  walk  in  humility.  It  is 
thus  we  learn  to  grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  we  grow  in  the  knowledge 
of  His  character  as  applicable  to  our  wants,  as  suited  to  our  deep 
necessities  and  sins. 

If  we  have  prized  the  righteousness  of  Christ  when  first  we 
heard  of  it,  when  first  we  were  given  to  believe  it — it  is  more  pre- 
cious to  us  every  day,  because  we  discover  daily  more  and  more 
the  truth  of  the  Prophet's  words,  "  All  our  righteousnesses  are  as 
filthy  rags.''''     Is.  Ixiv.  6. 

If  we  prized  the  fountain  of  Christ's  blood  at  the  first,  we  learn 
to  prize  it  every  day,  more  and  more,  for  we  learn  that  it  is  not 
merely  all  our  sins,  but  all  our  righteousness — all  we  have  and 
are  that  we  have  constant  need  to  cast  into  that  blessed  fountain. 
Christ  grows  more  precious  to  us  as  we  grow  continually  lower  in 
our  own  eyes.  And  if  we  are  not  growing  in  the  humiliating 
knowledge  of  ourselves  continually  more  and  more,  believe  me,  it 
is  because  we  are  not  growing  in  the  knowledge  of  our  own 
hearts — our  own  real  character.  True  humility  is  the  fruit  of  the 
real  knowledge  of  ourselves  :  it  is  not,  as  I  have  seen  it  stated,  the 
undervaluing  of  ourselves,  but  the  real  knowledge — the  real,  solid 
judgment  of  our  hearts — a  sober,  solid  principle,  arising  from  a 
sound  and  sober  knowledge  of  truth.  The  more  we  know  of  the 
purity  and  holiness  of  the  law  of  God,  the  more  we  find,  not  only 
our  own  actual  violations  of  that  law,  but  our  short  comings  in 
everything,  that  in  everything  we  may  say  wath  the  Psalmist, 
''•  Who  can  understand  his  errors,  cleanse  thou  me  from,  secret 
faults^''  from  faults  I  know  not,  and  then,  "  keep  back  thy  servant 
also  from  jjresumptuoHs  sins  ;  let  them  not  have  dominion  over 
me:  then  shall  I  he  upright,  and  I  shall  he  innocent  from  the 
great  transgression.''^     Psal.  xix.  12,  13. 

Lowliness  and  meekness  evince  their  practical  effects,  especially 
m  all  our  conduct  to  our  fellow-creatures,  so  he  adds,  "  with  all 

LOWLINESS  AND  MEEKNESS,  WITH  LONG-SUFFERING,  FORBEAR- 
ING ONE  ANOTHER  IN  LOVE."  Lowliiicss  always  teaches  us 
patience  and  forbearance.  Knowledge  of  ourselves,  teaches  us 
how  to  bear  with  the  evils  we  see  in  others ;  and  therefore,  while 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  327 

we  sometimes  see  in  the  young  Christian  a  proud,  arrogant,  or 
censorious  disposition — the  experienced  Christian  bears  with  the 
faults  of  his  fellow-sinners,  having  learned  in  some  degree  how 
God  graciously  bears  with  him.  Increased  knowledge  of  our 
hearts  teaches  us  to  comprehend  and  calculate  some  portion  of 
that  mighty  debt  of  ten  thousand  talents  which  we  owe  to  God, 
and  thus  instructs  us  to  have  patience  with  our  fellow-servant  that 
owes  us  fifty  pence;  we  learn  to  exercise  "long-suffering," 
with  others,  in  proportion  as  we  learn  how  long-suffering  our 
Master  is  with  us. 

"Forbearing  one  another  in  love."  This  is  the  best 
commentary  on  the  text,  "  charity  covereth  a  multitude  of  sifis,^' 
which  is,  I  might  say,  blasphemously  applied  to  prove  the  princi- 
ple, that  alms-giving  and  benevolence,  and  acts  of  kindness  to 
others,  cover  our  sins  in  the  sight  of  God ;  thus  putting  man's 
works  into  the  place  of  Christ,  and  laying  the  axe  to  the  very  root 
of  the  Gospel.  Charity,  that  is  Christian  kindness  and  love, 
^^  covereth  the  nmltitude  of  sins'''  that  appear  in  us  to  each  other. 
The  text  is  quoted  by  the  Apostle  Peter  from  Proverbs,  where  we 
see  it  in  its  own  place  in  contrast  with  its  opposite,  ^'•hatred  stirreth 
up  strife,  but  love  covereth  all  sius.^^  Prov.  x.  12.  And  that  is 
the  very  thing,  bearing  and  forbearing  with  each  other,  throwing 
a  mantle  of  love  over  another's  transgressions.  In  our  natural 
state,  we  are  all  ready  to  remark  on  our  neighbor's  defects  and 
imperfections — -to  expose  them — to  whisper  them — to  laugh  at 
them,  because  pride  and  Satan  foster  in  our  hearts  the  impression, 
that  we  thus  exhibit  ourselves  as  superior  to  others,  in  those  de- 
fects which  we  are  so  ready  to  point  out  in  them  ;  hence  that 
spirit  of  slander — of  scandal — of  whispering — of  backbiting  and 
satire,  that  is  so  common  in  general  conversation  among  persons 
who  are  ignorant  of  God.  And  alas  !  there  is  a  lamentable  defect 
in  Christian  conduct  among  those  who  profess  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
There  are  many  who  are  too  ready  to  speak  of  the  faults  of  their 
neighbors  and  to  blazon  their  errors.  "■But  love  covereth  all  si?is,^' 
so  he  saith  "forbearing  one  another  in  love ;"  implying 
that  we  have  need  of  forbearance,  and  ought  to  exercise  it. 

In  our  own  family — among  our  friends — our  acquaintances — 
our  neighbors— in  every  relation  in  life,  who  has  not  to  bear  with 
some  peculiar  tempers — eccentricities — weaknesses — and  failings 
in  others  ?  and  who  has  not  a  great  necessity  that  others  should 
bear  with  their  own  1 

What  countless  peculiarities  and  infirmities  do  those  who  are 
near  us  see  in  us,  as  we  see  in  them,  and  what  would  become  of 
us — surely  every  house  would  be  almost  a  hell — if  mutual  forbear- 
ance, kindness,  and  patience,  did  not  "  cover  the  multitude  of  sins.^^ 
And  that  forbearance  which  we  would  exercise  toward  a  friend 
whom  we  loved,  the  Gospel  teaches  us  to  practice  towards  all, 
"  forbearing  one  another  in  love." 

What  a  blessed  standard  of  happiness  as  well  as  holiness  the 
Gospel  erects  for  men.     How  happy  would  the  genuine  exercise  of 


328  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

these  short  precepts  make  a  family,  or  a  circle  of  friends  or  ac- 
quaintances,   "with   all  lowliness    and    meekness,    with 

LONG-SUFFERING,  FORBEARING  ONE   ANOTHER    IN  LOVE." 

May  the  Lord  Jesus  bring  these  principles  into  our  hearts  and 
these  precepts  into  our  lives,  for  His  Name's  sake,  Amen. 

Now  we  shall  part  till  after  Christmas. — So  beloved  friends  I 
must  wish  you  a  happy  Christmas ;  Oh  that  we  may  all  know  the 
rich  source  of  happiness  to  be  derived  from  the  return  of  the  anni- 
versary of  our  glorious  Saviour's  birth  !  Alas,  what  a  blight  it  is 
on  the  Christian  church  at  this  day,  that  the  very  time  which  was 
set  apart  by  those  of  the  early  faith  for  celebrating  the  glorious  ad- 
vent of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Master,  is  so  lamentably  perverted 
and  abused  !  Look  at  that  season  now,  among  nominal  Chris- 
tians. 

^^  I  wish  you  a  merry  Christmas  ;" — that  means,  I  wish  you  a 
season  of  carousing  and  feasting,  of  eating  and  drinking  and  rev- 
elling, and  a  full  indulgence  in  all  the  follies  and  vanities  of  the 
world.  I  was  struck  with  the  newspaper  the  other  day  in  looking 
at  the  vast  number  of  advertisements  of  Christmas  games  of  all 
descriptions,  for  children : — foolish  and  absurd  amusements,  adapted 
to  what  they  call  a  merry  Christmas,  without  a  shadow  of  even 
religious  instruction  in  them  !  Oh,  how  the  many  returns  of  what 
is  called  a  happy  Christmas,  shall  rise  in  judgment  against  those 
who  profess  His  name,  but  who  know  not  the  blessmg  of  His  com- 
ing into  the  world.  It  is  indeed  a  happy,  and  ought  to  be  a  happy 
season ;  we  should  have  a  continual  recollection,  an  everlasting 
remembrance  of  the  time  when  the  Son  of  God  came  down  from 
heaven  and  "  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,^''  Phil.  ii.  7, — 
that  time  ought,  indeed,  to  be  a  time  of  joy  and  thankfulness, 
spiritual  joy,  spiritual  thankfulness,  when  "  Christ  came  into 
the  iDorld  to  save  sinners,^^  1  Tim.  i.  15.  What  a  wonder  in  time, 
what  a  wonder  in  eternity,  that  the  Lord  of  glory  came  to  be  born 
in  a  stable,  and  to  lie  in  a  manger,  to  live  "  a  man  of  sorrows''^ 
without  where  to  lay  His  head,  and  die  on  a  cross  for  guilty  rebels 
like  us !  Oh,  the  true  celebration  of  Christmas  is,  to  think,  with 
gratitude  and  joy,  what  our  Master  has  done  for  us — what  His  love 
demands  from  us. — Oh,  may  we  know  this  !  And  I  wnsh  you.  my 
dear  friends,  a  happy  Christmas,  and  this  is  the  happiness  I  wish 
you — "  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith,  that  ye 
being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend 
with  cdl  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth  and 
height  ;  and  to  knoiv  the  love  of  Christ  ivhich  passeth  knoivledge, 
that  ye  may  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.''''  chap.  in.  17,  18, 
19. — Amen. 


TWENTY-NINTH    LECTURE. 


Efhesians  IV. — 3,  4,  6,  6. 


"  Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There  is  one 
body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling ;  One  Lord, 
one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all, 
and  in  you  all." 

The  Apostle  continues  his  practical  exhortations  to  his  believ- 
ing brethren  to  walk  worthy  of  their  vocation,  and  the  next  char- 
acteristic mark  of  that  walk  which  he  mentions,  is,  "  endeavor- 
ing TO  KEEP  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  SpIRIT  IN  THE  BOND  OP 
PEACE." 

There  are  two  grand  principles  in  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  Faith 
and  Love.  The  belief  of  the  truth,  and  the  influence  of  that  truth 
produced  by  the  belief  of  it,  which  is  love.  It  is  utterly  hnpossible 
that  the  sinner  can  really  believe  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  without  that 
faith  producing  love  to  Jesus.  AVe  cannot  believe  the  work  that 
Christ  has  wrought  for  us,  and  rest  upon  that  work,  and  upon  him 
who  has  wrought  it,  as  our  Hope — our  Peace — our  Joy — our  Sal- 
vation— we  cannot  do  so,  without  loving  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and 
therefore,  you  see,  that  love  is  always  given  as  the  true  character- 
istic of  genuine  faith,  as  in  that  text,  "  in  Christ  Jesus,  neither 
circumcision  availeth  anything  nor  imcircumcision,  but  faith 
lohich  worketh  by  love"     Gal  v.  6. 

Now  these — as  "  Every  good  gift  and  ever  y  ii  erf ect  gift  is  from 
above,'^  James  i.  17,  these  are  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  "  no 
man  can  say  that  Jesns  is  the  Lord  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;" 
1st  Cor.  xii.  3.  And  so  you  see,  these  are  numbered  among  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  in  Gal.  v.  22,  23,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is 
love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meek- 
ness, temperance  ;"  now,  "  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit  ;" 
and  the  natural  workings  of  the  corrupt  heart  are  always  contra- 
vening the  mind  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  you  see  this  stated  in  the 
chapter  from  which  I  have  quoted,  Gal.  v.  "  The  flesh  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh,  and  these  are 
contrary,  the  one  to  the  other :  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that 
ye  would.''''  The  natural  unbelief  of  the  heart  of  man  is  always 
conflicting  against  the  faith  of  the  Gospel — as  the  natural  cor- 
ruptions, the  evil  lusts  and  passions  of  the  heart  of  man,  are  al- 
ways conflicting  against  the  love  of  the  Gospel ;  therefore,  all  be- 
lievers are  continually  exhorted  throughout  the  Scriptures  to  faith, 
and  to  the  fruits  of  faith  ;  which  are  therefore  always  requiring  an 


330  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

effort  on  the  part  of  man  against  his  own  evils,  so  the  Apostle 
says,  "endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
THE  BOND  OF  peace" — as  mucli  as  to  say,  your  natural  mind  is 
opposed  to  the  great  principle  of  Christian  love,  just  as  the  pride 
of  the  natural  heart  is  opposed  to  lowliness  and  meekness ;  the 
impetuousness  and  evil  tempers  of  the  natural  mind  are  opposed 
to  "  long-suffering,  and  forbearing  one  another  in  love ;"  so  the 
same  corrupt  principle  is  opposed  to  "  keeping  the  unity  of 
THE  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."  Therefore,  you  see  the 
Apostle  says,  "  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
IN  THE  bond  of  peace" — that  is  to  say,  you  must  strive  to  do  so. 
"  I  labor  for  peace,^''  saith  David  ;  and  hard  work  it  is  sometimes, 
both  for  ourselves  and  others. 

If  those  who  profess  the  Gospel,  attended  diligently  to  these 
great  leading  principles,  the  pure  faith  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  and 
the  love  that  flows  front  that  faith,  we  should  not  see  the  Church 
of  Christ  so  distracted  as  it  is  at  this  moment.  Look  at  the  Prot- 
estant Churches,  you  hear  continually  the  objection  that  Popery 
advances  against  the  Word  of  God,  it  says, 

"  Look  at  the  result  of  reading  the  Scriptures  ;  Protestants  have 
the  free  use  of  the  Bible,  and  see  what  it  produces  in  them ;  see 
their  divisions,  their  contentions,  see  the  different  sects  and  parties 
into  which  they  are  divided." 

This,  alas  !  is  awfully  true  in  fact,  but  utterly  false  in  principle. 
For — it  arises,  not  from  reading  the  Scriptures,  but  from  neglecting 
the  Scriptures.  Union  may  arise  from  ignorance  and  unbelief  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ,  ^'-  teaching  for  doctrines,  the  commandments 
of  m,en.^''  Such  is  the  state  of  the  Church  of  Rome  itself,  whose 
unity  is  that  of  darkness,  ignorance,  and  death ;  and  such  the 
unity  that  those  would  effect  among  ourselves,  who  would  transfer 
the  authority  of  Rome  to  the  Church  of  England.  In  general, 
divisions  arise  from  an  imperfect,  and  inadequate  view  of  the  value 
and  importance  of  the  faith  and  love  of  Christ,  and  from  giving  an 
undue  unscriptural  preponderance,  to  things,  of  which  some  are 
comparatively  of  lesser  moment,  and  some  of  none  at  all.  In  some 
cases  the  spirit  of  dissention  seems  in  itself  to  rule  in  the  hearts 
of  men.  It  is  astonishing  how  some  men  seem  born  with  a  spirit 
of  discontent,  insubordination,  and  contradiction, — few  there  are, 
who  do  not  feel  something  of  these  in  themselves,  and  he  who  tries 
to  bring  men  to  unity,  where  discipline  does  not  forbid  resistance, 
is  well  aware  how  those  evils  reign  in  various  proportions  in  the 
hearts  of  others. 

The  only  contention  that  ought  to  have  a  place  in  the  Church 
ought  to  be  that  of  which  we  see  so  little — "  striving  together,^'' 
as  St.  Paul  saith,  "/or  the  faith  of  the  GospeF — Phil.  ii.  27,  or  in 
the  language  of  St.  Jude,  ^''  contending  earnestly  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,"  Jude  3,  and  as  here  "  endeavoring  to 

KEEP  THE  UNITY  OF  THE    SpIRIT   IN  THE  BOND  OF  PEACE." 

But  it  really  would  seem,  as  if  some  persons  thought,  that  their 
Christian  duty  consisted  in  the  opposite  of  this  ;  in  endeavoring  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  331 

break  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  contention  and  war.  For  instead 
of  persons  asserting  and  maintaining  the  great  principles  of  the 
Gospel,  that  ought  to  keep  and  liold  them  together  ;  there  are  many 
who  seem  to  search  the  Scriptures  for  points  of  contention  and  di- 
vision— who  tliink  they  maj^  dissent,  and  that  they  may  separate 
themselves,  and  excite  to  dissention  the  consciences  of  others,  on 
the  most  minute  and  most  contemptible  trifles,  the  beggarly  ele- 
ments of  forms  and  ceremonies,  and  different  things  of  that  kind, 
to  the  utter  neglect  of  the  great  fundamental  principle  of  main- 
taining the  faith  of  Christ,  and  "endeavoring  to  keep  the 
UNITY  OF  THE  Spirit  IN  THE  BOND  OF  PEACE."*  Creating  di- 
visions appears,  I  confess,  to  me  to  be  an  awful  act  of  evil,  sepa- 
rating and  dividing  from  the  unity  of  those  that  hold  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel ;  whether  it  is  effected  by  those  who  would  force 
unessential  matters  on  the  consciences  of  others ;  or  by  those  who 
give  to  such  matters  an  unscriptural  weight  and  authority  over 
their  own. 

I  trust  I  can  say,  and  feel  with  all  my  heart,  '•'■Grace  beivithtall 
them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity ,^^  chap.  vi.  24 — 
yet,  I  cannot,  for  this  very  reason,  but  mourn  as  sincerely  the  di- 
visions among  those,  who,  I  believe,  hold  the  essentials  of  Gospel 
truth.  Oh  !  my  friends,  if  those  that  profess  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
were  as  anxious  to  unite  together  in  maintaining  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  in  walking,  as  here  enjoined,  '•'■inorthy  of 
the  vocation  icherewith  they  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and 
meekness,  ivitli  long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love,^^ — 

"endeavoring    to    KEEP    THE    UNITY    OF  THE  SpIRIT    IN    THE 

BOND  OP  PEACE,"  this  couutiy  would  present  a  very  different  pic- 
ture, from  that  which  it  presents  at  this  moment ; — an  awful  ex- 
hibition of  dissensions,  divisions,  and  contentions — not  merely 
among  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  but  even 
among  those  who  know  it !  You  see,  the  command  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  is,  "endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
IN  the  bond  of  peace."  Men  may  differ — and,  no  doubt,  will 
continually  do  so,  on  various  subjects  connected  with  religion.  It 
is  utterly  impossible,  that  the  minds  of  men  can  all  be  brought  to 
think  alike — I  do  not  believe  the  Lord  ever  intended  it ; — but, 
though  men  cannot  all  agi-ee  in  all  unimportant,  non-essential 
points — those  who  agree  together  on  the  great  foundations  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  ought  to  walk  together — to  love  one  another,  in 
"the   unity  of  the  Spirit  and  the  bond  op  peace."     If 

*  I  recollect  a  lamentable  illustration  of  the  evil  here  sfx)ken  of,  in  a  body  who  sep- 
arated from  the  Church  and  all  other  sects,  and  who  would  not  even  kneel  down  to 
pray  with  a  person  who  did  not  belong  to  their  own  body,  on  the  ground  that  those 
who  did  not  observe  all  the  Apostolic  precepts,  were  "  vralking  disorderly."  One  of 
them  at  last  introduced  the  Apostolic  precept,  "  Greet  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss,"  and 
then  they  separated  into  parties  themselves,  having  divided  on  this  question  of  the 
salutation.  When  will  men  learn  that  schisms  and  divisions,  except  where  the  vital 
principles  of  the  Gospel  are  involved,  are  a  positive  violation  of  the  most  express  com- 
mands of  the  Scripture,  and  a  greatsr  evil  than  any.  that  those  who  cause  them  can 
seek  to  avoid  1 


332  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

there  were  no  differences  in  opinions  and  tempers,  how  could  men 
bring  into  practice,  ^'- forbearing  one  another  in  love'''  ? — what  need 
of  "endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
BOND  OF  peace"  ? — it  is  the  difficuUy,  that  makes  it  necessary  to 
endeavor  to  do  so.  Surely,  if  we  hold  the  great  foundations  of  the 
truth  as  we  ought  to  hold  them,  we  shall  agree  in  trusting  and  in 
loving  our  Lord,  and  loving  one  another,  for  our  Lord's  sake  ;  and 
we  shall  agree  in  maintaining  the  great  principles  of  the  Gospel  of 
our  God  and  Saviour,  against  all  the  ignorance,  error,  and  false- 
hood, that  are  endeavoring  to  undermine  them. 

Oh  !  shall  it  ever  be,  when  we  shall  be  permitted  to  say,  "  Be- 
hold^ how  good  and  how  jtleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  to- 
gether in  unity. ''^  Surely,  "  It  is  like  the  precious  oitnient  upon 
the  head^  that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron^s  beard ;  that 
went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments^  Surely  it  is  "  As  the  dew 
of  Hermon,  and  as  the  dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains 
of  Zion :  for  there  the  Lord  commanded  a  blessing,  even  life  for 
evermore.^'  Psalm  cxxxiii.  1,  2,  3. 

Surely,  a  spirit  of  union  and  love — an  unction  flowing  from 
Him,  the  Glorious  Head,  whose  name  is  Love,  descending  down 
to  the  skirts  of  His  garment,  even  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest 
in  the  Church — might  well  be  compared  to  the  perfumed  oil, 
wherewith  Aaron  was  anointed, flowing  down  on  his  garments; — 
or,  the  dew  that  distilled  from  heaven  on  the  mountains  of  Zion, 
bringing  verdure  to  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  and  perfume  and  re- 
freshment to  the  flowers  that  grew  beneath  them. 

Surel}'^,  we  have  a  sad  experience  of  how  evil  and  how  bitter  a 
thing  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  contention. 

I  have  seen  much  of  dissention  and  divisions  in  my  hfe  ;  and  I 
can  truly  say,  I  never  knew  a  blessing  rest,  in  any  single  instance, 
on  them  !  I  can  only  view  them  as  the  work  of  the  enemy  of 
souls.  I  have  seen  many  who  have  separated  from  the  Church, 
but  I  never  knew  in  my  life,  an  instance,  in  which  practical  evil 
did  not  result  from  it,  both  to  the  individuals  themselves,  and 
others.  I  have  seen  it  too  often  narrow  the  heart  of  Christian 
love,  and  embitter  the  spirit — stirring  up  dissentions,  "  which  min- 
ister questions,  rather  than  godly  edifying,  which  is  in  faithP 
1st  Tim.  i.  4. 

I  trust  there  is  not  any  person  who  has  a  more  Catholic  spirit 
than  I  have,  in  this  case.  I  can  give,  cordially,  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  to  those  who  I  believe  love  the  Lord  Jesus  in  sincerity, ' 
to  whatever  outward  denomination  of  Christianity  they  belong; 
yet,  I  must  say,  that  I  think  there  is  in  these  realms,  at  this  mo- 
ment, an  awful  evil  among  many  who  make  a  high  profession  of 
the  Gospel,  but  who  dissent  from  the  Church  which  God  has  been 
pleased  to  establish  amongst  us.  Men  may  hold  different  opinions 
about  various  points  of  government,  and  forms,  and  discipline,  and 
cavil  at  expressions — but  all  the  great  vitalities  of  eternal  truth — - 
all  the  great  foundations  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  are  incorporated 
with  the  principles  of  the  Established  Church,  as  plainly  as  they 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  333 

are  written  in  the  Bible.  The  Articles,  the  Homilies,  the  Liturgy, 
of  our  Church,  contain  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  as 
plainly  as  they  are  written  in  the  Word  of  God.  And,  although 
there  are  of  course,  as  there  must  be  in  all  human  institutions, 
various  ordinances  that  are,  confessedly,  of  human  appointment, — ■ 
and  which  are,  and  must  be,  left  at  large,  and  adapted  to  various 
circumstances,  and  times,  and  nations,  for  the  utility  and  edifica- 
tion of  the  Church  ; — yet  all  the  great  fundamental  truths,  on 
which  a  sinner  can  alone  rest  his  soul  before  God,  are  to  be  found 
at  the  very  foundations  of  the  Established  Church.  And,  when 
God  did  please  to  establisli  that  Church  in  this  nation, — all  those 
who  call  themselves  Christians,  if,  as  they  say,  their  conscience 
leads  them  to  dissent  themselves, — I  think  it  ought  to  lead  them, 
not  to  sow  dissension,  but  to  "endeavor  to  keep  the  unity 
OF  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 

I  have  said,  I  never  saw  a  blessing  rest  on  divisions.  I  love 
many  that  are  dissenters,  as  Christian  men ;  yet,  the  principle,  I 
think,  has  been,  and  is  at  this  moment,  lamentably  tested  and  ex- 
hibited in  this  empire* — for  I  see  many  who  make  a  loud  profes- 
sion of  the  Gospel,  united  at  this  time  with  Apostacy,  with  Popery, 
with  Infidelity,  to  pull  down  the  Estabhshed  Religion !  This  is 
clear  ; — no  person  who  reads  the  public  journals  can  doubt  the 
fact.  Then,  I  say,  that  this  presents  an  awful  exhibition  of  the 
evils  of  divisions,  and  of  the  substitution  of  other  things,  for  the 
grand  principles  of  faith  and  love,  which  are  the  vital  essence  of 
true  religion.  I  trust  that  God  will  lead  such  persons  to  see  the 
evil  of  taking  part  with  Satan,  against  the  cause  of  Christ !  I 
have  known  men,  to  whom  I  have  gladly  given  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship,  as  members  of  Bible  Societies,  mantaining  cor- 
dially, as  I  supposed,  the  Bible — vindicating  and  asserting  its  au- 
thority ; — I  have  seen  such  persons  stand  forward  and  take  part 
with  Popery  and  Infidelity,  for  the  establishment  of  that  awful 
system  of  anti-Christian  education  in  this  country,  that  empowers 
priest-craft  to  shut  out  the  Word  of  the  Living  God  from  the  in- 
struction of  our  poor  countrymen.  Nor  do  I  see  one  to  this  day 
stand  forward  faithfully  against  it. 

Again,  I  have  met  with  persons  belonging  to  our  Church,  with 
whom  I  have  taken  sweet  counsel,  and  enjoyed  Christian  fellow- 
ship, yea — who  have  labored  with  me  in  the  cause  of  Christ — who 
have  quitted  the  Church,  and  afterwards,  in  a  spirit  of  division, 
and  dissent,  and  schism,  have  turned  from  me,  or  argued  bitterly 
against  me — as  being  a  member  of  Babylon,  which  they  call  the 
Established  Church !  This  is  neither  like  "  lowliness,^^ — nor  "  meek- 
ness,''^— nor  "  long  suffering," — nor  ^^ forbearing  one  another  in 
love," — still  less,  "  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 

When  men  either  arrogate  an  unscriptural  authoritity  for  them- 
selves— their  office — and  their  Church — setting  them  up  instead 

*  This  Lecture  was  delivered  in  1837,  and  the  truth  of  this  statement  was  too 
mournfully  proved,  in  many  ways,  at  that  period. 


334  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

of  Christ — and  iinchristianize  all  who  do  not  belong  to  them,  as 
some  do  in  our  own  Church. 

Or,  when  men — forgetting  the  great  principles  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus — the  great  principles  of  faith  and  love — dispute,  and  dissent, 
and  divide,  about  forms  and  ceremonies,  and  ordinances,  which 
are  no  part  of  the  vital  truth  and  power  of  the  religion  of  Jesus. 

Or,  when  men  choose  to  anticipate  the  commands  of  Christ, 
and  the  office  of  the  angels,  in  separating  the  tares  from  the 
wheat,  and  seek  to  form  a  Church  for  themselves — consisting 
purely  of  the  saints — such  as  is  only  to  be  looked  for  when  Christ 
shall  come ;  and  when  they  strive  to  sow  dissentions,  and  cause 
divisions  among  believers — really  doing  the  work  of  the  enemy. 
It  appears  to  me,  that  such  persons,  of  all  classes,  seem  to  know 
little — and  to  prize  still  less,  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Jesus,  in  its 
faith,  and  love,  and  power ;  and  that  they  have  much  need  both 
to  learn  these,  as  well  as  the  meaning  of  this  exhortation,  "  en- 
deavoring TO  KEEP  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  SpIRIT  IN  THE  BOND 
OF  PEACE." 

These  things  ought  to  be  laid  to  heart ;  for  certainly,  "  God 
is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  as  in  all  the  churches 
of  the  saintsP  1st  Cor.  xiv.  33.  "  If  ye  have  hitter  envying  and 
strife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  against  the  truth. 
This  ivisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual, 
devilish.  For  lohere  etivying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion, 
and  every  evil  workP  James,  iii.  14,  15,  16. 

The  Apostle  proceeds  to  give  an  unanswerable  reason  for  this 
exhortation  to  unity  of  Spirit, — "  There  is  one  body  and 
ONE  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your 

CALLING." 

There  will  be  no  divisions  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Lamb  ! 
There,  these  two  great  principles  of  Faith  and  Love  shall  appear 
to  have  been  the  grand  doctrines  which  God  inculcated,  with  all 
their  power  and  their  fruits,  on  His  Church,  and  which  God's 
Church  ought  to  have  ever  kept  in  view.  You  will  always  find, 
when  divisions  exist,  that  it  is  for  want  of  maintaining  these  two 
principles  ;  some  "  beggarly  elements''^  are  brought  in,  and  put 
into  a  place  which  they  ought  not  to  occupy.  Nothing  should 
sever  the  members  of  Christ  from  each  other — nothing  should  sever 
the  children  of  God — the  brothers  and  sisters  of  "  the  whole  family 
in  heaven  and  earth.''^  There  are  no  divisions  in  heaven,  and  it 
is  earth  alone  that  causes  any  here  below.     For — 

"There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are 
called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling;  one  lord,  one  faith, 

ONE    BAPTISM,  ONE    GoD    AND    FaTHER    OF  ALL,  WHO    IS    ABOVE 

all,  and  in  you  all." 

There  is  one  Body. 

What  a  beautiful  image  that  is,  in  which  all  the  members  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  are  compared  to  one  body,  of  which  their  risen  Lord 
is  the  Head  !  Christ  the  Head,  and  all  the  individual  members  of 
His  Church,  members  : — "one  body  and  one  Spirit."     What  a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  335 

blessed  privilege  for  a  dying  sinner,  to  look  upon  himself  as  a  member 
of  the  body  of  Christ ! — to  recollect  that  Christ  is  his  Head^that, 
whatever  place  he  holds  in  the  body,  he  is  still  a  member  of  the  body 
—however  high  or  low  he  may  be- — however  adorned  with  gifts  and 
graces,  or  however  feeling  himself  destitute  of  these — however  he 
may  be  placed,  on  high  in  the  eyes  of  man — or  however  low,  so 
that  the  eye  of  man  sees  and  regards  him  not ; — still  all — all  that 
are  looking  to  Jesus — that  are  resting  on  Jesus,  are  "  one  body." 
And  there  is  "  one  Spirit,"  too.  The  same  spirit  that  moves  my 
hand  or  my  finger,  is  the  same  spirit  that  animates  my  heart,  and 
my  head,  and  every  member  of  my  body.  The  same  Spirit  that 
rules  on  high,  even  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  Spirit 
that  dwells  in  every  member  of  His  mystical  body,  wherever  that 
member  may  be.  The  sole  of  my  foot  is  as  much  a  part  of  my 
body,  as  the  crown  of  my  head — and  the  life  that  animates  one 
part,  animates  the  other.  So,  the  poorest,  lowliest,  humblest  be- 
liever in  the  Church  is  as  much  a  member  of  the  body,  wonderful 
to  speak,  even  as  the  glorious  Head  Himself!  So  the  Lord  Jesus, 
in  His  prayer  for  His  Church,  in  John,  xvii.,  saith,  "  Neither, 
pray  I  for  these  alone^''  namely,  the  Disciples  who  were  surround- 
ing Him  at  the  time,  '•'■but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me 
through  their  word."  Now,  mark  what  He  prays — "  that  they 
all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
they  also  may  be  one  in  us  :  that  the  ivorld  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me.  A?id  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given 
them, ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one  ;"  John,  xvii.  20, 
21,  22.  See  how  also  the  Apostle  sets  forth  this  truth  to  the 
Romans,  "  For  as  we  have  tnany  members  in  one  body,  and  all 
m,embers  have  not  the  same  office  ;  so  we,  being  many,  are  one 
body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  members  one  of  another P  Rom.  xii. 
4,  .5.  The  same  truth  is  set  forth  to  the  Corinthians,  "  As  the 
body  is  one,  and  hath  many  m^embers,  and  all  the  memhers  of 
that  one  body,  being  many,  are  one  body :  so  also  is  Christ."  1st 
Cor.  xii.  12. 

What  a  wonderful  truth,  my  dear  friends — that  sinners,  like  us, 
should  be  privileged  to  think  ourselves  members  of  the  body  of 
Jesus  !  And  ought  one  member  of  the  body  to  injure  another  ? 
Does  not  the  Apostle  say,  "  Whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
Qnembers  suffer  tvith  it ;  or  one  member  be  honored,  all  the  mem- 
bers rejoice  ivith  it."  1st  Cor.  xii  26.  Again,  he  saith,  "  The  eye 
cannot  say  unto  the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee  ;  nor  again  the 
head  to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you."  verse  21.  Shall  I,  with 
my  hand  injure  ray  head,  or  my  feet,  or  any  part  of  my  body? 
Shall  I  not  rather  defend  and  preserve  them?  Surely,  if  one 
member  of  my  body  is  in  pain,  will  not  all  the  members  sympa- 
thize in  suffering  with  it  ?  Oh  !  if  we  but  knew  the  value  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus,  as  we  ought  to  know,  so  should  it  be  with  all  the 
members  of  His  mystical  body.  They  would  love  one  another — 
be  united  with  one  another,  in  heart ;  as  they  are,  in  fact,  one  in 
Christ.     They  would  endeavor  to  defend,  and  protect,  and  sympa- 


336 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 


thize  with,  and  help  each  other.  As  one  member  of  the  body  will 
help,  instinctively  as  it  were,  all  the  other  members — so  all  the 
members  of  the  Church  of  Christ  (if  they  recollected,  as  they  ought, 
that  they  are  all  one  in  Jesus)  would  feel  for — love — help,  and 
cherish  one  another.  Oh  !  that  we  knew,  and  appreciated  as  we 
ought,  the  privilege  of  being  united  together  in  Christ;  and  then 
we  would  feel  it  our  privilege,  as  well  as  our  duty,  to  "  endeavor 

TO  KEEP  THE   UNITY  OF  THE    SPIRIT   IN  THE  BOND    OF    PEACE." 

The  Apostle  proceeds,  "There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit, 

EVEN  AS  YE  ARE  CALLED  IN  ONE  HOPE  OF  YOUR  CALLING."  The 

body  must  be  one — the  Spirit  one — as  the  hope  to  which  ye  have 
been  called  by  that  Spirit  is  one.  You  have  all  the  same  hope — 
all,  the  same  refuge.  The  blood  of  Christ  is  the  common  foun- 
tain for  your  sins  ;  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  is  the  common  robe 
for  your  nakedness  ;  the  power  of  Jesus' is  the  common  safeguard 
and  dependence  for  your  weakness ;  the  faithfulness  of  Jesus  your 
common  security  in  your  waywardness  and  wavering ;  and  the 
glorious  thought  of  meeting  at  the  right  hand  of  your  Lord,  is  the 
same  bright  prospect  for  you  all.  Therefore,  the  "hope  of  your 
calling"  is  the  same.  You  should  all  then  remember  this,  and 
should  have  but  one  heart  and  one  mind.  The  same  Spirit  that 
calls  the  whole  body  of  Christ,  should,  in  this  one  blessed  hope, 
rule  in  the  heart  of  that  body,  and  animate  every  member  from 
the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  sole  of  the  foot.  So  it  would  be, 
were  it  not  for  Satan  and  sin.  We  ma)^  say  of  all  divisions  in  the 
Church,  like  the  sowing  of  the  tares  in  the  field,  "  an  enemy  has 
done  this"  Mat.  xiii.  28. 

Then  the  Apostle  proceeds  from  the  members  to  the  Head.  He 
adds,  "  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  There  is  but  one 
Lord — one  Head  over  all — one  Saviour  of  all — one  common  Re- 
deemer ;  ye  are  servants  of  the  same  Master — soldiers  of  the  same 
Captain — children  of  the  same  Father — and  heirs  of  the  same 
glory. 

So  there  is  "  one  faith," — one  genuine  agreement  in  believing 
the  glorious  Gospel,  and  all  the  great  truths  revealed  in  the  Word 
of  our  God — one  common  salvation — one  only  object  of  common 
trust — one  sole  ground  of  dependence. 

"One  baptism,"  all  baptized  into  Jesus  ;  as  the  Apostle  saith, 
"a5  many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ,^' 
Gal.  iii.  27,  "  buried  with  him  in  baptistn,  wherein  also  ye  are 
riseti  with  him,  through  the  faitli  of  the  operation  of  God,  who 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead."  Col.  ii.  12.  Every  considera- 
tion, all  the  truths  of  the  Gospel — all  consolations  in  time — all 
hopes  for  eternity — all  the  blessings  derived  from  God  to  man 
here — all  that  can  be  expected  and  looked  for  hereafter — all  con- 
spire to  this  one  end,  to  draw  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
into  one  body,  to  "  strive  together  for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel^'' 
Phil.  i.  27 ;  to  "  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  Saints"  Jude  3  ;  to  " love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart  fer- 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  337 

ventlp,^^  1  Pet.  i.  22;  "endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of 
THE  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 

For  as  there  is  "  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  So, 
there  is,  "One  God  and  father  of  all,  who  is   above  all, 

AND  THROUGH  ALL,  AND  IN   VOU  ALL." 

The  Apostle  brings  forward  the  privileges  and  blessings  which 
believers  enjoy,  as  the  ground  for  his  exhortations.  All  the  Apos- 
tolical exhortations  are  based  on  the  same  foundation — all  made 
to  rest  on  the  position  in  which  believers  are  placed,  with  respect 
to  their  God.  They  are  not  exhorted  to  these  things,  to  make 
them  believers,  or  give  them  privileges  ; — but  because  they  are  be- 
lievers, and  because  they  have  privileges.  There  is  "  one  God 
AND  Father  of  all."  Are  you  not  members  of  the  same  family 
— children  of  the  same  Father  ?  If  you  saw  your  children  quar- 
relling, and  contending  with  each  other,  you  would  say,  "  Is  it  not 
a  shame  for  you  to  disagree  in  this  manner? — you  are  brothers 
and  sisters — you  are  members  of  the  same  family — you  have  one 
father — one  mothei' — you  ought  to  live  together  in  unity  and  in  the 
bond  of  peace."  And  if  any  child  was  to  allege  to  you  any  reason 
whatever  for  quarrelling  with  their  brother  or  sister,  you  would 
say — "  That  is  no  reason  for  your  quarrelling — nothing  can  be  a 
reason  for  violating  the  great  duty  of  love  to  each  other."  The 
same  principle  holds  good  in  God's  family : — if  we  be  indeed 
children  of  the  Lord,  we  are  brethren  and  sisters  ;  and,  surely,  we 
ought  to  say,  as  Joseph  to  his  brethren,  "see  that  ye  fall  not  out 
by  the  iDayP  Gen.  xlv.  24.  We  should  recollect,  that  we  are 
children  of  the  same  family — brethren  and  sisters — if  we  are  in- 
deed in  Christ,  if  we  are  indeed  looking  unto  Jesus.  But  it  is  in 
vain  for  persons  to  imagine  that  outward  forms  can  ever  prove  a 
substitute  for  inward  principle. — Forms  and  ordinances,  however 
useful  in  their  place,  are  miserable  ties  and  bonds  to  unite  a 
Church  together.  It  is  the  great  principle  of  faith  and  love  that 
alone  can  really  hold  them  in  one — and  it  is  that  which  the  Apostle 
impresses  on  them. 

"  There  is  one  God  and  Father  of  all."  Our  blessed  Lord, 
when  He  teaches  you  to  pray,  instructs  you  all  to  kneel  down,  and 
call  God  your  Father ;  and  surely,  when  you  thus  unite  in  this 
appellation,  you  ought  to  love  as  brethren. 

But  he  sets  before  them  the  attributes  and  power  of  God,  and 
the  relation  in  which  He  stands  to  them,  "  Who  is  above  all, 

and  THROUGH   ALL,   AND   IN  YOU  ALL." 

He  "  is  ABOVE  ALL."  Your  Father's  eye  is  upon  you.  Oh ! 
my  friends,  how  all  divisions  shall  vanish,  when  the  trump  of  God 
shall  echo  through  the  world  !  There  shall  then  be  no  disputes 
among  believers.  Where  then  shall  all  the  trifles  be,  which  led 
men  to  differ  from  each  other,  and  about  which  there  were  so  many 
loud  and  fierce  contentions — when  they  shall  see  the  one  Grand 
Object — the  Lord  coming  in  His  glory  ?  And  if  we  remember, 
that  though  we  see  not  God,  the  eye  of  God  is  over  us — that  we 
are  as  fully  revealed  in  His  sight,  as  we  shall  be  when  "  He  com- 

22 


338  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

eth  in  the  clouds''' — when  '■'■every  eye  shall  see  HimP — If  we 
thought  of  this,  and  gave  to  His  omnipresence  and  to  His  coming 
in  His  kingdom,  and  glory,  the  weight  these  thoughts  ought  to 
have  in  our  hearts, — tliere  would  be  no  such  thing  as  divisions 
among  those  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Now  then,  remem- 
ber this — Your  Father's  eye  is  upon  you.  Children,  when  they 
are  out  of  the  sight  of  their  parents,  will  quarrel  and  contend. 
But,  if  the  eye  of  the  parent  is  near,  and  that  they  catch  that  eye 
watching  them,  their  quarrels  are  over — ^they  are  ashamed — they 
are  silenced  at  once.  So  it  would  be,  if  Christians  but  felt,  as  they 
ought,  that  the  eye  of  God  is  over  them. 

You  recollect  how  ashamed  the  Disciples  were,  when  our  blessed 
Lord  asked  them,  "  What  was  it  that  ye  disputed  among  your- 
selves by  the  way  ?  But  they  held  their  peace ;  for  by  the  way 
they  had  disputed  among  themselves  who  should  be  the  greatest.''^ 
Mark  ix.  33,34.  Then  observe,  the  lesson  He  taught  them — ^'■He 
sat  down  aud  called  the  tiaelve,  and  saith  unto  tJieni,  If  any  man 
desire  to  be  first,  the  savie  shall  be  last  of  all,  and  servant  of  all. 
Aud  He  took  a  child  and  set  him,  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  when 
he  had  taken  him  in  his  arms,  he  said  unto  them,  whosoever  shall 
receive  one  of  such  children  in  my  name,  recelveth  me,  and  ivho- 
soever  shall  receive  me  receiveth  not  me,  but  him  that  sent  ?we," 
Mark  ix.  3.5,  36,  37.  What  "  lowliness  and  meekness^''  so  humble 
as  that  of  a  little  child?  What  exaltation  so  great,  as  to  be  taken 
into  the  arms  of  Jesus  ? 

But,  as  if  to  furnish  a  practical  comment  on  the  necessary  con- 
nexion, as  in  this  passage,  between  lowliness  and  meekness,  and 
the  preservation  of  unity  and  love,  we  are  told,  in  the  very  next 
words,  '■'•John  answered  him,  saying,  Master,  ive  saui  one  casting 
out  devils  in  thy  name,  and  ive  forbad  hi?n  because  he  followeth 
not  us,''^  as  mucli  as  to  say.  If  we  are  not  to  set  ourselves  up  indi- 
vidually, one  above  another,  at  least  we  may  set  ourselves  up  as  a 
body  above  all  others  who  do  not  join  us.  But  what  saith  our 
Lord,  ^'■Forbid  him  not,  for  there  is  7io  man  which  shall  do  a 
miracle  in  my  name,  that  can  lightly  speak  evil  of  meP 

Surely,  if  ever  a  visible  body  on  earth  had  a  claim,  to  silence, 
and  put  down  all  who  did  not  join  with  them,  even  Rome  would 
admit  that  it  was  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles.  Yet  mark  His  an- 
swer to  John,  as  well  as  the  reproof  to  His  Disciples,  and  see  the 
lesson  He  inculcated ;  and  let  those  learn  meekness  and  Christian 
forbearance,  who  make  an  idol  of  uniformity ;  and  let  those  learn 
humility,  unity,  and  Christian  love,  who  make  so  light  of  schisms 
and  divisions. 

If  there  is  one  lesson  which  our  Lord  more  inculcates  than 
another,  it  is  humility  and  unity  of  spirit  amongst  His  Disciples, 
He  enforces  it — He  illustrates  it — He  prays  for  it  on  their  behalf. 
''•By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another^  John  xiii.  35.  So  the  Apostle  John,  "5e- 
loved,  let  us  love  one  another,  for  love  is  of  God,  and  every  one 
that  loveth  is  bor'n  of  God,  and  knoweth  God/^  1st  John  iv.  7. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  339 

Yea,  he  saith,  "  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  because  we  love  the  brethren,  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
abideth  in  death.^^  1st  John  iii.  14. 

You  see  what  the  state  of  the  early  churches  was,  when  they 
were  united  and  walking  in  love.  "  Then  had  the  churches  rest 
throughout  all  Judea,  and  Galilee,  and  Samaria,  and  icere  edi- 
fied, and  loalking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  were  midtiplied."  Acts  ix.  31.  Ah,  my  friends, 
there  is  the  reason,  when  the  churches  ^'had  rest,  and  ivere  edi- 
fied,^^  they  walked  in  unity  of  faith  and  love,  and  they  "  ivere 
multiplied,^^  multitudes  were  gathered  into  them,  because  of  their 
union  in  the  Lord. 

Look  now  at  the  state  of  Christendom !  Look  at  the  Gentile 
churches,  see  what  an  example  they  have  set  to  the  Jews  and  Pa- 
gans !  What  wonder,  humanly  speaking,  that  the  Jews  should 
reject,  and  should  contend  against  Christianity,  when  all  they  have 
to  do  is  to  lift  up  their  finger  and  point,  saying,  look  at  the  Chris- 
tians !  Surely,  too,  the  Pagan  nations  may  say  the  same.  Cruel- 
ties and  crimes  have  tracked  the  path  of  those  who  bore  the  name 
of  Christians  for  centuries  among  them. 

Come  a  little  nearer  home — look  at  the  poor  Roman  Catholics 
of  Ireland  !  What  wonder,  that  these  poor  creatures  should  re- 
main bound  together  in  the  chains  of  darkness,  ignorance,  and 
superstition,  and  that  they  should  oppose  and  object  to  reforma- 
tion and  Protestantism,  when  all  they  have  to  do,  is  to  lift  their 
finger  and  say,  look  at  the  Protestants,  look  at  the  men  who  pro- 
fess to  reform  us !  look  at  their  faith,  their  walk  !  ungodliness,  un- 
belief, wickedness,  schisms,  sects,  contentions,  contempt  of  God  and 
all  religion,  mark  the  conduct  of  numbers.  Alas  !  where  is  unity 
and  faith  and  love  to  our  Master  ?  where  is  the  walking  together 
like  those  that  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  could  aid,  by 
their  example,  as  well  as  by  the  fidehty  of  truth,  to  bring  our  poor 
fellow-sinners  out  of  darkness  to  the  truth  of  God?  Oh,  there 
would  be  little  boasting,  if  we  thought  of  ourselves  as  we  ought  to 
think,  we  should  be  humbled  to  the  dust.  And  God  is  humbling 
us,  yea,  and  will  humble  us  more,  I  fear,  if  we  do  not  humble  our- 
selves, and  bow  down  in  deep  repentance  at  the  footstool  of  His 
throne. 

The  belief  then  of  the  relation  which  God  bears  to  His  people  as 
the  "  Father  of  us  all." — The  remembrance  of  His  presence  as 
a  reconciled  Father  who  is  "  above  all"  may  well  be  urged  by 
the  Apostle  as  a  powerful  incentive  to  lowliness,  meekness,  love  and 
unity.  It  is  this  sense  of  His  presence  impressed  on  the  hearts  of 
His  children  by  the  Spirit,  that  seems  the  true  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  ;  ^'I  will  instruct  thee  and  teach  thee  in  the  way  laherein 
thou  shalt  go — I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye."  Psalm  xxxii.  8. 

And  this  inward  spiritual  instruction  is  contradistinguished  by 
the  Spirit  from  that  outward  visitation  of  the  lash  which  is  neces- 
sary to  scourge  into  a  sense  of  duty,  or  to  restrain  from  evil,  for 
the  Lord  adds — "^e  ye  not  as  the  horse,  or,  as  the  mule  :  which 


340  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

have  no  tmderstanding .  n-hose  mojith  7nust  be  held  in  wilh  bit  and 
bridle,  lest  they  come  near  unto  theeP  verse  9. 

But  the  Apostle  saith  not  only  that  He  k  "  above  all,'-  but 
"through  all  and  in  you  all.'' 

Recollect  he  is  writing.  '•  To  the  faints  that  are  at  Ephesus,  and 
to  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus."'  chap.  i.  1.  It  is  only  to  such 
it  can  truly  be  said,  He  is  '•  through  all  and  in  you  all."  For 
if  a  sinner  is  unconverted,  it  is  not  the  Spirit  of  God.  but  the  spirit 
of  the  Prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  that  is  in  him.  He  is  walk- 
ing "  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince 
of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children 
of  disobedience.^''  Eph.  ii.  2.  That  is  the  spirit  that  worketh  in 
all  unconverted  men  ;  so  it  cannot  be  said  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
is  through  them,  and  in  thera. 

Let  us  recollect,  that  when  the  Lord  dwells  in  men,  He  walks  in 
them — that  is  His  promise.  ^'■I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in 
them.''''  2nd  Cor.  vi.  16.  And  let  us  not  forget  how  peculiarly  this 
is  connected  with  the  Spirit  and  walk  inculcated  here.  "  Thus 
saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity ,  whose  name 
is  Holy ;  I  diDell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with  him  also  thai 
is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  hum- 
ble, and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the  contrite  onesJ'  Isa.  Ivii.  1-5. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  these  practical  exhortations,  as  well 
as  all  the  doctrines  and  promises,  must  have  all  their  place  in  the 
Church,  and  in  the  heart  of  real  Christians.  Recollect,  they  are 
given  by  the  same  Spirit  that  gives  us  the  testimony  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus.  The  God  who  proclaims  to  us  the  glorious  pardon 
and  salvation  of  our  souls — who  teaches  us  how  we  can  approach 
Him,  as  a  reconciled  Father — teaches  us  also  how  we  are  to  walk 
and  serve  Him.  And,  although  we  are  never  to  put  our  works,  or 
our  walk,  into  the  place  of  Christ — let  us  remember,  also,  we  are 
not  to  put  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  into  the  place  of  practical  duties — 
or  to  suppose,  that  the  neglect  of  the  one,  can  be  sanctioned  by 
the  profession  of  the  other ;  so  as  to  say,  because  we  have  grace, 
and  faith,  and  hope,  and  joy — therefore,  these  things  are  not  to  be 
attended  to  by  us.  That  were  indeed  an  awful  state  for  a  sinner ! 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  because  we  are  called  with  this  vocation,  that 
therefore  we  are  to  w"alk  worthy  of  it,  as  the  Apostle  saith ;  or,  as 
St.  Peter  expresses  it,  "  According  as  his  divine  poiver  hath  given 
unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and  godliness,  through 
the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue.''^ 
2nd  Peter,  i.  3.  Recollect  that,  as  our  blessed  Lord  saith,  ^'■As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  e.Tcept  it  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no 
more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  m^eP  So  He  addeth,  '•'■He  that 
abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit ; 
for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.''''  John  xv.  4,  5.  And  let  us  not 
forget  that  He  saith,  too,  "  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruit  s.^^ 
Matt.  vii.  16. 

We  have  come,  now,  dear  friends,  to  the  close  of  another  year ! 
This  is  our  last  lecture  for  this  year — where  shall  we  be,  at  the  close 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  341 

of  the  next  ?  Who  can  tell,  what  a  day — much  less  a  year — may 
bring  forth  ?  In  all  human  probability,  some  of  those  who  are 
here  to-day  shall  have  passed  from  this  scene,  before  another  year 
shall  close  ; — as  some  who  were  here  at  the  beginning  of  this,  have 
"  gone  to  that  bourne  whence  no  traveller  returns." 

What  a  solemn  thought  it  is  to  consider — ^Shall  the  privileges 
which  we  enjoy  rise  in  judgment  against  us  ?  Have  we  all  been 
brought,  through  grace,  to  know  Jesus  as  our  refuge?  Or,  has 
another  year  flown  off — another  year's  opportunities  passed  by — 
while  yet  the  souls  of  any  here  have  not  "  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ^''  Roui.  v.  1,  while  any  have  not  '■'•fled  for 
refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  usP  Heb.  vi.  18.  Alas  ! 
shall  any  have  to  say,  "  the  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended, 
and  loe  are  not  saved T  Jer.  viii.  20.  If  we  are  not  brought  to 
look  unto  Jesus — every  day  God's  long-suffering  spares  us,  must 
rise  in  judgment  against  us.  ^'■How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation.''''  Heb.  ii.  3. 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are  brought  to  look  unto  Jesus — 
years  may  fly  on.  Let  them  come — let  them  go, — the  last  year 
of  our  life  shall  be  the  best  of  all,  for  "  the  day  of  death  is  better 
than  the  day  of  one's  birth'^ — Eccl.  vii.  1,  that  is,  if  a  man  is  a 
child  of  God.  What  a  blessing  is  it  then,  if  we  are  brought  to 
Jesus  !  Oh  !  then,  whatever  time  we  are  spared,  let  the  prayer  of 
our  hearts  be,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  love  Him,  whether  He 
gives  us  years,  or  months,  or  weeks,  or  days,  whatever  our  time 
may  be,  that  it  maybe  spent  in  the  service  of  our  God.  Let  us  "  7io 
longer  live  the  rest  of  our  time  in  the  flesh  to  the  lusts  of  men. 
but  to  the  will  of  God?''  1st  Pet.  iv.  2.  Time  and  all  its  concerns 
are  passing  away ;  "  Seeing,  then  that  all  these  things  shall  be 
dissolved,  what  manner  of  perso7is  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  con- 
versation and  godliness.  Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  com- 
ing of  the  day  of  God.''''  2nd  Peter  iii.  11,  12. 

May  the  Lord  sanctify  His  word  to  us,  and  give  us  to  meet  in 
the  fulness  of  joy  on  that  blessed  birth-day  of  everlasting  love  and 
glory,  when  Christ  shall  come  '■'■to  be  glorified  hi  His  Saints,  and 
to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe  in  that  dayP  2  Thess.  i.  10. 
'■'■Now  unto  him  who  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  pre- 
sent you  faultless  before  the  jiresence  of  his  glory  loith  exceeding 
joy.  To  the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty, 
dominion,  and  power,  both  now  and  forever.  Am,enP  Jude24,  25. 


THIRTIETH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV. — 7,  12. 


"But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of 
Christ.  Wherefore  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive, 
and  gave  gifts  unto  men.  f  Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also  descended 
first  into  the  lower  parts  of  tne  earth  1  He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended 
up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things.)  And  he  gave  some,  apostles ; 
and  some,  prophets  ;  and  some  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers :  for  the 
perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifving  of  the  body  of 
Christ." 

We  considered  in  our  last  Lecture  the  exhortations  to  unity  in 
the  commencement  of  this  chapter : — exliortations  founded  on  the 
great  fact,  that  those  who  are  behevers,  are  one  body  in  Christ,  all 
united  in  Jesus  as  their  living  head,  and  all  in  Christ  Jesus  united 
to  each  other ;  and  that,  tlierefore,  keeping  continually  in  remem- 
brance the  great  fact  of  their  union  by  faith  to  their  Lord,  and  in 
Him  to  each  other,  they  should  regulate  their  conduct  to  each 
other  accordingly  ; — abhor  divisions  and  dissentions— ".fi?ic/eai'or- 
ing-  to  keep  the  unity  of  tlie  iSpirit,^^  as  united  in  one  body  "  in 
the  bond  of  peace." 

But  the  inequality  of  circumstances,  the  diversities  of  gifts,  the 
differences  of  the  operations  of  grace  in  the  church  of  Christ,  are 
very  likely  from  that  very  cause,  to  produce  discord  and  disunion. 
One  is  apt  to  be  jealous  of  another — One  is  anxious  to  occupy  the 
place  of  another — Some  desire  to  be  teachers — Some  aspire  to 
places  that  God  has  not  been  pleased  to  give  them  in  the  church ; 
hence,  envyings,  jealousies,  strifes  and  contentions  creep  in — and 
Satan  availing  himself  of  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart, 
sows  the  seeds  of  discord  and  division  in  the  church  which  have 
produced,  and  do  produce  such  lamentable  fruits  of  bitterness. 
The  Apostle  had  said,  4,  5,  6  verse,  "  There  is  one  body  and  one 
Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling,  one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 
above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all."  "But,"  he  adds,  (as 
much  as  to  say,  recollect,)  "  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given 

fiRACE,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  MEASURE  OF  THE  GIFT  OF  ChRIST  ;" 

all  are  not  alike,  all  have  not  the  same  gifts  or  the  same  graces. 
He  reminds  them  here,  that  all  they  possess  of  grace,  is  a  gift — 
and  that  every  gift,  is  of  grace.  And  he  reminds  them,  that  in 
these  gifts  there  are  differences,  according  as  it  pleaseth  the  Gra- 
cious Giver.     "Wherefore  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  343 

ON  HIGH,  HE  LED  CAPTIVITY    CAPTIVE,  AND  GAVE    GIFTS    UNTO 

MEN."  Having  stated,  that  there  were  different  gifts,  and  that 
these  gifts  come  from  Christ,  he  quotes  a  passage  from  the  Prophet 
in  the  Book  of  Psahns,  in  which  lie  saith,  that  Jesus  was  exalted 
on  high  and  had  received  gifts  for  men — intimating  hereby  the 
fact,  that  all  the  gifts  that  are  given  and  received  by  men,  are  pur- 
chased by  the  blood  of  our  crucified,  risen,  and  ascended  Lord — 
and  are  all  the  gifts  of  His  grace,  as  "  The  head  over  all  things 
to  his  church.''^  You  find  the  quotation  in  the  68th  Psalm,  "  Thou 
hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led  captivity  captive,  thou  hast 
received  gifts  for  men;  yea  for  the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord 
God  might  dwell  among  them.  Blessed  he  the  Lord  who  daily 
loadeth  us  tvith  benefits,  even  the  God  of  our  salvation."  Ps. 
Ixviii.  18,  19.  This  passage  then,  the  Apostle  quotes  here  to  show, 
that  Jesus,  when  He  ascended  on  high,  after  His  resurrection, 
having  "led  captivity  captive,"  gave  these  different  gifts  unto 
the  church. 

We  must  pause  a  little  on  this  verse,  "  when  he  ascended  up 

ON  HIGH,  HE  LED  CAPTIVITY  CAPTIVE,  AND  GAVE  GIFTS  UNTO 

MEN."  Here  the  Apostle  alludes  to  the  glorious  conquest  of  our 
blessed  Master  over  the  powers  of  darkness,  who  are  here  called 
"captivity."  They  held,  and  hold  the  ungodly  world  captive. 
Satan,  with  his  mighty  power,  holds  mankind  by  nature  captive. 
All  were  in  a  state  of  captivity,  and  all  by  nature  are  in  a  state 
of  captivity  and  bondage.  The  unconverted  feel  not  this  ;  they 
talk  of  their  freedom,  they  pride  themselves  on  their  liberty,  not 
knowing  that  they  are  indeed  bond-slaves  to  Satan — that  ^^who- 
soever committeth  siti  is  the  servant  of  sin.''''  John  viii.  34.  The 
converted  feel  this,  every  believer  feels  the  power  of  the  captivity 
of  Satan,  and  therefore  the  Apostle  Paul,  speaking  of  himself,  as 
we  have  so  fully  entered  into,  and  dwelt  upon  in  the  7th  of  Ro- 
mans, says,  "/see  another  law  in  my  members  warring  against 
the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bring'ing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law 
of  sin  which  is  in  my  7nemhers,"  Rom.  vii.  23.  I  find  the  power 
of  sin  and  Satan  so  distressing  that  I  call  it  a  law,  "  /  delight  in 
the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  7nan,"  but  I  find  another  law, 
another  power,  dragging  me  ^^  into  captivity  to  the  laio  of  sin 
which  is  in  my  members,  so  that  ivhen  I  would  do  good,  evil  is 
jyresent  tvith  me,"  Rom.  vii.  21,  22,  23  ;  "  to  will  is  presetit  with 
me  ;  hut  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  find  7iot."  v.  18. 

To  explain  ibis  from  my  own  experience,  I  would  say — When 
I  would  give  up  my  thoughts  to  God,  I  feel  sin  and  Satan  hurry- 
ing my  imagination  into  evil.  When  I  would  remember  all  the 
Lord's  past  mercies  to  me,  I  find  sin  and  Satan  diverting  my 
memory  into  past  scenes  of  wickedness  and  folly.  When  I  would 
kneel  down  in  prayer,  and  pour  out  my  heart  to  God,  I  find  sin 
and  Satan  filling  my  heart  with  a  thousand  vanities  and  distrac- 
tions. When  I  would  open  my  Bible,  and  study  the  word  of  my 
God — I  feel  sin  and  Satan  diverting  my  attention  from  it,  by  a 
thousand  artifices.    When  I  would  have  my  will  brought  into  sub- 


344  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

jection  to  my  Master,  and  when  I  would  kneel  down  and  say  to 
Him,  "  Thy  will  be  done'^ — I  find  sin  and  Satan  exciting  my  will 
into  rebellion  against  my  God,  and  urging  ray  thoughts  to  mur- 
mur against  my  Master's  ordinances.  When  I  would  have  my 
affections  given  to  my  God  and  desire  to  love  Him  with  all  my 
heart — I  find  sin  and  Satan  drawing  my  affections  to  some  earthly 
idol.  Therefore,  I  can  truly  say,  "  I  find  then  a  law  that  when  I 
loould  do  good  evil  is  present  ivith  me,"  I  feel  "  a  law  in  my 
members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing 
me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  m,em,bers." 
Rom.  vii.  21—23. 

But  "when  Jesus  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captiv- 
ity CAPTIVE,"  or  as  the  Apostle  says  in  Colossians,  speaking  of 
the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  Having  spoiled  priticipalities  and 
poivers,  he  made  a  show  of  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them, 
in  it.'^  Col.  ii.  15.  So  the  Apostle  John  says,  "  For  this  purpose 
the  Son  of  God  was  vnanifested,  that  he  inight  destroy  the  luorks 
of  the  devil."  1st  John  iii.  8.  And  so,  the  Apostle  Paul  says, 
writing  to  tlie  Hebrews,  "  Forasmuch  then  as  the  childreti  are 
partakers  of  fiesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part 
of  the  same,  that  through  death,  he  tnight  destroy  him  that  hath 
the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil,  and  deliver  them,  who  through 
fear  of  death  were  all  their  life-time  subject  to  bondage  ;"  Heb. 
ii.  14,  15 ;  therefore,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  "  ascended  up 

ON  HICiH,   HE  LED  CAPTIVITY  CAPTIVE." 

This  is  an  image  taken  from  the  processions  of  the  ancient  tri- 
umphs, in  which  the  conqueror  used  to  bind  the  kings  or  distin- 
guished warriors  whom  he  had  conquered  and  taken  captive,  and 
lead  them  as  the  trophies  of  his  victory,  bound  at  the  Avheels  of 
his  chariot,  in  the  array  of  his  truunphal  procession.  This  appears 
to  be  the  very  same  image  which  David  uses  in  that  psalm  fiom 
which  the  Apostle  makes  the  quotation,  for  in  reading  it  with  the 
preceding  verse,  it  is  thus,  "  The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty  thou- 
sand, even  thousands  of  angels,  the  Lord  is  among  them,  as  in 
Sinai,  in  the  holy  jylace.  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast 
led  captivity  captive  ;  thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men,  yea  for 
the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them,^'' 
Ps.  Ixviii.  17 — ^19.  As  much  as  to  say — He  that  "  layeth  the 
beams  of  his  chambers  in  the  waters,  and  maketh  the  clouds  his 
chariot,  and  walketh  upo?i  the  loings  of  the  wind,"  Ps.  civ.  3 — 
He  when  He  ascended  up  on  high,  destroyed  the  works  of  the 
devil — led  captive  at  his  chariot  wheels,  amidst  the  attendant 
hosts  of  heaven,  the  fiend  who  had  held  His  people  in  bondage — 
and  only  waits  the  approach  of  the  appointed  time,  to  trample  him 
under  His  feet,  and  under  the  feet  of  His  Church,  and  to  cast  him 
into  the  abyss,  forever  and  ever. 

Remember,  therefore,  believer,  that  though  you  feel  this  law  in 
your  members,  and  though  you  feel  the  power  of  your  enemy, 
remember,  that  he  is  virtually  conquered,  and  that  you  are  deliv- 
erel  from  his  captivity  forever.     You  feel  yet  in  your  body  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  345 

bondage  of  sin  and  death,  but  your  soul  is  forever  emancipated 
from  his  chains,  you  are  deUvered  from  his  thraldom,  and  as  surely 
as  your  risen  Head  is  ascended  to  glory,  so  surely  you  are  "  raised 
up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christy" 
chap.  ii.  6.  And  therefore,  you  see,  how  when  Satan  is  spoken 
of  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  as  "  the  accuser  of  the  brethren, 
which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night,''''  you  see,  how 
the  church  is  declared  to  have  gained  the  victory,  "  they  overcame 
him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimo- 
ny,'' Rev.  xii.  10,  11. 

We  shall  see  more  at  large,  if  we  are  spared  to  reach  the  6th 
chapter  of  this  Epistle,  how — when  the  Apostle  is  commanding 
them  to  "  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  they  may  be  able 
to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil,'''  he  says,  "  above  all,  tak- 
ing the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench 
ail  the  fiery  darts  of  the  loicked,"  chap.  vi.  12,  16.  That  is  to 
say,  "  Remember,  O  ye  Saints  at  Ephesus,  your  Blessed  Master — 
your  glorious  Redeemer — your  crucified  Lord — yovn-  risen  Head — 
your  ascended  High  Priest — remember  that  He  has  conquered 
your  foe — He  has  ^  led  captivity  captive  ;"  and  though  you 
feel  the  attacks  and  malice  of  your  enemy,  remember  "  The  God 
of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly,"  Rom.  xvi. 
20 ;  and  that  He  has  delivered  you  out  of  his  hands,  for  ever  and 
ever. 

Let  me  entreat  you  to  consider,  especially  in  the  passage  which 
I  have  quoted  from  Romans  vii.,  the  practical  and  experimental 
use  of  this  doctrine.  Consider  how  it  was  used  by  the  Apostle 
Paul.  In  that  passage  in  which  he  is  groaning  under  the  power 
of  this  captivity,  he  is  not  cast  down  ;  he  says,  "  /  see  another 
law  in  my  tnembers,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my 
members,"  then  he  utters  his  complaint  of  sorrow,  "  O  wretched 
m,an  that  lam,  loho  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ;" 
Rom.  vii.  23,  24  ;  observe  then,  I  say,  the  experimental  use  he 
makes  of  this  doctrine,  he  "  takes  the  shield  of  faith,"  "  to  quench 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked"  For  when  groaning  he  asks, 
"  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  he  answers 
by  faith,  "  /  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Rom. 
vii.  25.  And  consoles  himself  with  the  joyful  assurance,  "  There 
is  therefore,  now,  no  condenmation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."  Rom.  viii.  1. 

Mark  here  the  glorious  triumph  of  faith,  looking  up  in  the  very 
midst  of  the  conflict  to  Christ — gaining  the  victory  over  the  law 
in  the  members,  and  delivering  him  from  the  captivity  and  bond- 
age he  felt  even  at  the  moment,  when  he  was  groaning  beneath 
its  yoke.  Surely,  "  This  is  the  victory  that  overcotneth  the  world, 
even  our  faith.  Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he 
that  belie veth  that  Jesus  is  the  So7i  of  God."  1st  John  v.  4. 

The  Apostle  then  having  stated  that  there  is  a  difference  of 
grace,  "  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ," 


346  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

reminds  them  thus  that  all  their  graces  and  all  their  gifts  come 
from  the  Lord  Jesus.  We  have  nothing  of  our  own ;  no  sinner 
can  ever  have  anything  good  in  himself,  "  Every  good  gift  and 
every  j)erfect  gift  is  from,  above,  and  cometh  doivn  from  the 
Father  of  lights.''''  James  i.  17.  Having  quoted  this  text  from 
the  Psalms,  then  in  the  parenthesis  of  9th  and  10th  verses,  he 
calls  to  their  recollection  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus.  The  Apos- 
tles continually  delight  to  dwell  on  Jesus ;  in  all  their  practical 
exhortations,  bringing  the  soul  back  to  Him.  They  keep  Christ 
continually  in  view  ;  they  show  in  their  doctrine  what  the  Apostle 
Paul  testified  and  exemplified  in  his  own  experience,  "  The  life 
that  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  7ne,  and  gave  himself  for  me  f  Gal.  ii.  28. 

Therefore  he  saith,  as  it  were  to  keep  the  Lord  before  them, 

"Now  THAT  HE  ASCENDED,  WHAT  IS  IT  BUT  THAT  HE  ALSO 
DESCENDED  FIRST  INTO  THE  LOWER  PARTS  OF  THE  EARTH,  HE 
THAT  DESCENDED  IS  THE  SAME  ALSO  THAT  ASCENDED,  FAR 
ABOVE  ALL   HEAVENS,  THAT  HE  MIGHT  FILL  ALL  THINGS." 

As  much  as  to  say, — remember  that  this  same  person  who  as- 
cended is  the  King  of  glory.  Remember  who  Christ  is.  Do  not  for- 
get, "  HE  THAT  DESCENDED  IS  THE  SAME  ALSO  THAT  ASCENDED," 

that  he  is  not  a  mere  man,  born  on  this  earth,  and  ascending  from 
this  earth.  True,  he  is  indeed  man,  perfect  '•'■man  of  the  sub- 
stance of  his  mother,  born  in  the  world  f'  but  remember.  He  is 
the  God  of  Glory  that  hath  descended  into  that  flesh  on  earth. 
Remember  that  this  is  the  great  ^'-  mystery  of  godliness,  that  God 
was  manifest  in  the  Jlesh,"  1st  Tim.  iii.   16 ;    remember,   "  he 

THAT  DESCENDED  IS  THE  SAME  ALSO  THAT  ASCENDED,  FAR 
ABOVE  ALL   HEAVENS  THAT  HE  MIGHT  FILL  ALL  THINGS." 

So  our  Lord  also  himself  saith  in  St.  John's  Gospel  iii.  13,  "  No 
tnan  hath  ascended  itp  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down  from 
heaven,  even  the  iSon  of  m,an  loho  is  in  heaven ;"  and  so  again,  in 
chapter  vi.  33,  our  blessed  Lord  uses  the  same  expression  of  Him- 
self, "  The  bread  of  God  is  he  that  cometh  down  froin  heaven, 
and  giveth  life  unto  the  world ;"  and  so  He  says  in  the  62nd 
verse,  "  What,  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  7ip 
where  he  was  before  f  and  so,  in  His  blessed  prayer,  in  xvii.  5, 
^^And  now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with 
the  glory  that  I  had  with  thee,  before  the  ivorld  was.^^  Arians 
and  Socinians  could  not  be  allowed  to  be  Christians  by  St.  Paul. 
He  reminds  them,  that  He  who  gave  them  these  gifts  was  the 
eternal  God ;  and  as  Moses  saith  in  the  blessing  of  Israel,  "  The 
eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are  the  everlasting 
arms,^^  Deut.  xxxiii.  27 ;  so,  when  they  think  of  Jesus,  they  should 
remember,  that  He  who  gave  them  these  gifts  is  the  eternal  God, 
the  Lord  of  Glory  ;  who  has  "  ascended  far  above  all  heav- 
ens THAT  HE  MIGHT    FILL  ALL  THINGs" all    Time all    SpaCC 

— Eternity.  When  and  where  was  He  not  ?  When  and  where 
is  He  not  1  When  and  where  shall  He  not  be  ?  Alas  !  how 
miserable  is  Infidelity  1 1 ! 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  347 

The  Apostle  then  speaks  of  these  gifts,  which  the  Lord  had 
given  to  the  Church,  "He    gave    some   apostles   and   some 

PROPHETS,  AND  SOME  EVANGELISTS,  AND  SOME  PASTORS  AND 

teachers,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  faith,  and  of 

THE  knowledge  OF  THE  SoN  OF  GoD,  UNTO  A  PERFECT  MAN, 
UNTO    THE    MEASURE     OF     THE     STATURE     OF    THE    FULNESS    OP 

Christ."  Now  we  may  observe,  that  there  are  some  gifts  which 
are  common  to  all  the  Church  of  Christ.  Every  individual  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  of  Christ  has  and  must  have  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  or  he  could  not  be  a  child  of  God. — ^The  Holy  Spirit 
jnust  be  given  to  every  individual  believer  to  teach  him  his  state 
as  a  sinner. — The  Holy  Spirit  nuist  be  given  to  every  individual 
belicver^ — to  take  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  show  them  to  his 
soul — that  is  His  office :  for  "  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the 
Lord,  hut  hy  the  Holy  Ghosts  1st  Cor.  xii.  3.  "  The  natural 
?nan  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  for  they  are 
foolishness  nnto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned"'  1st  Cor.  ii.  14.  No  power  of  the  natural 
understanding  of  man,  however  exalted,  however  enhghtened — 
cultivated — ^endowed  with  all  the  gifts  of  literature  and  science, 
can  arrive  at  the  simple  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Man  must  have  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  ^'■know  the  things 
that  are  freely  given  to  him  of  God^'  1st  Cor.  ii.  12.  Therefore, 
I  say,  all  believers  must  have  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  They 
must  be  born  of  the  Spirit— as  they  have  the  gift  of  eternal  life  ; 
for  "  Whosoever  believeth  tliat  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God  ;" 
1st  John  v.  1,  "/Ae  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,"  Roul  vi.  23  ;  "  And  he  that  hath  the  &'on  hath 
life."  1st  John  v.  12 ;  therefore,  these  gifts  are  common  to  all  the 
children  of  God.  They  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus  by  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

But  as  Ave  have  in  1st  Cor.  xii.  "  There  are  diversities  of 
gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit.  And  there  are  differences  of  administra- 
tiotis,  but  the  same  Lord.  And  there  are  diversities  of  operations, 
hut  it  is  tJie  same  God  that  worketh  all  in  all.  But  the  manifes- 
tation of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  projit  withal ;  for  to 
one  is  given  by  the  Spirit  the  ivord  of  wisdom  .•"  one  believer 
has  a  peculiar  degree  of  wisdom  given  to  him  whereby  he  is  more 
gifted  to  advise  and  guide  his  brethren.  "  To  another  the  toord 
of  knorvledge  by  the  same  Spirit."  1st  Cor.  xii.  8.  Some  have 
a  much  greater  degree  of  spiritual  knowledge  than  others :  "  to 
another  faith,  by  the  same  Spirit ;"  the  faith  of  different  behevers 
is  given  in  very  different  proportions ;  some  have  strong  faith  by 
which  they  can  encounter  any  difficulty,  any  danger,  or  any  con- 
flict— others  again  are  among  the  weaklings  of  the  flock,  whose 
faith  is  very  Aveak,  and  who  require  continually  to  be  strength- 
ened, helped,  cheered  on  by  their  stronger  brethren.  The  Great 
Shepherd  watches  over  them,  however,  with  care,  "  He  gathereth 


348  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  lambs  in  his  arms  and  carrieth  them  in  his  bosom,  a?id  gently 
leadeth  those  that  are  with  youngP  Is.  xl.  11. 

Then  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  outward  gifts  that  were  given 
in  Apostohc  days  ;   "  To  another  the  gifts  of  healing  by  the  same 
Spirit ;  to  another  the  ivorking  of  miracles  ;  to  another  prophecy  ; 
to  another   discerning  of  spirits ;    to  another  divers  kinds  of 
to?ignes ;    to   another   the  interpretation  of  tongnes.      But  all 
these   worketh  that  one,  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to 
every  man  severally  as  he  will,  for  as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath 
many  tne?nbers,  and  all  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being 
many,  are  one  body,  so  also,  is  Christ.''''     1st  Cor.  xii.  7 — 12.     Now 
observe  the  very  same  figure   in    that   chapter   of  Corinthians, 
whicli  he  uses  in  this,  of  Ephesians,  under  our  consideration  ;  he 
proceeds,  v.  13,  "  For  by  one  Spirit  roe  are  all  baptized  into  one 
body,  whether  we  be  Jeivs  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or 
free,  and  have  bee?i  all  made  to  drink  into  o?ie  Spirit.     For  the 
body  is  not  one  meinber  but  many.     If  the  foot  shall  say,  because 
I  am  not  tlte  hand,  I  am  not  of  the  body  ;  is  it  therefore  not  of 
the  body  )     And  if  the  ear  shall  say,  because  I  am  not  the  eye,  I 
am  not  of  the  body  ;  is  it  therefore  not  of  the  body  ?     If  the 
whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  were  the  hearing  7  if  the  ivhole 
were  hearing,  where  were  the  smelling  7     But  non^  God  hath  set 
the  members,  every  one  of  them  as  it  hath  pleased  him ;  and  if 
they  were  all  members,  rvhere  were  the  body  1     But  now  are  they 
many  members,  yet  but  one  body.     And  the  eye  cannot  say  unto 
the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee  ;  nor  again  the  head  to  the  feet., 
I  have  no  need  of  you,  nay  much  more,  these  members  of  the  body 
which  seem  to  be  more  feeble  are  necessary ;  and  those  Tnembers 
of  the  body  whicli  we  think  to  be  less  honorable,  npo7i  them  we 
bestow  more  abundant  honor,  and  our  uncomely  parts  have  more 
abundant  comeliness.     For  our  co^nely  parts  have  no  need;  but 
God  hath  tempered  the  body  together,  having  given  more  abun- 
dant honor  to  that  part  which  lacked ;  that  there  should  be  no 
schism  in  the  body  ;  but  that  the  members  should  have  the  same 
care  one  for  atiother.     And  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
members  suffer  with  it,  or  one  7nember  be  honored,  all  the  mem,- 
bers  rejoice  with  it.     Noiv,  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ  and  m^em- 
bers  in  particular. ^^     1st  Cor.  xii.  13 — 27. 

I  read  this  passage  at  length,  because  it  is  more  clear,  full  and 
perspicuous  than  anything  I  could  say  to  illustrate  the  great 
truths  it  contains. 

Read  it  over — study  and  consider  it ;  and  remember,  that  in 
this  passage  the  Holy  Spirit  is  showing  under  the  beautiful  simili- 
tude of  a  human  frame,  the  different  gifts  that  the  Lord  has  been 
pleased  to  bestow  on  different  individuals,  members  of  His  Church, 
and  the  different  places  in  which  He  has  been  pleased  to  fix  them, 
and  the  perfect  unity  and  harmony  that  ought  to  subsist  among 
them.  And  therefore,  your  duty  and  my  duty  is,  not  to  try  and 
get  out  of  our  place  in  the  body,  not  to  try  to  seek  for  some  higher 
distinction,  or  some  higher  honor,  or  higher  office  or  place  in  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  349 

Church,  or  in  the  world,  than  we  have,  but  to  remember,  that 
God  has  been  pleased  to  place  us  in  our  present  position,  and  that 
all  we  have  to  do  is  this,  to  know  our  own  place,  in  whatever 
sphere  God  has  appointed  us,  and  to  endeavor  to  discharge  our 
duty,  humbly,  faithfully,  and  devotedly  in  that  station  in  which 
we  are  placed  by  our  heavenly  Father.  Our  duty  is  to  know 
simply  what  is  our  place?  where  has  God  fixed  us?  and  to  say, 
"  Wherever  His  Providence  has  fixed  me,  that  is  my  position,  and 
there  let  me  serve  and  honor  my  Heavenly  Master."  And  if  the 
different  individuals  of  the  Church  did  this,  instead  of  "  all  seeking' 
their  own,  not  the  things  which  are  Jesus  Chrisfs,^''  Phil.  ii.  21 ; 
seeking  to  divide  and  split  from  one  another.  One  desiring  one 
object,  and  one  another— some  finding  fault  with  one  real  or 
imaginary  evil,  and  some  with  another — -one  contending  for  this 
observance,  and  another  against  it — they  would  all  in  their  own 
places,  humbly  walk  together,  and  try  to  serve  and  glorify  their 
God,  in  the  position  in  which  He  has  been  pleased  to  place  them. 

Recollect,  that  the  humblest  individual  in  the  Church  of  Christ 
has  as  great  an  opportunity  of  glorifying  his  Heavenly  Master  in 
that  place,  as  the  highest.  The  humblest  servant — the  humblest 
operative  can  glorify  the  Lord,  as  much  as  the  Sovereign  on  the 
throne.  It  is  not  by  mighty  acts,  in  exalted  situations,  that  God 
alone  may  be  glorified — but  by  humble  duty,  in  every  station, 
whatever  that  station  be,  done  for  the  service,  the  honor,  and  the 
glory  of  God. 

No  doubt,  if  we  had  been  standing  in  the  temple  when  Christ 
was  there,  and  had  seen  a  great  number  of  individuals,  "  casting 
their  gifts  into  the  treasury  ;"  and  if  we  had  been  asked — "  Who 
do  you  think,  of  all  these  persons  that  you  see  casting  their  gifts 
into  the  treasury,  is  most  serving  and  glorifying  God  ?"  Perhaps 
we  should  have  looked  among  the  rich  and  the  great  men  who 
were  casting  in  their  gifts,  and  whom  we  saw  approach  with  the 
largest  offerings  to  God,  bearing  a  sober  and  sanctified  demeanor, 
and  presenting  their  gifts  with  the  most  seeming  devotion.  I 
suppose,  we  should  have  said,  "  This  or  that  man  appears  to  be 
most  especially  glorifying  God — look  at  his  manner — see,  he  is 
offering  a  vast  gift." 

But  whom  did  our  Lord  point  out  as  seizing  Him  most  ?  Who 
is  that  person,  whose  character  he  has  recorded  in  His  eternal 
Word,  as  the  individual  who  glorified  Him  most  among  them  all  ? 
A  poor  creature,  whom  perhaps  we  should  never  have  looked  at, 
or  even  thought  of  for  a  moment, — "  a  certain  poor  widow,  and 
she  threw)  in  two  mites,  lohich  make  a  farthing."  Mark,  xii.  42. 
Now,  remember  this  ;  and  remember  whatever  your  condition  in 
life  may  be, — if  God  has  been  pleased  to  give  to  you  the  precious 
gift  of  salvation  in  Christ,  if  He  has  given  you  to  know  Him  as 
your  hope  and  refuge, — remember,  I  say,  whatever  your  situation 
in  life  may  be,  if  the  Lord  has  given  you  that  unspeakable  gift, 
your  calling  is  not  to  get  out  of  your  place,  but  to  serve  the  Lord 
and  glorify  Him  in  your  place.     He  has  placed  you,  perhaps,  an 


350  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

humble  member  of  the  body,  perhaps  a  weak  member  of  the  body  ; 
but  you  are  as  much  a  member  of  the  body,  as  the  highest — you 
are  one  with  Christ. 

Oh,  poor  behever,  if  there  be  any  such  here  ;  poor — destitute — 
tried — ^afflicted  behever  !  remember  the  Lord  has  put  you  into  a 
place,  in  which,  perhaps,  the  very  difficulties — the  very  trials  that 
afflict  you,  may  be  in  His  eye,  the  very  means  by  which  you  can 
honor  and  serve  Him  most.  »If  the  Lord  had  given  that  poor 
woman  a  large  fortune,  He  would  not  liave  given  her  so  much  to 
honor  Him  with,  as  when  He  was  pleased  to  give  her  but  two 
mites  as  her  all,  but  gave  her  too  a  heart  to  cast  that  all  into  the 
treasury.  Consider  this.  And  what  a  blessing  it  is  to  think,  that 
the  poorest  and  humblest  of  His  flock  is  not  overlooked  by  that 
God  who  is  "  no  respecter  of  persons."  He  hath  "  chosen  the  poor 
of  thisivorld  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kitigdomy  James  ii.  5. 
If  indeed  Christ  is  the  Refuge  of  your  soul,  His  heart — His  hand 
is  over  you — He  will  "  never  leave  you  nor  forsake  youP  Oh, 
think  of  that ; — and  whatever  be  the  different  gifts  which  God 
has  been  pleased  to  bestow  on  us  or  to  withhold  from  us — it  is  of 
the  utmost  moment  to  us,  to  remember  that  it  is  the  Lord  who 
giveth,  and  the  Lord  who  taketh  away,  or  withholdeth — that 
whatever  be  our  circumstances  or  position,  it  is  not  more  our 
duty  than  our  happiness  to  remember,  that  we  are  just  where  the 
Lord  has  seen  fit  to  place  us — that  there  we  are  called  to  serve 
and  glorify  our  Heavenly  Master.  In  the  simple,  but  expressive 
and  comprehensive  words  of  our  Catechism,  "  To  do  our  duty  in 
that  state  of  life  unto  which  it  shall  please  God  to  call  us." 

You  observe,  this  subject  is  more  enlarged  on,  in  1st  Cor.  xii., 
than  it  is  here.  But  I  have  called  your  attention  to  that  chapter, 
in  order  that,  in  considering  this  portion  of  Ephesians,  you  may 
refer  to  it,  and  dwell  upon  the  enlarged  statement  of  the  subject 
that  is  given  in  that  passage  ;  and  look  to  all  the  references,  in  the 
various  parts  of  the  Word  of  God,  in  which  these  great  truths  are 
brought  before  us.  That  is  the  profitable  way  to  study  Scripture, 
"  not  in  words  which  mmUs  wisdom  teacheth,  hat  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  teacheth,  comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual.''''  1st 
Cor.  ii.  13. 

Here  the  Apostle  speaks,  not  merely  of  spiritual  gifts  as  bestowed 
on  the  individuals  themselves,  but  as  bestowed  on  them  for  the 
edification  of  the  Church ;  and  he  speaks  of  the  individuals  on 
whom  they  were  bestowed  as  being  themselves  gifts  to  the  Church. 
This  is  the  conclusion  of  the  passage  which  I  have  quoted  from 
Corinthians,  for  the  Apostle  proceeds  there,  "  And  God  hath  set 
some  in  the  church,  first,  apostles ;  secondarily,  prophets ;  thirdly, 
teachers ;  after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healings,  helps,  govern- 
ments, diversities  of  tongues.  Are  all  apostles  ?  are  all  prophets  ? 
are  all  teachers?  are  all  workers  of  miracles F  1st  Cor.  xii.  28, 
29.  So  here  the  Apostle,  omitting  the  gifts  to  the  individuals,  by 
which  they  were  respectively  qualified  for  their  offices,  speaks  of 
them,  as  being  themselves  the  gifts  of  Christ  to  His  Church. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  351 

"He  gave  SOME  apostles;"  that  is,  men  specially  called — 
and  directly  inspiied^-and  sent  by  God  Himself.  Those  who 
were  thus  sent  were  called  Apostles  ; — all  other  teachers  in  the 
Church  were  appointed  and  sent  forth  by  these  Apostles.  The 
Apostle's  office,  deriving  its  immediate  authority  and  mission  from 
God,  was,  of  course,  the  highest  office  of  teacher  in  the  Church. 
With  them  He  promised  to  continue — "ZrO,  I  am  with  you  alio  ay  s  ; 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  worldP  Mat.  xxviii.  20.  And  those 
Apostles,  and  their  instructions,  we  have  to  this  day. 

He  gave  "  some  prophets  ;"  this  is  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment rather  as  referring  to  teaching  or  preaching  than  to  foretell- 
ing ;  the  gift  of  prophecy  is  rather  a  gift  of  preaching  and  edifying 
the  flocii,  than  of  predicting ;  therefore,  I  rather  think  it  means 
here,  those  who  were  gifted  to  teach  and  to  preach  in  the  Church. 
So  saith  the  Apostle,  "  Ye  may  all  prophesy  one  hy  one  that  all 
may  learn  and  that  all  may  he  comforted.^''  1st  Cor.  xiv.  31. 

"And  some  evangelists;"  those  whose  office  it  was  to  go 
forth  and  preach  the  Gospel.  It  seems  from  this  name  being  ap- 
plied to  Philip,  Acts,  xxi.  8,  and  from  what  we  read  of  Philip,  Acts, 
viii. ;  and  from  the  command  to  Timothy,  to  "  do  the  work  of  an 
evangelist^''  2nd  Tim.  iv.  5 ;  in  which  places  alone  this  word  oc- 
curs ;  that  this  office  was  that  of  a  missionary,  itinerating  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  as  the  Apostles  did  themselves  ;  an  office  neces- 
sary at  all  times  in  the  Church,  and  too  lamentably  neglected  in 
our  own. 

"  And  some  pastors  and  teachers  ;"  the  exact  difference 
between  those  gifts,  we  may,  perhaps,  not  be  able,  adequately  or 
fully  to  determine.  But "  pastors"  seem  to  be  those,  whose  especial 
gift  it  was  to  visit  and  to  feed  the  flock.  "  Feed  my  lambs.  Feed 
m^y  sheep ^''  saith  the  Lord  Jesus.  John  xx.  15,  16,  17.  Some  are 
pecuharly  gifted  to  converse — to  take  the  Scriptures  and  read 
them — to  open  out  their  meaning,  and  to  strengthen  and  nourish 
the  flock. 

"Teachers"  are  those  again,  perhaps,  whose  office  it  was  to 
instruct  children  in  the  church,  and  to  expound  the  Word  of  God 
to  them  and  others,  who  required  especial  instruction.  Whether 
these  were  exactly  distinct  offices  in  the  Church,  or  persons  specially 
gifted  to  discharge  these  varied  functions,  they  were  all  given  as 
gifts  to  the  Church  ;  for  the  purposes,  which  the  Apostle  proceeds 
afterwards  to  explain. 

There  are  many  persons  at  this  day,  who  think  that  there  are 
men  who  have  different  gifts  of  this  kind,  and  who  should  be  ac- 
cordingly appointed  to  those  several  offices ;  and  that  we  ought  to 
discern  them ;  that  they  ought  to  be  sent  out  in  the  Church,  as 
evangelists,  prophets,  pastors  and  teachers.  But  that  appears  to 
be  a  very  erroneous  opinion.  It  is  very  true,  that  God  has  been 
pleased  to  bestow  different  gifts  on  His  servants.  He  has  made 
some  men  powerful  in  one  way,  and  some  in  another — some  pow- 
erful in  preaching — some  more  competent  to  act  as  pastors  in  feed- 
ing the  flock,  going  among  them — visiting — instructing  them— 


352  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

strengthening  and  building  them  up  in  Christ.  But  we  are  not 
competent  to  form  a  true  estimate  or  judgment  of  these  persons  or 
their  respective  gifts,  as  the  Apostles  did.  All  the  different  means 
of  spiritual  instruction,  all  the  varied  writings  of  these  inspired 
Apostles,  are  now  collected  together  for  us,  as  the  written  Word 
of  God,  and  are  given  to  us  as  the  Word  of  inspiration,  by  the 
Apostles  themselves  ;  so  that  these  gifts  which  were  at  that  time  the 
direct  and  immediate  qualifications  given  by  the  Spirit  of  God — - 
given  by  inspiration  or  by  intuition — without  the  written  col- 
lected Word — are  now  to  be  attained  by  men  in  the  study  of  that 
Word,  and  to  be  used  by  them  from  thence  in  edifying  and  in- 
structing others.  And  we  might  as  well  expect,  I  think,  that  mi- 
raculous gifts  of  tongues  were  to  supersede  the  use  of  learning — 
or  an  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  prevent  the  ne- 
cessity of  taking  thought  what  we  should  say — as,  suppose  that 
these  distinctive  gifts  were  now  discernible  in  every  character,  in 
such  a  mode,  as  to  determine  the  place  appointed  for  them  by  God 
in  the  Church. 

Every  minister  ought  to  be  a  prophet — that  is,  a  preacher — an 
evangelist — a  pastor — a  teacher.  Every  minister  ought  to  be  a 
well-instructed  scribe — "  to  bring  out  of  his  treasure  things  new 
and  old" — Mat.  xii.  52,  to  draw  forth  out  of  the  Word  of  God,  the 
treasure  of  instruction  which  he  may  be  called  upon  to  administer, 
in  the  different  parts  of  his  vocation,  to  the  flock  of  Christ — to  ex- 
pound— to  instruct — to  teach — to  admonish — to  "  reprove — rebuke 
— exhorf'' — to  comfoit — to  encourage — to  preach  the  Word,  as  it 
may  be  needful  in  the  calling  of  his  sacred  office  to  do. 

However  great  or  varied  the  gifts  of  men  may  be — it  is  not 
great  intellectual  gifts — not  great  powers  of  eloquence,  that  really 
constitute  a  faithful  and  efficient  minister !  It  is  drawing  out  of 
the  treasury  of  the  Word  of  God — bringing  forth  the  holy  truth 
that  is  written  there,  as  a  means  of  instructing — feeding — refresh- 
ing— nourishing— strengthening,  and  directing  the  soul. 

I  have,  for  my  own  part,  gone  away  from  listening  to  some,  con- 
sidered most  eloquent  men  in  the  Church — and  from  hearing  very 
eloquent  sermons — and  I  have  thought,  that  the  person  was  a 
very  powerful  and  highly  gifted  man  ;  and  that  his  discourse  was  a 
fine  oratorical  display  ; — still  my  heart  has  derived  no  refreshment 
from  it.  And  I  have  gone  away  from  hearing  a  man,  with  not 
the  least  pretensions  to  what  the  world  might  call  eloquence ; — 
while  my  soul  has  been  refreshed,  and  fed  with  the  Word  of  Life 
— my  heart  instructed,  and  comforted  by  the  precious  truths  of  the 
glorious  Gospel.  As  far  as  my  own  experience  goes — and  I  have 
been  now  for  many  years,  a  hearer,  more  than  a  teacher — I  could 
say,  I  have  derived  from  the  exposition  of  the  Word  of  God,  by 
men  who  were  not  highly  gifted  with  eloquence,  at  least  as  nnich, 
if  not  more  profit,  than  from  those  who  were.  When  eloquence  is 
devoted  to  simplify  and  to  impress  pure  Scriptural  truth — I  know 
how  important  and  valuable  it  is.  But  there  is  a  very  great  dan- 
ger, both  to  preachers  and  hearers,  lest  the  gratification  of  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  353 

taste,  or  the  itttellect  might  supersede  the  edification  of  the  soul — 
lest  men  should  be  led  away  by  the  "  wlsdofn  of  uwrds,^^  more  than 
edified  by  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel.  This  is  what  the  Apostle 
says  to  the  Corinthians,  "/  brethren,  ivhen  I  came  to  you,  came 
not  tvith  excellency  of  speech,  or  of  loisdom,  declaring  unto  you 
the  testimony  of  God :  For  I  determined  not  to  know  anything 
am^ong  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified^  1st  Cor.  ii,  1.  2. 
And  again,  '•  Christ  sent  ine  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the 
gospel ;  not  with  wisdofn  of  words,  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should 
be  made  of  none  effect.''^  1st  Cor.  i.  17.  Our  feelings  may  be  ex- 
cited sometimes,  by  glowing  appeals,  that  may  address  our  fancy 
or  our  imagination — but  depend  upon  it,  the  only  solid  food  for  the 
soul,  is  that  whicti  comes  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  bringing  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  home,  through  the  understanding,  to  our 
hearts  and  consciences. 

Therefore,  whatever  may  be  the  importance  of  the  gifts,  con- 
sidered in  themselves,  they  derive  all  their  real  utility,  and  all 
their  blessing,  from  this — that  they  are  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  to  the  service  of  the  Lord  of  Glory.  And  if  the  gift 
of  eloquence  may  not  be  very  great  in  a  minister,  let  us  remember, 
that  the  gift  of  eternal  life  is  very  great ; — and  that  the  simplest 
testimony  and  proclamation  of  that  great  salvation,  is  the  richest 
eloquence  that  can  reach  the  ears  of  a  dying  sinner.  Let  us  re- 
member, the  power  of  Christ  is  very  great ;  and  let  us  remember, 
that  it  is  by  the  simplicity  of  truth  the  heart  is  instructed,  and  the 
soul  saved — not  by  the  wisdom  of  words.  As  saith  the  Apostle, 
^^ After  that,  in  the  loisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew 
not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe.''    1st  Cor.  i.  21. 

It  is  very  important  for  us  to  consider  this.  There  really  seems 
a  great  evil  in  the  Church  of  Christ  on  this  very  subject.  You  go 
into  what  is  called  religious  company — you  hear  what  is  called 
religious  conversation.  Persons  think,  that  if  they  speak  of  re- 
ligious men  and  of  religious  things — of  this  preacher  and  that 
society — this  sermon  and  that  religious  meeting — they  are  con- 
versing on  religion.  There  is  a  vast  deal  of  talk  about  these 
things,  but  very  little  indeed  about  Christ — very  little  about  the 
precious  Word  of  eternal  life — little  of  "  considering  one  another 

to  provoke  unto  love  and  to  good  works : exhorting  o?ie 

another :  and  so  much  the  more,  as  we  see  the  day  approaching^ 
Heb.  X.  24. 

Talking  of  religious  things  and  of  preachers,  is  not  religion. 
Sometimes  it  merely  ends  in  "  One  saith  I  am  of  Paul,  and 
I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas,  and  I  of  Christ."  1st  Cor.  i.  12. 
It  often  degenerates  into  a  mere  contemptible  sort  of  gossip,  re- 
ligious gossip  instead  of  worldly  gossip.  Ah,  my  friends,  Christ  in 
the  heart,  ought  to  bring  forth  Christ  in  the  closet — Christ  in  the 
drawing-room — Christ  in  private,  and  Christ  in  public.  Is  not 
this  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle  when  he  saith,  "  Let  the  word  of 
Christ  dwell  in  you  richly,  in  all  ivisdom,  teaching  and  admon- 

23 


354  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ishing  one  another  ;  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  sorigs, 
singing  with  grace  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord  ;  and  ivhatsoever 
ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  by  him?^     Col.  iii.  16,  17. 

We  have  not  now  time  to  enter  upon  the  consideration  of  these 
various  offices,  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks  as  gifts  to  the  Church, 
in  reference  to  the  edification  of  the  body  of  Christ.  If  the  Lord 
spares  us,  we  shall  on  the  next  day  consider  from  the  12th  verse, 
and  see  wliat  the  end  and  use  of  these  different  instructors  was  to 
be.  May  the  Lord  sanctify  His  Word  to  us,  and  bring  it  with 
^'-  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  poioer''^  to  our  souls. 

It  is  a  great  comfort,  my  dear  friends,  in  opening  the  Bible  and 
reading,  or  hearing  it  read  or  expounded  to  think  that  all  the 
blessing  comes  from  God :  that  although  we  should  endeavor  to 
speak  the  Word  in  simplicity  and  faithfulness  according  to  the 
truth,  still  that  it  is  not  a  person's  language,  or  their  manner,  or 
any  power  they  could  possess  to  communicate  instruction,  that  can 
really  convey  any  truth  to  a  sinner's  soul.  It  is  a  great  comfort 
to  think,  that  it  is  all  the  power  of  God : — That  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  alone  can  bless  His  Word  to  our  understandings,  con- 
sciences, or  hearts.  However  weak  or  feeble  we  may  be — how 
imperfect  soever  our  instruction — (and,  alas,  how  imperfect  and 
inadequate  to  the  mighty  subject  are  our  best  instructions  !  how 
very  poor  and  meagre  are  our  best  expositions  of  God's  Word !) 
still  let  them  be  ever  so  inadequate,  and  ever  so  weak  ; — the  hope 
— the  comfort  of  the  minister  for  his  own  soul  and  the  soids  of 
others,  is  the  thought,  that  all  the  blessing  comes  from  God — that 
his  is  the  power,  that  His  is  the  glory.  And  therefore,  he  may 
hope,  if  he  addresses  a  people,  who  are  looking  up  in  prayer  and 
supplication  for  God's  blessing — that  however  humble  his  instruc- 
tions, God's  blessing  will  attend  them — the  people  will  be  edified 
and  instructed — souls  will  be  fed  with  the  Bread  of  life — they  will 
be  enabled  to  know  more  of  themselves — more  of  Christ — their 
affections  will  be  drawn  out  to  their  Lord  and  Master,  and  so,  they 
will  be  established  in  the  faith  of  Jesus — their  life  will  be  in- 
fluenced by  the  power  of  faith  and  love,  and  this  because  it  is  not 
man's  work  but  God's.  Oh,  let  us  pray,  that  the  work  in  our 
hearts  may  be  God's  work,  and  then  He  will  ^^ perfect  that  which 
concerneth  7is  :  and  not  forsake  the  work  of  his  oivn  handsJ''  Ps. 
cxxxviii.  8. 

He  will  keep  us  in  trials,  difficulties,  dangers — in  life  and  in 
death ;  so  that,  "  Whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord,  and 
whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord,  whether  we  live,  there- 
fore, or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's."     Rom.  xiv.  8. 


THIRTY-FIRST     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV.— 12,  13,  14,  15,  16. 


"  For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ:  Till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ:  That  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby 
they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  But  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him  ia 
all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ :  From  whom  the  whole  body  fitly  joined 
together  and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual 
working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying 
of  itself  in  love." 

We  come  now  to  consider  the  object,  which  the  Spirit  tells  us 
by  the  Apostle  here,  the  Lord  had  in  giving  to  His  Church  these 
"  Apostles,  Prophets,  Evangelists,  Pastors,  Teachers.''  And  we, 
see,  in  the  12th  verse,  what  that  object  was,  "  For  the  perfect- 
ing OF  THE  SAINTS,  FOR  THE  WORK  OF  THE  MINISTRY,  FOR 
THE  EDIFYING  OF  THE  BODY  OF  ChRIST  :  TiLL  WE  ALL  COME 
IN    THE    UNITY    OF    THE    FAITH,    AND    OF    THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF 

THE  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure 

OF  THE  STATURE  OF  THE  FULNESS  OF  ChRIST  :  ThAT  WE 
HENCEFORTH  BE  NO  MORE  CHILDREN,  TOSSED  TO  AND  FRO,  AND 
CARRIED  ABOUT  WITH  EVERY  WIND  OF  DOCTRINE,  BY  THE 
SLEIGHT  OF  MEN,  AND  CUNNING  CRAFTINESS,  WHEREBY  THEY 
LIE  IN  WAIT  TO  DECEIVE  ;  BuT  SPEAKING  THE  TRUTH  IN  LOVE, 
MAY  GROW  UP  INTO  HIM  IN  ALL  THINGS,  WHICH  IS  THE 
HEAD,  EVEN  ClIRIST  :  FROM  WHOM  THE  WHOLE  BODY  FITLY 
JOINED  TOGETHER  AND  COMPACTED  BY  THAT  WHICH  EVERY 
JOINT  SUPPLIETH,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  EFFECTUAL  WORKING 
IN  THE  MEASURE  OF  EVERY  PART,  MAKETH  INCREASE  OF  THE 
BODY,     UNTO    THE      EDIFYING    OF     ITSELF    IN    LOVE."'       Here    WC 

have  the  inspired  description  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  how  it 
ought  to  be  instructed  and  built  up  by  those  ministers  whom  God 
gives  to  it  as  gifts.  This  passage  might  be  applied  or  interpreted 
in  a  two-fold  sense  : — 

First. — It  might  be  considered  in  an  enlarged  prophetic  sense. 
Namely  that  the  Lord  has  given  these  different  ministers  as  gifts 
to  the  church — who  should  continue  to  gather  in — to  complete — 
or  perfect  the  number  of  His  elect,  and  build  up  the  stones  of  His 
Spiritual  Temple,  until  all  are  brought  in,  and  until  at  the  last  all 
shall  come  to  the  full  perfection  of  growth  in  Christ — until  the 
Spiritual  Temple  shall  be  finished,  and  the  Head-stone  is  laid. 
"  ivith  shoutings,  crying,  Grace,  grace,  unto  it^     Zech.  iv.  7. 


356  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

If  it  is  limited  to  this  sense,  it  is  manifest  that  tlie  words,  "  per- 
fecting,"  "edifying," "a    PERFECT    MAN," '"  MEASURE   OF 

THE    STATURE    OF    THE    FULNESS    OF    ChRIST,"  mUSt  icfer  tO  the 

completion  of  the  number  of  the  elect.  I  believe  that  this  is,  at 
least,  fully  implied  and  intended  in  the  passage. 

But  Secondly. — It  might  be  considered  as  being  applied  to 
these  ministers,  as  gifts,  for  the  individuals  in  every  particular 
branch  of  the  universal  Church,  and  for  their  work  in  the  edifica- 
tion— in  the  salvation,  of  the  members  individually,  and  of  the 
Church  collectively.  In  this  sense,  these  words  must  be  con- 
sidered in  reference  to  individuals,  and  individual  Churches. 

But  indeed  the  former  sense  of  the  passage  must  also  imply 
this.  For  it  is  by  the  perfecting  and  building  up  of  the  saints  in- 
dividually, in  every  Church,  and  every  successive  generation,  by 
each  successive  generation  of  ministers  whom  the  Lord  shall  raise 
up  and  send  as  His  faithful  witnesses  and  laborers,  that  the  whole 
body  of  the  elect  shall  at  last  be  brought  to  "  the  measure  of 

the    STATURE    OF    THE    FULNESS    OF    ChRIST."       Wlieil   tllC  Glo- 

rious  Head  and  the  glorified  members  shall  all  be  manifested  in 
the  fulness  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  at  His  appearing. 

Let  us  then  consider  in  this  latter  sense  of  the  passage,  that 
these  ministers  are  given  "  For  the  perfecting  of  the 
SAINTS."  Are  not  the  saints  then  perfect? — Yes,  in  one  sense, 
they  are.  "  Ye  are  complete  in  him^^  Col.  ii.  10,  saith  the  Scrip- 
ture. Again,  it  is  written,  "  By  one  offering  he  hath  perfected 
forever  them  that  are  sanctified.^^  Heb.  x.  14.  The  saint — that 
is,  the  sinner  who  is  brouglit  by  the  Spirit  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  sanctified  in  Christ — sanctified  "  through  his  blood" 
Heb.  xiii.  12 — sanctified  " through  the  truth"  John,  xvii.  17 — is 
accounted  perfectly  sinless  before  God  : — for,  though  a  sinner  him- 
self, his  sins  are  entirely  removed,  being  taken  away  from  him, 
and  laid  on  Christ ;  they  are  no  longer  imputed  unto  the  believer. 
"  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all;"  Is.  liii.  6. 
Therefore,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  im- 
pute sin."  Rom.  iv.  8.  He  is  perfectly  righteous  before  God — for 
having  no  righteousness  of  his  own,  the  righteousness  of  his  glo- 
rious Lord  and  Master  is  put  down  to  his  account^as  if  he  had 
entirely  performed  it,  "  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  right- 
eousness  to  every  one  that  believeth."  Rom.  x.  4.  ''  He  icho 
knew  no  sin  was  Tnade  sin  for  us,  that  we  m,ight  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him."  2nd  Cor.  v.  21.  So,  "  There  is 
therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."  Rom.  viii.  1.  And  so  in  that  sense,  the  saint  is  perfect — 
perfectly  sanctified  in  Christ — set  apart  in  Him — consecrated — 
dedicated  to  God,  in  Him  and  by  Him — and  one  with  Jesus,  for- 
ever. "  For"  saith  the  Apostle,  "  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  of  God  is  m^ade  unto  us  wisdo?n,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redem,ption"  1st  Cor.  i.  30.  Therefore 
we  say  in  this  sense,  the  saint  is  indeed  wholly  and  completely 
perfect. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  357 

But,  in  another  sense,  the  saint  is  very  imperfect.  He  inhabits 
a  body  of  sin  and  death — he  is  in  the  midst  of  a  world  that  heth 
in  wickedness — he  is  subject  to  temptation — to  the  power  of  an 
adversary,  that  "  like  a  roaring  lion,  walketli  about,  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour.''''  1st  Pet.  v.  8.  He  is  not  perfect  in  his  under- 
standing— nor  in  his  will — nor  perfect  in  his  affections — nor  in  his 
walk  ;— in  all  these  things  he  is  very  imperfect.  He  is  also  very 
imperfect  in  his  views  of  the  Sacred  Word.  How  little  does  he 
know  of  himself — his  own  ignorance — sinfulness — weakness — 
want — and  how  little  of  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ"  out  of 
which  he  is  to  be  instructed — strengthened — pardoned — nourished 
— and  directed  by  the  Spirit; — ^how  little  of  the  mind  and  purposes 
of  God,  as  revealed  in  His  Sacred  Truth.  How  much  has  he  need 
to  read — to  hear — to  learn  from  the  exhaustless  stores  of  God's 
Eternal  Word.  How  often  is  he  involved,  both  within  and  with- 
out, in  perplexities — in  doubts — in  fears — in  difficulties.  And 
therefore,  when  we  consider  these  things,  and  they  are  but  a  small 
part  of  those  that  are  to  be  considered — we  see  how  imperfect  are 
the  saints — we  see  how  the  Church  requires  a  continual  ministra- 
tion of  the  Word  of  God.  Hence,  the  Lord  hath  given  these  gifts 
to  the  Church,  "For  the  perfecting  of  the    saints,  for 

THE     WORK    OF    THE    MINISTRY,    FOR     THE     EDIFYING    OF    THE 

BODY  OF  Christ. 

The  Apostle  John  speaks  of  three  stages  in  the  life  of  a  believer, 
a  child,  a  young  man,  and  a  father  in  Christ.  When  we  are  first 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  when  "  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  arises  tvith  healing  in  his  ivings"  on  our  souls. 
Mai.  iv.  2 — when  we  see  the  first  light  of  divine  truth  gilding  with 
its  beams  all  objects  around  us — brightening  every  prospect  in  time 
and  opening  a  glorious  vista  into  an  illuminated  eternity, — ^we 
think,  very  frequently  that  we  are  so  established — so  strong— that 
the  Word  of  Truth — the  power  of  the  Gospel  is  so  great,  so  glori- 
ous, that  the  effect  in  our  hearts  is  such,  that  we  shall  never  again 
fall  into  the  evils  with  which  we  know  our  previous  course  has 
been  continually  defiled.  "  In  my  jprosjyerity  I  said,  I  shall  never 
be  moved,  Lord  by  thy  favor  thou  hast  made  my  mountain  to 
stand  strong.^'     Ps.  xxx.  6,  7. 

But  Oh,  my  friends,  how  very  soon  the  believer  begins  to  feel 
the  imperfection  of  his  knowledge — the  weakness  of  his  faith — 
the  corruption  of  his  will — and  the  power  of  the  sin  that  dwelleth 
in  his  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  heart. 

Then  commences  the  conflict  within — the  struggle  between  the 
flesh  and  the  spirit — the  new  man  and  the  old  man — "  the  law  in 
the  members,"  and  "  the  law  in  the  m,ind  .•"  and  he  requires,  there- 
fore, a  continual  increase  of  knowledge,  to  be  derived  from  the 
Word  of  God,  of  his  own  character — of  his  own  heart,  and  of  the 
character — offices  and  power  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour. 

Therefore,  you  remember  in  this  Epistle,  iii.  16,  the  prayer  of 
the  Apostle  for  this  Church  "  that  he  would  grant  you  according 
to  the  r'lches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might,  by  his 


358  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Spirit  in  the  inner  man.''''  You  see  they  want  the  strength  of  the 
Spirit  in  their  souls.  "  That  Christ  'may  dioell  in  your  hearts  hy 
faith^'' — ^they  want  the  indwelhng  of  Christ  through  the  Spirit  in 
their  hearts  by  faith, — ^the  habitual  turning  of  the  heart  to  Christ 
— the  habitual  leaning  of  the  heart  on  Christ, — the  habitual  con- 
fidence of  the  soul  in  the  person  and  work  of  their  Lord  and 
Saviour ; — in  his  spotless  righteousness  and  His  precious  blood. 
"  That  ye  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love^'' — ^just  as  the  plant, 
as  it  grows  from  a  seedling  into  a  sapling,  and  from  a  sapling 
into  a  tree,  requires  to  spread  forth  its  roots  continually  below,  to 
take  deeper  hold  in  the  soil  in  which  it  is  planted,  that  it  may 
spread  forth  its  branches  above,  both  to  yield  fruit  and  to  sustain 
the  pressure  of  the  storm ;  so  the  believer,  who  is  like  "  a  tree 
planted  by  the  rivers  qficaters  that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in  his 
season,''^  Ps.  i.  3,  as  he  requires  to  have  his  branches  spreading 
forth  continually  and  bearing  fruit  and  blasts  of  trial  in  faith,  so 
does  he  need  as  constantly  to  have  his  roots,  the  fibres  of  his 
heart's  desires,  affections,  confidence  and  hope,  spread  deeper  and 
deeper  into  the  love  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour. 

Therefore  the  vast  subject,  "the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 

THE  WORK  OF  THE  MINISTRY,  THE   EDIFYING  OF  THE   BODY    OF 

Christ,"  might  be  enlarged  upon  as  the  continual  application  of 
the  whole  of  God's  truth  to  the  continual  wants  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  His  church  and  the  constant  exhibition  to  them  of  His 
power,  faithfulness,  and  love. 

There  is  not  one  who  hears  me,  who  is  a  believer  in  the  Gospel, 
and  who,  therefore,  knows  anything  of  his  own  heart,  that  does 
not  feel  continually  his  need  of  strengthening,  of  refreshing,  of 
edification  in  Christ. 

Why  do  we  meet  together?  why  do  we  read  the  Bible?  why 
pray?  why  expound  or  converse  about  the  Scriptures ?  Is  it  not 
because  we  feel  our  continual  want  of  being  built  up  and  strength- 
ened in  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ?  Omit,  for  a  little 
season,  the  reading  of  your  Bible — neglect,  for  a  time,  prayer — ■ 
forsake  the  means  of  grace — abandon  the  ordinances  of  God,  and 
see  how  you  will  droop  and  languish  in  your  spirit.  See  how  your 
heart  will  grow  faint  in  faith  and  hope — how  your  desires  and 
affections  will  be  debased  into  wilful  disobedience  to  God,  and 
clinging  to  all  things  of  earth  !  It  is  only  by  the  study  of  the 
Word  of  God — it  is  only  by  diligent  attendance  on  His  appointed 
ordinances — on  the  means  of  grace — by  prayer,  public  and  private  ; 
it  is  only  by  these  means,  (and  these  are  the  means  of  profiting 
by  the  ministry)  it  is  only  by  these  means,  I  say.  that  we  can  de- 
rive strength  or  power  in  our  spiritual  life,  or  growth  in  grace  to 
carry  on  our  conflict  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 
Therefore,  look  into  your  own  hearts,  for  your  sins — your  wants 
— your  weaknesses — temptations — trials — corruptions — whatever 
they  be ;  look  into  your  hearts,  I  say,  for  these,  and  then  you  will 
understand,  by  your  necessities,  what  is  the  need  of  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints.     You  will  see  your  innumerable  wants ; — and  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  359 

continual  sense  of  your  wants  will  lead  you  to  feel  how  much  you 
require  for  the  perfecting  and  the  edifying  of  your  own  soul. 

But  it  is  always  most  important  to  keep  in  view, — that  while 
the  believer  must  ever  feel  his  own  wants,  and  what  he  requires 
continually  for  his  soul's  strength  and  edification, — he  is  never  to 
allow  his  sense  of  those  wants,  or  of  all  that  he  requires,  to  hinder 
his  view  of  his  perfection,  as  he  is  complete  in  Christ  Jesus.  If  his 
heart  does  not  condemn  him  of  insincerity  or  double-dealing  with  God 
— if  he  is  indeed  sincerely  looking  unto  Jesus — he  is  not  to  allow  his 
view  of  his  own  wants — sins — and  imperfections,  to  hinder  him 
from  believing  with  confidence,  that  he  is  accepted,  and  perfectly 
delivered  from  all  condemnation,  in  Christ  his  Lord  and  Saviour. 
When  the  Apostle  as  we  have  seen  was  groaning  under  the  pres- 
sure of  his  body  of  sin  and  death,  he  triumphed  at  the  same  mo- 
ment in  deliverance  in  Jesus,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  ami  who 
shall  deliver  me  front  the  body  of  this  death  7  I  thank  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  LordP  Rom.  vii.  24,  25. 

And  this  is  a  point,  very  important  for  us  carefully  to  distinguish 
and  examine.  For  unless  believers  are  well  instructed  in  the 
Truth  of  God,  it  is  a  frequent  error  among  them,  as  we  have  be- 
fore observed,  to  think,  that  although  they  are  privileged  to  believe 
that  the  work  of  Christ  is  indeed  a  refuge  for  their  souls, — yet  they 
cannot  have  perfect  confidence  in  their  acceptance  through  the 
work  of  Christ,  until  they  find  in  themselves  a  certain  growth 
towards  perfection,  which  they  do  not  find ; — and  therefore,  they 
look  oflT  Christ,  and  the  perfect  work  of  Christ,  as  the  ground  of 
their  acceptance, — and  they  look  into  themselves — they  feel  their 
own  innumerable  sins  and  imperfections,  which  keep  them  thus 
continually  back  from  trusting  and  rejoicing  in  Christ.  They  look 
for  a  certain  purifying  work  of  the  Spirit,  yet  to  be  wrought  in 
their  hearts, — and,  until  this  is  wrought,  they  cannot  really  find 
perfect  confidence  before  God  in  Christ, — not  knowing  that  the 
purification  of  the  heart  is  by  faith,  ^^  purifying  their  hearts  by 
faith,^^  Acts  xv.  9,  and  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  "  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,'^  Heb.  x.  22.  That  is  a  great 
delusion — a  great  error.  Let  us  never  forget,  for  a  moment,  that 
it  is  the  privilege  of  the  believer  to  rest  with  confidence  on  his 
complete  acceptance,  through  the  finished  work  of  Jesus ;  and 
while  he  is  fully  conscious  of  all  his  own  imperfections,  and  all  his 
own  wants  and  sins,  he  has  to  seek  for  strength  against  these,  and 
pray  in  the  midst  of  these — not  to  complete^ — or  to  strengthen — or 
to  increase  his  acceptance  before  God, — but  to  enable  him  to  serve 
and  glorify  his  God,  who  "  hath  made  him  accepted  in  the  Be- 
loved," Chap.  i.  6,  by  the  continual  subjugation  of  his  own  corrupt 
affections — by  a  continual  conquest  over  his  own  carnal  mind — 
and  a  continual  exhibition  of  Christian  hohness — and  a  devoted 
life — and  Christian  fruitfulness  in  the  service,  and  for  the  glory, 
of  his  Lord  and  Master.  So  observe  what  our  Lord  says,  "  Let 
your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  Tnay  see  your  good 
works"  not  that  you  may  derive  pardon — or  peace — or  acceptance 


360  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

firom  your  good  works, — but  that  men  may  "  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  Mat.  v.  16.  Our  good  works — our  holy  and 
devoted  life,  are  for  the  glorifying  of  our  Lord  and  Master,  and  not 
for  the  acceptance  of  our  own  souls — they  are  manifested  as  the 
effects  of  our  acceptance,  but  are  no  part  of  the  cause  of  it ;  for  our 
own  peace.     Christ  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega — Christ  is  all. 

Consider  these  vast  truths,  they  are  of  deep  moment.  When 
the  Apostle  then  says  that  these  ministers  endowed  with  various 
powers  are  "for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,"  he  does  not 
mean  to  imply  that  the  saints  are  to  doubt  of  their  complete  and 
perfect  acceptance  in  Christ,  for  you  recollect  he  says,  Ephesians, 
i.  3,  4,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.,  who  hath  blessed  us  tvith  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heav- 
enly places  in  Christ,  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  be- 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world.,  that  we  should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love."  Remember  he  blessed  God 
for  this  being  their  actual  condition,  and  therefore,  there  is  nothing 
to  be  done  in  order  to  give  them  that  perfect  acceptance  which 
they  already  have. 

But  these  are  gifts  to  the  church. 

"For  the  work  of  the  ministry,"  who  can  attempt  to  tell 
what  the  varied  work  of  the  ministry  is — what  the  varied  work 
of  the  ministry  must  be?  None, — Unless  he  can  tell  the  varied 
wants  of  man  and  the  varied  fulness  of  the  blessings  which  are 
contained  in  this  blessed  Book,  as  given  to  man  by  God,  and  which 
it  is  the  province  and  duty  of  the  minister  to  draw  forth  from  that 
Word,  for  the  conversion,  the  edification,  and  the  salvation  of  his 
poor  guilty  fellow-sinners: — "The  work  of  the  ministry"  is 
as  extensive  as  man's  wants,  and  God's  grace  and  glory,  as  it  is 
revealed  in  Scripture.  It  is  only  necessary  to  state  the  meaning  of 
the  Apostle ;  we  could  not  enter  into  the  vast  field  which  it  opens. 

"For  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ."  ^'Edifying" 
— building  up  the  body  of  Christ — increasing  it — strengthening  it 
— establishing  it — compacting  it — uniting  the  members  of  the  body 
of  Christ  together — building  up  each  individual  soul — and  build- 
ing all  up  together  in  Christ.  What  is  the  work  of  a  builder  in 
a  building  ?  Some  employed  in  the  work,  hew  out  stones  from 
the  quarry — some  draw  them  to  the  foundation — some  hammer 
and  square  them — the  builder  lays  every  single  stone  firmly  and 
evenly  on  the  foundation ;  and  from  the  moment  he  lays  the  first 
stone  on  the  foundation,  he  applies  his  plumb-line  as  the  wall  goes 
up,  to  see  that  he  lays  every  stone  evenly  on  the  same  foundation  ; 
and  the  top  stone  of  the  wall  rests  as  much  on  the  foundation 
stone,  as  the  stone  that  immediately  presses  over  it.  All  rest  on 
the  foundation,  from  the  bottom  to  the  top.  So  it  is  the  business 
of  all  the  ministers  of  Christ  to  take  care  that  all  are  placed  on 
the  foundation,  and  every  man  is  to  "  take  heed  how  he  buildeth 
thereupon."  1st  Cor.  iii.  10.  All  must  rest  alike  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  The  minister  has  the  same  Gospel  for  the  salvation  of  all 
— the  same  Rock  for  all  to  rest  on — the  same  Hope  to  set  before 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  361 

them  all, — but  he  must  regulate  his  admonitions  and  exhortations 
to  them,  according  to  their  different  circumstances  of  life,  as 
the  Apostle  himself  exemplifies  in  this  Epistle.  He  must  direct 
his  varied  exhortations  to  parents — children — husbands — ^wives 
— masters — servants — those  in  high  stations,  and  those  in  the 
humbler  walks  of  life — those  in  power,  and  those  in  subjection.  He 
has  different  admonitions  to  give  them  all,  according  to  their  differ- 
ent circumstances.  It  is  his  business  to  instruct  them,  according 
to  the  position  in  which  God  has  been  pleased  to  place  them  in 
the  Church,  in  the  several  duties  of  their  respective  spheres  in  life. 
While  all  are  laid  on  the  foundation  of  Christ  alone  as  their  hope, 
they  are  all  to  be  built  up  in  Him,  to  glorify  their  Lord  and  Saviour, 
wheresoever  He  hath  been  pleased  to  place  them  in  His  Temple, 
For  these  gifts  are  given,  "  For  the  work  of  the  ministry, 

FOR  the   edifying  OF  THE  BODY  OF  ChRIST." 

We  considered,  on  the  last  day,  and  indeed  we  cannot  too  fre- 
quently advert  to  it,  that  there  never  was  a  greater  or  a  more 
common  delusion  than  this  : — that  believers  should  think,  that  if 
they  were  in  soiue  circumstances,  different  from  those  in  which 
they  are  placed,  they  would  serve  the  Lord  better,  and  glorify  Him 
more.  1  believe  that  is  a  frequent  temptation  and  snare  of  their 
heart — I  am  sure  it  is  of  inine.  We  are  continually  prone  to  say, 
or  at  least  to  think  : — "  If  it  was  not  for  such  and  such  a  difficulty 
— or  for  such  and  such  a  want  of  means,  or  power,  or  opportunity 
— if  I  were  placed  in  a  different  position  from  what  I  feel  I  am 
placed  in — then  I  would  be  able  to  serve  the  Lord  better."  Now, 
this  is  a  gross  delusion — a  snare  of  our  enemy.  For  God  is  to  be 
glorified  by  His  people,  in  every  position  of  diflSculty — of  danger 
— of  distress.  He  is  to  be  glorified  by  us,  in  overcoming  the  very 
obstacles  of  which  we  complain.  In  the  difficulty  is  the  victory 
and  the  glory  of  divine  grace.  We  are  seeking  for  facilities  of  the 
flesh,  and  not  of  the  Spirit.  Let  us  remember  all  things  are  alike 
easy  to  Him  in  whom  is  all  our  strength,  "  /  can  do  all  things^ 
through  Christ,  which  strengtheneth  nie^  Phil.  iv.  13.  There- 
fore our  duty  and  our  happiness  is,  not  to  change  the  place  that 
our  Heavenly  Father  has  allotted  to  us,  but  to  glorify  Him  there 
with  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are  His.  If  we  be  low,  not  to 
seek  to  be  high,  "  Seekest  thou  great  things  for  thyself,  seek 
them,  7ioty  Let  us  rather  seek,  in  our  different  circumstances, 
whatever  they  are,  to  make  them  and  ourselves  subservient  to  our 
Master's  glory.  There  is  not  a  single  individual,  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest  on  earth,  that  cannot  serve  and  glorify  the  Lord,  in 
the  situation  in  which  he  is  placed.  So  "  the  edifying  of  the 
BODY  of  Christ"  is,  in  this  sense,  the  building  up  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus— not  only,  as  it  may  be  interpreted,  in  gathering  in  the 
stones  of  the  temple,  but  in  establishing  them  all  individually  in 
the  faith  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour — in  directing  and  strengthening 
them  all,  and  establishing  them  all  in  the  service  of  their  Divine 
Master,  in  the  various  places  in  which  the  Lord  has  been  pleased 
to  fix  them  in  His  Church,  for  His  glory. 


362  lectures  on  the  ephesians. 

"Till  we  all  come,  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of 

THE  knowledge  OF  THE  SoN  OF  GoD  UNTO  A  PERFECT  MAN,  UNTO 
the  MEASURE  OF  THE  STATURE  OF  THE  FULNESS  OF  ChRIST." 

This  part  of  the  passage  seems  to  me  to  indicate  that  the  more 
enlarged  prophetic  interpretation  of  it,  of  which  we  spoke,  is,  if 
not  its  direct  and  primary  meaning,  at  least  expressly  included  in 
the  Apostolic  view  and  intention  ;  for  we  can  scarcely  conceive 
that  so  full  and  perfect  an  image  would  be  meant  by  the  inspired 
writer,  to  express  that,  which  presents  to  the  mind  so  very  inade- 
quate an  idea  of  it,  as  that  state,  to  which  either  the  Church  at 
Ephesus  or  any  other  church  has  ever  attained.  Besides,  it  seems 
too  contracted  a  view  by  far,  to  suppose  that  the  words  "  We  all," 
are  applied  to  the  mere  Church  at  Ephesus, — they  seem  plainly  to 
comprehend  not  only  that  Church  but  all  the  Churches  of  Christ, — 
and  not  only  those  of  Apostolic  times,  but  the  whole  mystical  body 
with  their  glorious  Head.  It  seems  to  comprehend  the  same  idea 
as  that,  in  our  Blessed  Lord's  own  prayer,  '■^Neither  fray  I  for 
these  alone^  but  for  them  also  teho  shall  believe  on  me  through 
their  word ;  that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thon,  Father,  art  in  me, 
and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us :  that  the  world 
may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  meP  John  xvii.  20,  21. 

But,  no  doubt,  as  all  the  gifts  of  the  ministry  were  given  by  the 
Lord  to  His  Chinch  to  be  continued  till  that  glorious  consumma- 
tion, when  all  are  to  be  gathered  together  in  Christ — so  the  same 
blessed  standard  of  unity  in  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  the  Gospel, 
and  in  the  edification  of  holiness  and  love,  in  which  the  glorified 
Church  shall  appear,  is  that,  into  which  it  should  be  the  object,  as 
it  is  the  duty,  of  the  ministry  to  labor  to  bring  every  part  of  the 
Church  in  its  present  dispensation.  And  this  brings  us  to  the 
practical  application  of  the  passage.  For  that  state,  to  which  it 
is  the  object  of  the  whole  appointed  ministry  of  the  dispensation  to 
bring  the  whole  Church  at  the  last,  must  be  the  proper  aim  of 
every  minister,  with  reference  to  every  Church  and  every  indi- 
vidual in  their  present  state — till  they  "all  come  in  the  unity 

OF  THE  FAITH  AND  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  THE  SoN  OF  GoD 
UNTO  A   PERFECT  MAN,  UNTO  THE   MEASURE  OF  THE  STATURE  OF 

THE  FULNESS  OF  Christ  ;"  till  they  all  are  perfectly  edified, 
strengthened,  and  built  up  in  the  unity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
like  the  members  of  one  body.  Without  any  doubt  this  ought  to 
be  the  object  of  the  work  of  the  ministry ;  for  let  us  recollect,  that 
although  it  is  true,  that  no  church  ever  has  arrived,  on  this  earth, 
at  the  fulness  of  this  blessed  state,  still  the  measure  of  man's  at- 
tainment, whether  individually  or  collectively — the  measure  of  the 
attainment  of  the  individual  believer,  or  the  measure  of  the  at- 
tainment of  any  collective  body  of  believers  in  a  church,  is  not 
to  be  the  standard,  according  to  which  either  men  or  churches  are 
to  be,  collectively  or  individually  edified.  Though  we  never  at- 
tain to  perfection,  still  perfection  is  the  standard  at  which  we 
all  should  aim.  We  attain  not  to  the  fulfilment  of  God's  holy 
law,  still  the  law  of  God  is  the  true  and  only  standard  of  perfec- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  363 

tion,  that  standard  is  the  measure  of  our  duty,  and  at  that  stand- 
ard we  are  consequently  bound  to  aim.  Therefore,  that  standard 
should  be  the  only  measure  of  the  believer's  judgment  of  himself. 
And  this  is  the  reason  why  a  man  when  his  eyes  are  opened  to 
see  the  holy  and  spiritual  nature  of  the  law,  sees  his  own  lost  con- 
dition as  a  sinner,  and  so  the  Apostle  saith,  "  JVheii  the  co?n?nand- 
ment  came  sin  revived  and  I  died P  Rom.  vii.  9.  And  this  is  the 
reason,  why,  the  more  believers  grow  in  grace — the  more  clearly 
and  deeply  the  law  of  God  is  written  in  their  heart,  this  is  the 
reason  why,  (as  we  have  before  explained  at  length)  the  more  they 
grow  in  humility,  because  as  they  acquire  increased  knowledge  of 
the  spiritual  nature  and  perfection  of  the  law  of  God — as  they 
acquire  increased  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  dominion  which  it 
claims  over  their  wills,  desires,  affections,  thoughts,  and  imagina- 
tions— as  they  acquire  a  knowledge  of  this  heavenly  standard, — 
so  they  acquire  an  increased  knowledge  of  their  own  violations — 
their  short-comings — their  constant  transgressions  ;  they  see  and 
learn  continually  how  totally  they  fail  of  approaching  the  stand- 
ard of  perfection.  Thus  the  perfect  standard  of  the  law  of  God, 
ought  to  be  the  aim  of  every  believer  for  himself,  and  every  col- 
lective body  of  believers  as  a  church  ;  and  it  ought  to  be  the  aim 
of  every  minister — of  every  person,  whose  office  and  whose  object 
it  is  to  edify  the  body  of  Christ,  to  hold  up  this  holy  law  as  the 
standard  and  rule  of  their  duty. 

It  is  the  perfection  of  the  standard  of  duty  that  magnifies  the 
nature  of  sin,  and  it  is  the  extent  and  magnitude  of  the  nature 
of  sin  that  exalts  and  glorifies  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  in 
the  souls  of  his  people,  showing  that  "  where  sin  abounded  grace 
did  much  more  abound.''''     Rom  v.  20. 

Now  as  the  law  is  the  standard  of  the  believer's  duty ;  and  as 
it  is  by  his  transgressions  of  the  law  he  learns  to  prize  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Gospel — so  the  standard  of  perfect  faith,  and  unity, 
and  love,  and  glory  in  the  Gospel,  ought  to  be  the  standard  of  the 
believer's  aim,  and  of  that  of  all  the  Church ;  and  consequently, 
to  this,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  ministry  to  labor  to  bring  the  Church. 
The  love  and  harmony  of  the  Church  above,  suirounding  the 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  with  the  praises  of  redeeming  love, 
ought  to  be  the  standard  and  model  for  the  Church  below. 

It  does  not  at  all  follow,  that  a  Church  must  necessarily  attain 
to  this  state,  any  more  than  that  it  must  attain  to  a  perfect  obedi- 
ence to  the  law,  because  that  is  the  standard  of  its  duty.  But  it 
is  true,  nevertheless,  that  this  is  the  standard  of  attainment  for  the 
Church,  and  ought  to  be  the  object  of  every  minister,  in  endeavor- 
ing to  edify  the  Church,  "till  we  all  come,  in  the  unity  op 

THE  FAITH,  AND  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  THE  SoN  OF  GoD,  UN- 
TO A   PERFECT   MAN,   UNTO    THE   MEASURE    OF    THE    STATURE    OP 

THE  FULNESS  OF  Christ."  We  kuow,  indeed,  how  impossible 
the  full  attainment  of  this  glorious  stature  is  in  the  Chin-ch  now — 
we  know  that,  even  under  the  teaching  of  the  Apostles  themselves, 
the  different  understandings  of  men — the  different  orders  of  their 


364  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

minds — their  several  sins  and  failings,  hindered  them  from  all  hav- 
ing the  same  clear,  distinct  view  of  the  truth — and  from  having  in 
uniform  exercise  or  power,  the  faith  or  trust  in  the  truths  they  did 
know.  But  still,  this  ought  to  be  the  end  and  object  of  every  in- 
dividual minister  and  of  every  believer  in  the  Church. 

Dear  friends,  persons  imagine,  when  they  know  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith,  that  they  know  Christ ;  but  we  never  know 
Christ  as  we  ought  to  know  Him,  we  never  know  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  just  as  we  never  know  ourselves — The  Lord  saith,  '•'■The 
heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  ivicked,  who 
can  know  it  ?"  Jer.  xvii.  9.  So  we  may  say,  "  Christ  is  glorious 
above  all  things,  infinitely  precious,  infinitely  suitable  to  all  the 
wants  of  poor  sinners,  who  can  know  Him  ?"  So,  you  see,  the 
Apostle  saith  in  this  Epistle  that  to  him  was  given,  to  ^'■preach 
among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  ChristP  chap.  iii.  8, 
and  when  he  speaks  of  knowing  the  love  of  Christ  he  saith,'' ««(/ 
to  know  the  love  of  Christ  lohich  passeth  knoivledge.''^  chap.  iii.  19. 

Yes  indeed,  it  passeth  knowledge, — we  never  can  know  it ;  let 
any  of  us  look  back  at  our  course  and  see  what  He  has  been  to  us ! 
let  us  see  what  Christ  has  done  for  us  !  let  us  just  consider  what 
every  individual  member  of  his  Church  has  experienced  from 
Him, — of  His  grace — His  pardoning  love — His  redeeming  power — 
His  long-suffering — His  sympathy — His  compassion — His  tender- 
ness—His vigilance — His  faithfulness — His  truth  !  Think  how 
He  has  borne  with  us. — Think  what  He  has  borne  from  us  !  We 
may  well  repeat  the  language  of  the  hymn, 

"  Could  we  bear  from  one  another, 

What  He  daily  bears  from  us  1 
Yet  this  glorious  Friend  and  Brother, 

Loves  us,  though  we  treat  him  thus ! 
His  is  boundless  love  indeed, 

Jesus  is  a  friend  in  need." 

When  we  think  of  what  Christ  has  been  to  us,  we  may  say,  we 
never  could  have  anticipated  what  He  has  done  in  time  past,  any 
more  than  we  can  tell  all  He  shall  do  in  time  to  come,  we  never 
can  comprehend  the  grace  and  the  glory  of  Christ.  Therefore, 
here  too,  the  necessity  for  the  believer  to  grow  continually  in  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  as  the  Apostle  says,  '•'■  grow  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ T  2nd  Pet. 
iii.  18.  Hence,  both  the  need  of  these  gifts  of  ministers  and  of  the 
constant  exercise  of  their  ministration  "Till  we  all  come  in 
the  unity  of  the  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 

STATURE  OF  THE  FULNESS  OF  ChRIST." 

If  men  really  believed  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  the  pureness  and 
brightness  of  its  truth,  and  gave  to  it  the  weight  and  value  it  de- 
serves, we  should  have  no  divisions  in  the  Church. 

Observe,  the  Apostle  saith,  "The  faith,"  "The  knowledge 
OF  the  Son  of  God."  There  is  but  one  faith — one  truth — one 
Gospel — dissension  is  produced  from  the  multiplicity  of  ignorances 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  365 

and  errors  by  which  that  faith — that  truth— that  Gospel  are  cor- 
rupted, perverted,  denied. — -When  the  salvation  of  Christ  was  first 
proclaimed  with  the  power  of  tlie  Holy  Ghost  on  the  Day  of  Pen- 
tecost,— when  the  pride  and  presumption  of  sinners,  had  neither 
time  or  opportunity  to  mix  up  their  works,  whether  moral  or  cei-e- 
monial  with  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
as  the  ground  of  a  sinner's  justification  before  God. — When  remis- 
sion of  sins  through  the  name  of  Jesus,  was  freely  and  fully  pro- 
claimed to  the  very  men  who  "  with  wicked  hands  had  crucified 
and  slain"  Him,  and  when  they  ''  who  gladly  received  his  word 
were  baptized"  then  they  "  continued  daily  with  one  accord  in 
the  Te77iple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat 
their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart."  Acts  ii.  23,  38, 
46.  Then  "T7ie  multitiide  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one 
heart  and  of  one  soul."  Acts  v.  32.    "The  unity  of  the  faith 

AND  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE    OF    THE    SoN    OF    God"  then    pioduced 

that  unity  of  love,  that  oneness  of  heart  and  soul,  which  filled 
their  own  bosoms  with  joy,  and  manifested  to  others  the  truth  and 
power  of  the  doctrine  they  believed.  But  soon,  alas  !  the  evils  of 
sin  produced  discord  and  disunion  in  the  body.  Soon  "  tohe?i  the 
number  of  the  disciples  was  m,ultiplied,  there  arose  a  m,urmuring 
of  the  Grecians  against  the  Hebrews,  because  their  widows  were 
neglected  in  the  daily  Tninistration."  Acts  vi.  1.  Soon  persecu- 
tion superinduced  other  trials  and  scattered  the  disciples.  Soon 
again,  when  the  Gentiles  were  brought  into  the  Church,  the  Phar- 
isaic teachers  arose  preaching  circumcision  and  keeping  the  law 
of  Moses,  corrupting  and  perverting  the  Gospel,  till  the  assembled 
Apostles  and  Elders  were  obliged  to  issue  a  letter  to  the  Church 
against  them.  Contentions  about  beggarly  elements,  eating  cer- 
tain meats,  observances  of  days,  as  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  Rom. 
xiv.  Contentions  and  divisions,  one  saying  "  /  am  of  Paul,  arid 
another  I  am,  of  Apollos,"  as  in  the  Church  of  Corinth.  Corrup- 
tions of  the  Gospel  through  ceremonial  observances  and  the  merit 
of  works,  as  in  the  Churches  of  Galatia,  which  struck  at  the  very 
root  of  the  Christian  faith ;  these  and  similar  evils  indicated  the 
necessity  of  men  to  labor  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  every 
Church,  till  they  were  brought  to  "  the  unity  op  the  faith, 

AND  OF  the  knowledge  OF  THE  SoN  OP  GoD." 

Hence  the  earnest  exhortations  of  the  Apostle,  as  in  this  chap- 
ter, to  unity  in  faith  and  love.  Hence  his  prayer  as  for  the  Ro- 
mans, "  That  ye  m,ay  with  one  mind  and  one  m,outh  glorify  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Rom.  xv.  6.  Hence 
the  duty  of  all  the  ministers  of  Christ  in  the  exercise  of  their 
holy  calling,  which  cannot  be  more  scripturally  and  faithfully  en- 
forced, than  in  the  exhortation  in  our  own  solemn  service,  in  the 
Ordering  of  Priests,  which  is  a  practical  application  of  this  very 
passage,  and  of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

EXHORTATION  IN  THE  ORDERING  OF  PRIESTS. 

"  Wherefore  consider  with  yourselves  the  end  of  your  ministry  towards  the  children 
of  God,  towards  the  spouse  and  body  of  Christ,  and  see  that  you  never  cease  your 


366  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

labor,  your  care  and  diligence,  until  that  you  have  done  all  that  lieth  in  you  according 
to  your  bounden  duty,  to  bring  all  such,  as  are  or  shall  be  committed  to  your  charge, 
unto  that  agreement  in  the  faith  and  knowledge  of  God,  and  to  that  ripeness  and  per- 
fection of  age  in  Christ,  that  there  be  no  place  left  among  you,  either  for  error  in  religion 
or  for  viciousness  of  life." 

We  peixeive,  by  the  subsequent  illustration,  what  the  evil  is, 
against  which  the  Apostle  desires  particularly  to  guard  them, 
namely — the  instability  of  ignorance.  It  is  by  the  edification  of 
the  ministry,  that  the  Church  is  to  be  brought  to  ripeness  and 
perfection  of  maturity  in  Christ — from  the  weakness  of  child- 
hood, to  the  strength  and  stability  of  age.     So  he  saith,  "  That 

WE  HENCEFORTH  BE  NO  MORE  CHILDREN,  TOSSED  TO  AND  FRO, 
AND  CARRIED  ABOUT  WITH  EVERY  WIND  OF  DOCTRINE,  BY  THE 
SLEIGHT  OF  MEN  AND  CUNNING  CRAFTINESS,  WHEREBY  THEY 
LIE   IN  WAIT  TO  DECEIVE." 

This  is  a  peculiarly  apposite  illustration.  If  a  child  hears  a 
number  of  stories,  from  different  persons,  that  are  contrary  to,  or 
inconsistent  with  each  other,  about  which  it  has  no  experience  or 
knowledge, — it  is  led  off,  and  carried  away  by  the  various  impres- 
sions produced  by  the  most  opposite  opinions.  It  does  not  know 
what  to  believe,  or  whom  to  follow.  So  it  is  with  all  those  in  the 
Church,  who  are  not  established  in  the  truth — they  are  like  weak 
and  ignorant  children. 

They  hear  one  man's  sermon,  and  they  say,  "  /  ain  of  Paul." — 
Then  they  hear  another  man's,  and  they  say,  "  /  atn  of  Apollos^ 
They  take  up  a  book,  and  read  the  opinions  that  one  man  writes 
on  a  subject  of  Theology — they  think  that  is  truth.  They  take 
up  another  book,  and  read  the  opinions  of  a  man  on  the  other 
side  of  the  question — they  think  that  is  truth.  The  false  opin- 
ion being  more  congenial  to  the  natural  mind  than  the  true, 
they  are  generally  swayed  by  what  is  wrong — they  have  no 
knowledge — no  experience  of  truth — they  think  it  is  candid,  as 
they  say,  to  hear  all  sides  of  the  question.  I  know  one  individual, 
of  whom  I  happen  to  think  at  this  moment,  who  has  read  the 
most  opposite  doctrines  of  truth  and  error  ; — and,  not  knowing 
what  to  believe,  or  what  to  think, -he  has  ended  in  scarcely  believ- 
ing anything  at  all  on  the  subject — "  tossed  to  and  fro,  and 

CARRIED    ABOUT    WITH    EVERY    WIND     OF    DOCTRINE," like    a 

weather-cock,  the  sport  of  every  breeze. 

There  never  was  a  time,  when  persons  are  in  more  danger  of 
this  than  now. — There  are  such  a  multiplicity  of  books  published 
— such  inundations  of  falsehood  from  the  press — such  false  prin- 
ciples poured  forth,  on  every  subject  connected  with  divine  truth. 
I  might  mention  many, — but  I  do  not  wish  even  to  bring  them  to 
your  notice — but  their  effects  are  lamentably  exemplified,  as  one 
goes  among  individuals,  in  what  is  called  the  religious  world,  and 
converses  with  them.  We  hear  the  most  extraordinary  and  ab- 
surd opinions,  as  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  as  if  those  who  ut- 
tered them  had  never  read  the  Bible. 

Thev  are  "Like  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  car- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  367 

RIED    ABOUT  WITH    EVERY  WIND    OF    DOCTRINE."       ThuS    SOme 

of  the  very  fundamental  truths  of  the  Gospel — the  very  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  are  sapped  at  this  very 
moment,  in  the  minds  of  thousands,  who  are  led  away  by  the 
fanciful  torturing  of  Scripture — by  rationalism,  and  philosophy, 
falsely  so  called,  on  the  one  side,— and  by  mysticism — superstition 
— fanaticism,  and  idolatry,  on  the  other  ; — so  that,  even  from  in- 
stitutions which  ought  to  be  the  fortresses  of  true  religion  in  the 
land, — falsehoods  are  poured  forth,  which  strike  at  the  very  root 
of  the  hope  of  man's  salvation — and  turn  the  minds  of  men,  not 
'■'■from  darkness  to  light,^^  but  from  any  little  light  they  may  have 
seemed  to  have,  to  utter  darkness.* 

And  what  does  this  arise  from? — ^from  ignorance  of  ^-  the  fait/i'^ 
— from  want  of  "^Ae  knowledge  of  the  So7i  of  God  f  and  this 
springs,  either  from  the  fundamental  principles  of  divine  truth  not 
being  soundly  taught  by  the  ministry — or  received  by  the  flock. 
Where  the  great  foundations  of  the  truth  are  laid  in  the  soul,  and 
where  the  soul  is  firmly  built  up  and  established  on  Christ, — then, 
it  cannot  be  carried  about  by  the  various  winds  of  doctrine — 
whereby  some  persons  are  like  children,  tossed  to  and  fro.  And 
the  Holy  Spirit  knew  well  the  state  of  the  human  mind,  and  the 
state  of  the  Church,  when  He  inspired  the  Apostle  to  write  this 
verse, — since  it  is  only,  by  being  built  and  established  in  "  the 

UNITY  OF   the    faith,  AND    OF    THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    THE  SoN 

OF  God,"   we   shall   "henceforth    be    no   more   children, 

TOSSED  to  and  FRO,  AND  CARRIED  ABOUT  WITH  EVERY  WIND 
OF  DOCTRINE,  BY  THE  SLEIGHT  OF  MEN,  AND  CUNNING  CRAFT- 
INESS, WHEREBY  THEY  LIE   IN  WAIT  TO  DECEIVE." 

It  was,  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  as  in  our  own,  that  souls 
were  "  beguiled  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness, 
whereby  they  lay  in  wait  to  deceive.''^  Then,  as  now,  and  at  all 
ages  of  the  Church,  such  men  were  the  agents  and  ministers  of 
the  Prince  of  Darkness.  The  Apostle  had  warned  the  elders  of 
this  very  Church,  when  he  had  summoned  them  to  Miletus,  not 
only  that  there  should  ^'■grievous  wolves  enter  in  among  them, 
not  sparing  theflock,^^  Acts,  xx.  29,^but  that  those  wolves  should 
arise  even  from  themselves.  "  Also  of  your  oion  selves  shall  men 
arise,  speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  arcay  disciples  after 
thevnr  V.  30.  And  nothing  can  more  clearly  establish  that  men 
were  never  intended  to  surrender  their  judgment  and  conscience  to 
their  teachers,  than  the  many  safeguards  against  false  teachers 
and  blind  guides,  with  which  the  Word  of  God  abounds.     For  as 

*  The  progress  of  Tractarianism,  or  rather  of  Popery  in  disguise  which  had  gone  so 
far  when  these  Lectures  were  deHvered,  in  1837-8,  has  too  lamentably  developed  itself 
into  the  only  system  to  which,  from  its  first  commencement,  it  inevitably  tended.  False 
principles  are  not  at  all  less  false,  when  put  forth  in  the  name  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, than  in  that  of  the  Church  of  Rome — they  are  only  the  more  dangerous,  as  being 
less  suspected ;  and  the  more  treacherous,  as  being  taught  by  those  who  have  solemnly 
abjured  them.  But  wherever  that  apostacy  begins  to  develop  itself— the  mark  which 
God  has  written  on  it,  is  equally  legible  on  its  brow,  •'  Speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy ;  having 
the  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron."  1st  Tim.  iv.  2. 


368  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

faithful  shepherds  were  the  gifts  of  God,  for  a  blessing  to  His 
Church,— to  strengthen  and  build  them  up  in  Christ, — so  were 
false  teachers  the  curse  and  pest  of  the  flock — ^'grievous  wolves^'' 
corrupting  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  as  the  Apostle  saith  to  the  Corin- 
thians, "  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve 
through  his  snbtility,  so  your  minds  should  be  corrupted  from 
the  shnplicity  that  is  in  ChristP  2nd  Cor.  xi.  3.  And  their 
"  sleight  and  cunning  craftiness'''  were  to  be  especially  guarded 
against.  The  word  translated  "  sleight''  occurs  only  in  this  place, 
and  it  is  a  metaphor  taken  from  gamblers  playing  with  dice,  im- 
plying trick  and  cheating.  So  the  word  cunning  craftiness  is  the 
same  which  is  translated  "wiles  of  the  devil"  chap.  vi.  11,  and 
ijt  only  occurs  in  these  two  places  in  the  New  Testament. 

He  proceeds  "  But"  (instead  of  being  thus  deceived — distracted 
— and  beguiled)  "  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow 

UP     UNTO    HIM     in    all    THINGS,    WHICH     IS     THE     HEAD,    EVEN 

Christ."  These  are  the  two  vital  principles — the  two  pillars  of 
Christianity.  Faith  and  Love.  Faith — providing  for  the  whole 
trust  and  confidence  of  the  soul  in  its  God.  And  Love — providing 
for  the  whole  walk  of  man,  with  God  and  his  fellow-creatures. — 
Faith,  taking  root  in  Christ, — and  Love,  produced  by  faith,  and 
manifesting  its  fruits,  in  the  life  and  conversation — devotedness  to 
God — and  love  toman.     So  he  saith,  "speaking  the  truth 

IN  LOVE,  MAY  GROW  UP  UNTO  HIM  IN  ALL  THINGS,  WHICH  18 
the  head,  EVEN  ChRIST." 

You  see  where  there  is  true  faith  wrought  in  the  hearl, 
there  is  love,  and  there  is  open,  honest  profession  of  it.  No  hesi- 
tation about  it, — no  mincing  of  it,  no  accommodation  of  it,  no  sur- 
render of  principle,  no  compromise  with  base  iniquitous  expedi- 
ency,— no  trying  how  far  it  is  expedient  to  accommodate  God's 
truth  toman's  wickedness; — "But  speaking  the  truth  in 
LOVE,"  boldly  and  faithfully  doing  so.  But  then,  in  the  true  spirit 
of  love,  not  as  is  the  case  with  nominal  charity — with  pretended 
charity — with  Satan's  charity — by  which  he  is  so  fond  of  alluring 
men  to  come  to  him.  Not  disturbing  them  at  all,  nor  offending 
them,  nor  saying  a  word  to  wound  their  prejudices.  Such  charity 
regards  not  how  far  God's  truth  be  abused,  perverted  or  put  down, 
so  that  we  neither  say  or  do  anything  to  offend  man.  This  is 
Satan's  charity,  to  get  man's  soul  into  his  power,  not  "Speaking 
THE  TRUTH  IN  LOVE,"  but  ^''Speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy,"  1st 
Tim.  iv.  2,  accommodating  their  doctrines  to  the  taste  and  incli- 
nation of  their  hearers  who  say  unto  them  "  speak  unto  us  smooth 
things,  prophesy  deceits."  Is.  xxx.  10.  Such  is  not  the  love 
spoken  of  here.  Such  was  not  the  love  our  Blessed  Lord  had,  nor 
such  the  love  the  Apostles  had.  All  false  religion,  all  false  prin- 
ciples they  faithfully  exposed,  but  speaking  the  truth,  in  the  spirit 
of  genuine  love  for  the  souls  of  men,  to  deliver  those  from  evil  who 
are  in  evil,  and  to  establish  those  in  the  truth  who  are  in  the 
truth,  that  they  might  grow  unto  Christ  in  all  things.  What  im- 
portant training  for  the  Church  of  Christ,  for  every  individual 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  369 

member  of  that  Church  !  It  is  impossible  not  to  give  offence  to 
those  who  hate  the  truth  !  if  men  will  speak  the  truth,  however 
much  in  a  spirit  of  love.  What  man  can  be  gentler  than  Christ  / 
Who  can  be  meeker  than  Christ?  Can  any  be  wiser  than  Christ? 
Is  it  possible  to  be  more  simple — more  charitable — more  tender — 
more  inoffensive  than  Christ. — Yet,  who  gave  such  offence  ?  "  Say 
we  not  well  that  thou  art  a  Samaritan  and  hast  a  devil  'P  "  Now 
we  know  that  thou  hast  a  devil.''^  John  viii.  48,  52.  This  was  the 
language  to  Christ  of  those  to  whom  he  spoke  the  truth  in  love — 
and  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  Lord,  so  was  it  with  the  Apostles, 
with  this  very  Apostle  who  "was  all  things  to  all  men,"  "  speak- 
ing THE  TRUTH  IN  LOVE."  Yea,  and  "a//  that  will  live  godly 
in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  persecution^  Tim.  iii.  12.  It  may 
be  only  the  persecution  of  opinion,  or  of  words,  though  the  Church 
has  often  felt  it  heavier  than  either,  but  if  men  are  really  faithful 
to  their  Lord  and  Master  in  all  their  conversation  and  dealings 
with  one  another,  tliey  can  scarcely  escape  giving  offence  to  men ; 
until  the  offence  of  the  cross  ceases,  still  you  see  the  standard, 

•'but  speaking  the  truth  in  LOVE  MAY  GROW  UP  UNTO 
HIM  IN  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  IS  THE  HEAD,  EVEN  ChRIST  ; 
FROM  WHOM  THE  WHOLE  BODY,  FITLY  JOINED  TOGETHER  AND 
COMPACTED  BY  THAT  WHICH  EVERY  JOINT  SUPPLIETH,  AC- 
CORDING TO  THE  WORKING  IN  THE  MEASURE  OF  EVERY  PART, 
MAKETH  INCREASE  OF  THE  BODY  UNTO  THE  EDIFYING  OF 
ITSELF    IN    LOVE." 

As  the  human  frame  '■^fearfully  and  wonderfully  made^'^  Psalm 
cxxxix.  14,  is  formed  and  adapted  in  every  part  of  its  wondrous 
mechanism  with  the  most  perfect  fitness — harmony — unity — sym- 
pathy and  co-operation  of  all  its  parts,  for  their  mutual  support, 
increase,  and  growth  in  strength  and  energy,  till  it  reaches  the  full 
maturity  of  its  appointed  stature — and  as  every  part  of  it  is  formed 
and  adapted  by  the  almighty  power  of  Him  "6y  whom  all  things 
were  made"^ — so  by  the  same  power,  and  by  the  same  hand  alone, 
are  all  the  parts  of  his  mystical  body  formed — adapted — fitted — 
harmonized — adjusted  for  that  unity — sympathy — co-operation — • 
and  increase  that  ought  to  characterize  the  visible  Church  of 
Christ,  and  which  though  all  unseen  by  us,  does  really  belong  to 
his  mystical  body.  But  it  is  from  Christ  the  glorious  Head  alone 
that  all  the  blessings  flow  to  the  body.     It  is  from  Him  "the 

WHOLE  BODY  IS  FITLY  JOINED  TOGETHER,  AND  COMPACTED  BY 
THAT  WHICH   EVERY  JOINT  SUPPLIETH." 

Through  the  head  is  all  the  nutriment  and  life  derived  to  the 
human  body.  The  head  thinks  for  it — sees  for  it — hears  for  it — 
speaks  for  it — rules  it — guides  it — every  fibre,  muscle,  and  joint  is 
moved  at  the  will  of  the  head.  How  beautifully,  yet  how  inade- 
quately, does  the  image  illustrate  the  glorious  character  of  Him, 
who  is,  "  The  head  over  all  things  to  his  church,  which  is  his 
body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filet  h  all  in  allT'  chap.  i.  22,  23. 
Life  through  the  head,  wisdom — guidance — government — direc- 
tion— safety — movement  to  every  place — motion  of  every  limb — 

24 


370  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

sympatlietic  guidance  and  government  of  eveiy  member — all  that 
can  be  needful  for  the  body  is  treasured  up  in  its  glorious  Head, 
"/^i  him  dioeUeth  all  the  fulness  of  tJte  Godhead  bodily^  and  ye 
are  complete  in  hi?n,  which  is  the  head  of  all  j^rincipality  and 
power^''  saith  the  Apostle  Col.  ii.  9,  10.  In  Him  the  whole  body 
ouo-ht  to  be  be  joined  together  in  love.  Love  should  supply  the 
band,  and  lubricate  the  motion  of  every  joint,  while  every  part 
should  contribute  to  the  increase  and  edification  of  the  whole. 

I  nnist  enter  a  little  more  into  particulars  on  this  verse  again, 
please  God.  But,  what  a  blessed  picture  of  a  Church  on  earth 
does  this  figure  present  to  us  !  All  united  in  the  pure  faith  of  the 
everlasting  Gospel.  All  one  in  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  and  one 
with  each  other  in  sympathy  and  love,  as  members  of  one  body  in 
Him — All  drawing  together  with  one  heart  and  one  soul.  Each 
in  his  proper  place  discharging  exactly  the  functions  of  the  sphere, 
in  which  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  appoint  him,  as  every  joint 
and  muscle  of  the  body  moves  in  its  appointed  station,  performing 
its  exact  and  proper  office.  All  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest 
growing  up  into  Christ,  and  firm  and  steadfast  in  the  faith,  moving 
onward  in  the  path  of  holiness  and  peace,  as  a  strong  man  pur- 
sueth  his  way. 

Such  shall  be  the  pattern  presented  to  the  world  ^^when  Christ 
who  is  our  Life  shall  appearT  and  when,  "  Then  shall  we  also 
ajypear  with  him  in  glory.''^  Col.  iii.  4.  But  though  the  visible 
Church  attain  not  to  this  in  its  present  state,  in  this  dispensation, 
— let  us  not  forget  that  this  and  nothing  less  is  the  standard  of 
her  growth — "the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
ness OF  Christ."  May  our  God  in  His  great  mercy  teach  us  to 
aim  at  this  !  May  we  learn  in  the  varied  disappointments  which 
we  meet  in  this,  in  ourselves  and  others,  to  look  for  and  haste  unto 
His  coming  and  His  kingdom  !  May  He  enable  us  to  '•'•Present 
our  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  unto  God  holy  a?id  acceptable  which 
is  our  reasonable  serviced  Rom.  xii.  1 ;  to  ^'■glorify  God  in  our 
body  and  in  our  Spirit  which  are  God^s .'"  1st  Cor.  vi.  20,  both 
individually  and  collectively  here !  and  may  He  bring  us  by  the 
riches  of  his  grace,  and  the  might  of  His  power,  to  meet  at  His 
right  hand  in  the  glory  of  His  kingdom.     Amen  and  Amen. 


THIRTY-SECOND     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV.— 17,  18,  19,  20. 


'■  This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other 
Gentiles  walk,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind ;  Having  the  understanding  darkened, 
being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of 
the  blindness  of  their  heart :  Who,  being  past  feeling,  have  given  themselves  over  unto 
lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.  But  ye  have  not  so  learned 
Christ." 

Man's  natural  condition  is  that  of  being  severed  and  alienated 
from  God ;  and  therefore,  before  he  can  serve  God,  he  must  be 
brought  back,  and  reconciled  to  Him.  A  servant  who  is  dismissed 
from  your  household  cannot  serve  you — a  child,  who  has  fled 
from  his  home,  cannot  render  you  the  duty  and  obedience  of  a 
child.  The  man  who  is  not  a  servant  of  God,  and  a  child  of  God, 
can  neither  render  to  God  the  duty  of  a  child,  or  the  service  of  a 
servant ; — therefore,  we  must  be  first  brought  back  and  reconciled 
to  God,  before  it  is  possible  to  render  Him  any  obedience. 

You  recollect  how  we  dwelt,  in  the  2nd  chapter  of  this  Epistle, 
on  the  state  of  man  by  nature,  as  being  "  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins" — therefore,  you  will  observe,  in  these  chapters,  4th,  5th,  6th. 
of  this  Epistle,  in  which  the  Apostle  presses  practical  duties  on  the 
servants  of  God.  He  assumes  throughout  the  principle  that  they 
are  reconciled  and  brought  back  to  God — and  it  is  therefore,  as  we 
have  seen,  he  urges  on  them,  to  "  Walk  worthy  of  the  vocation 
wherewith  they  are  called,  with  all  loivliness  and  meekness,  loith 
long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love.''''  Thus  you  per- 
ceive it  is,  in  consequence  of  the  relation  in  which  believers  stand 
to  Jesus,  as  being  united  unto  Him,  as  members  of  that  body  of 
which  He  is  the  living  Head,  that  the  Apostle  proceeds  in  the  ex- 
hortation in  this  chapter. 

Is  Christ  spoken  of  as  a  vine — His  Church  are  the  branches. 
Is  Christ  spoken  of  as  the  head — his  Church  are  the  members  ! 
as  the  body  severed  from  the  head,  or  as  the  branches  broken  off 
from  the  vine,  so  is  the  sinner  without  Christ : — and  just  exactly 
as  the  branch  in  the  vine  draws  all  its  sap  and  life,  and  flower  and 
fruit  from  the  stem,  and  as  the  body  derives  all  its  vital  power,  or 
functions,  and  its  very  existence  from  its  union  with  the  head,  so 
the  believer  derives  all  spiritual  fruit,  power,  and  existence  from 
his  union  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Quickened  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  grafted  into  Christ,  "  brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ" 
and  reconciled  to  God ;  thus  they  are  called  to  walk  and  glorify 


372  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  . 

the  Father  in  Hiin.  Therefore  our  Lord  saith,  "^5  the  branch 
cannot  hear  fruit  of  itself^  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more 
can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  tne.''  John  xv.  4.  Now  in  this  image 
of  the  vine  every  hving  branch  and  every  single  fibre,  in  every 
ramification  of  every  brancli  from  the  joint  where  it  is  united  to  the 
stem,  to  the  remotest  bud  tlial  bursts  from  its  extremity  derives  all 
its  vitality,  its  verdure,  and  fruit  from  the  stem.  And  in  the  image 
of  the  body,  and  the  members,  &c.,  the  very  same  relation  exists 
in  reference  to  the  Head.     The  Apostle  says,  "  From  whom  the 

WHOLE  body,  fitly  JOINED  TOGETHER  AND  COMPACTED  BY  THAT 
WHICH  EVERY  JOINT  SUPPLIETH,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  EFFECT- 
UAL WORKING  IN  THE  MEASURE  OF  EVERY  PART  MAKETH  IN- 
CREASE OF  THE  BODY  UNTO  THE  EDIFYING  OF   ITSELF   IN  LOVE." 

As  the  whole  body  is  composed  of  a  great  variety  of  members — a 
great  variety  of  bones — ^joints — muscles — nerves — fibres,  &c. ; — so 
the  whole  body  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  composed  of  a  great 
variety  of  members.  We  cannot  see  the  mechanism  of  its  move- 
ments, or  the  mode  in  which  the  nutriment  is  conveyed — how  the 
powers  of  its  vitality  are  derived,  and  its  motions  communicated 
from  the  Head.  But  God  sees  it  !  And  the  Church  may  take  up 
the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  and  apply  it  to  all  her  members,  as 
David  to  his  body — "  Thine  eyes  did  see  my  substance,  yet  being 
unperfect ;  and  in  thy  book  all  my  members  tuere  writte7i,  which 
in  continuance  were  fashioned,  when  as  yet  there  was  none  of 
them.''''  Psalm  cxxxix.  16.  And  the  body  of  the  Church  is  as 
perfect  and  complete,  in  God's  eye,  as  the  body  of  Adam,  when 
He  formed  it  from  the  dust  of  the  eartli — and  beheld  him — and  all 
was  very  good.  There  is  nothing  wanting — no  member  wanting 
m  the  Church  of  Christ — no  joint — no  member  deficient.  It  is  as 
true  of  His  mystical  body,  as  of  His  human  form,  '■'•A  hone  of  him 
shall  not  he  broken.^'  John,  xix.  36.  Everything  is  complete, 
though  we  cannot  see  '\t ; — but  we  shall  see  it — when  the  body 
shall,  in  the  Lord's  time,  be  raised  a  glorified  body  ;  and  it  shall 
be  beheld  by  angels,  men,  and  devils, — as  all  complete — all  perfect 
in  one — united  in  its  Glorious  Head,  Christ  Jesus. 

I  have  often  mentioned  to  you  before,  but  we  ought  to  think  of 
it  every  day,  and  so  we  must  have  ^'^  -precept  upon  precept,  precept 
upon  precept ;  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line ;  here  a  little,  and 
there  a  little^  Is.  xxviii.  10 — that  it  is  one  important  lesson  for 
every  Christian  to  learn,  the  place  which  he  has  in  the  body. 
What  place  have  I  in  the  body  ?  Let  me  ask,  what  place  has  my 
hand — my  finger — my  eye — or  any  member  of  my  frame,  in  my 
body  ? — The  answer  is,  the  place  that  God  has  appointed  it.  And, 
as  every  joint  and  muscle  in  the  body,  has  that  place  in  the  body, 
that  God  has  appointed  it — so,  every  Christian  in  the  Church  of 
Christ  has  a  place  in  the  Church,  that  God  has  appointed  him  to 
fill.  Where  they  are — there  they  are  called — there  they  are  to 
rest — and  there  they  are  to  serve  the  Lord. 

I  do  not  think  this  can  be  too  often,  or  too  particularly  insisted 
on — for  in  fact,  the  murmuring  and  discontent  of  individuals  with 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  373 

their  respective  lots  would  cease,  if  they  were  really  Christians, 
and  felt  that  they  were  placed  in  the  position  they  fill  by  God.  It 
is  ignorance  of  God  that  makes  the  wo'rld  miserable.  It  is  for- 
getfulness  of  God  that  makes  His  people  murmur.  It  is  the  dis- 
content, the  murmuring  of  individuals  that  arises,  accumulates, 
and  swells  into  the  storms  that  disturb  social  happiness,  and  peace, 
and  order,  and  agitate,  convulse,  and  overturn  nations.  It  may 
be  applied  to  every  murmurer — '■'■Of  the  Rock  that  begat  thee  thou 
art  immindful^  and  hast  forgotten  the  God  that  formed  theeP 
Deut.  xxxii.  18.  Therefore  in  every  state  and  stage  of  existence 
to  know  and  feel  that  we  are  in  our  appointed  place,  and  there  to 
serve  and  glorify  our  God  is  our  only  happiness  and  peace.  Now 
this  is  a  most  important  consideration  for  every  single  one  of  you  ; — 
the  child  who  is  called  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
is  called  as  a  child  to  serve  and  glorify  the  Lord  who  has  called 
him  in  the  relation  in  which  he  stands  as  a  child  ; — and  the  youth 
who  is  called  to  know  and  serve  his  God  has  his  own  peculiar  de- 
partment in  which  he  is  placed  by  his  Lord  to  love  and  serve  Him, 
he  has  peculiar  circumstances  and  duties  attendant  on  his  position, 
peculiar  trials  and  snares  attendant  on  his  youth ;  he  has  all 
these  difficulties  against  which  to  watch  and  pray  that  he  may 
be  enabled  to  glorify  his  God  in  that  sphere  and  stage  of  his 
existence. 

The  man  who  is  called  in  a  more  advanced  period  of  life, 
he  has  his  peculiar  position,  his  appointed  place  in  the  body ; — the 
cares  of  his  family,  the  difficulties  of  his  circumstances — the  snares 
and  temptations  peculiar  to  these  that  surround  him ;  against  these 
he  is  also  called  to  watch  and  pray,  and  in  the  midst  of  them  he 
is  called  on  to  glorify  his  God.  The  young  female  too,  has  her 
snares,  her  difficulties,  her  besetting  sins,  her  trials,  she  is  called  on 
in  these  to  serve  her  Lord.  The  married  female,  grown  up  with 
the  cares  of  her  family  resting  on  her,  has  her  position  too  in 
which  to  serve  her  Heavenly  Father ;  and  in  all  spheres  in  which 
we  can  be  called  to  move,  and  in  each  sex,  from  youth  to  age, 
from  the  lisping  tongue  of  infancy  to  the  hoary  head  which  is  "  a 
crown  of  glory  if  it  he  found  in  the  way  of  righteousness^^ — 
Prov.  xvi.  31.  All  have  their  peculiar  places  in  the  body,  where 
they  are  to  serve  and  glorify  their  God.  Thus  too  in  the  different 
ranks  of  life,  the  poor  creature  who  is  suffering  in  poverty,  in 
want,  and  distress,  is  called  on  in  those  circumstances  in  which 
God  has  been  pleased  to  place  him,  to  serve  and  glorify  his  Heav- 
enly Father.  The  man  again,  who  is  in  a  higher  sphere,  blessed 
with  competence  and  comfort,  is  called  on  in  his  position  to  serve 
and  glorify  his  God  : — if  one  is  called  on  to  suffer  from  trials,  the 
other  is  called  on  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  knowing,  that  "  it  is 
more  blessed  to  give  than  to  received  Acts  xx.  35.  Those  in  still 
a  higher  sphere  are  called  on,  according  to  the  increased  variety 
and  value  of  the  talents  with  which  God  has  entrusted  them,  to 
glorify  the  Giver. 

Solomon — the  Lord  was  pleased  to  place  in  a  situation  of  pomp 


374  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  magnificence,  and  he  was  called  to  magnify  his  God  in  that 
sphere. 

Joseph,  of  Arimathea,  a  rich  man,  who  could  purchase  and  hew 
out  his  own  tomb  in  a  rock — he  was  called  on  to  glorify  his  Mas- 
ter, and  honored  by  being  allowed  to  provide  a  sepulchre  for  his 
Redeemer. 

Lazarus,  lying  on  his  humble  bier  to  be  carried  about  from  door 
to  door,  to  watch  for  the  crumbs  that  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table, 
while  the  dogs  came  to  lick  his  sores,  was  called  on  to  glorify  his  God 
there,  and  carried  from  that  bier  by  angels  to  Abraham's  bosom. 

The  women  that  followed  our  blessed  Lord,  and  ministered  un- 
to him  of  their  substance, — the  Queen  of  Sheba,  that  "  came  from 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon.^^ 
Matt.  xii.  42.  Ruth,  the  Moabitess,  and  Rahab,  the  harlot,  who 
was  brought  to  Christ,  were  called  to  glorify  that  God  whom  they 
adored  in  the  various  spheres  of  their  existence.  The  poor  widow, 
who  had  but  two  mites  to  cast  into  the  treasury,  was  called  to 
glorify  her  God  with  these.  They  were  all  she  had,  but  God  gave 
them  to  her  for  His  own  glory,  and  you  see  how  she  used  them  for 
that  end.  Every  member  and  every  muscle  is  arranged  and  fixed 
in  the  body  in  its  place,  and  all  the  joints  are  fitly  compacted  to- 
gether, and  fitly  work  together.  We  may  not  see,  we  cannot  un- 
derstand the  wisdom  of  this  wondrous  mechanism  in  the  body,  we 
are  just  as  ignorant  of  the  various  fittings  of  all  the  members  and 
joints  of  the  church,  as  a  person  unacquainted  with  anatomy  is 
ignorant  of  the  nerves,  and  joints,  and  muscles  of  the  animal 
frame.  But  notwithstanding,  we  may  be  assured — we  ought  to 
know  that  there  is  a  harmony,  a  perfection,  a  glorious  wonderful 
magnificence  in  the  structure  of  them  all :  we  are  ^^ fearfully  and 
wonderfully  made^^  and  as  His  works  are  marvellous  in  the  world 
of  nature,  so  are  they  no  less  marvellous  in  the  world  of  grace. 
All  the  joints  and  members  of  His  mystical  body  are  ^^ fitly  framed 
together^  and  compacted  by  that  ivhich  every  joint  supplieth.^'  As 
every  muscle  and  joint  of  the  body,  contributes  to  the  perfect 
growth  and  completion  of  the  frame,  so,  every  member  of  the 
church  of  Christ  contributes  to  the  model  of  perfection  which  the 
Lord  Jehovah  has  wrought,  and  is  continually  working  in  the 
church  for  his  own  eternal  glory. 

Why  should  I  dwell  on  this  again  in  this  place  ?  Because  I  do 
not  know  anything  that  is  more  necessary  to  dwell  on.  And  al- 
though it  is  more  properly  strictly  belonging  to  the  last  passage, 
yet  it  is  as  we  shall  see  the  motive  and  argument  of  the  Apostle 
by  which  he  presses  on  believers  the  duty  enforced  in  these  verses 
which  form  the  subject  of  our  consideration. 

It  is  one  of  the  strongest  temptations  of  Satan. — It  is  one  of  the 
most  ensnaring  corruptions  of  our  hearts,  to  be  discontented  with 
our  respective  circumstances,  to  desire  to  leave  the  place  in  which 
God  has  fixed  our  lot,  to  get  out  of  our  sphere  and  the  present 
trials  we  endure  instead  of  reflecting  thus  : — 

"  In  whatever  place  I  am  this  day, — this  day  is  all  I  can  call 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  375 

my  own,  to-day  is  the  only  portion  of  time  on  which  I  have  a  right 
to  reckon,  and  this  day,  it  is  my  privilege  to  serve  my  Father  here, 
where  He  has  placed  me,  and  to  know  that  I  am  placed  here  by 
the  ordinance  of  my  Father's  will." 

This  ought  to  be  the  Christian's  language  and  the  Christian's 
principle — to  learn  "  hi  whatsoever  state  we  are  therewith  to  he 
content^  Phil.  iv.  14 — and  there  to  serve  and  glorify  our  Lord.  He 
will  surely  place  us  in  our  proper  sphere,  and  it  is  ours  to  glorify 
Him  there.  '•'•la  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him,  and  he  will  di- 
rect thy  paths.^^  Prov.  iii.  G.  This  is  the  real  receipt  for  true 
happiness  to  the  believer :  as  the  Apostle  shows  at  length  Phil.  iv.  4, 
^'Rejoice  in  tJie  Lord  alway,  and  again  I  say,  rejoice.  Let 
your  tnoderation'^'' — that  is,  your  gentleness,  forbearance — " he 
known  unto  all  men^^ — manifested  in  your  whole  life  and  conver- 
sation— '•'•The  Lord  is  at  hand.  Be  careful  for  nothing ;  hut  in 
everything  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving  let 
your  requests  he  made  knoivn  unto  God.  And  the  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds  through  Christ  JesusJ^  Phil.  iv.  4 — 7. 

Therefore,  observe,  where  we  really  enjoy  this  happy,  patient, 
gentle,  submissive,  thankful,  prayerful  acquiescence  in  the  Lord's 
dispensations,  and  are  looking  by  faith  to  Him,  you  see  the  blessed 
fruits  of  it,  happiness  and  peace  that  passeth  understanding.  What 
unity  must  there  be  in  the  body  if  all  the  members  were  thus — 
surely  "  the  whole  hody,  fitly  framed  together,  and  compacted  hy 
that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  work- 
ing in  the  measure  of  every  pcvrt^''  must  thus  "  make  increase  of 
the  hody  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love.''^  Imagine  a  house- 
hold, in  which  the  master,  mistress,  children,  and  servants,  were 
all  servants  of  God — imagine  a  household,  in  which  the  master 
and  mistress  were  setting,  as  they  ought,  an  example  to  their  fami- 
lies of  reverence  and  love  to  their  Lord  and  Master,  in  the  sphere 
in  which  He  was  pleased  to  place  them  ; — the  children  brought  up 
"  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord^''  and  touched  by 
the  grace  of  God,  trained  in  His  fear,  and  manifesting  by  His 
grace  the  power  and  influence  of  His  truth  in  their  obedience,  their 
diligence,  their  humility,  their  love  in  the  service  of  God  : — imagine 
the  servants  of  that  household,  in  spirit  and  truth  the  Lord's  ser- 
vants, serving  their  earthly  master  and  mistress  "  with  good  will, 
doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  menP  ch.  vi.  7, — imagine 
the  master  and  mistress  treating  them  as  "  remembering  that  their 
master  also  is  in  heaven,^'' — in  fact,  walking  in  the  ways  in  which 
the  Lord  is  pleased  to  point  out  for  His  children  in  His  word. — 
Imagine  this,  and  conceive  how  every  member  of  that  family 
would  help  and  edify  one  another,  and  comfort  one  another  in 
love.  And  wherever  there  is  a  body  together,  consisting  of  high 
and  low,  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor,  if  the  course  of  conduct 
and  the  principles  that  are  here  laid  down  were  carried  out,  con- 
ceive if  you  can  what  a  blessing  it  were  for  every  part  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  therefore  for  the  whole.     Oh,  how  different 


376  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  Church  of  Christ  would  be  in  itself,  and  would  appear  to  the 
world ! 

It  is  the  more  necessary,  as  it  appears  to  nie,  to  dwell  at  greater 
length  on  this  subject,  because  it  is  the  foundation  of  the  solemn 
and  emphatic  exhortation  contained  in  the  17th  and  succeeding 
verses.  The  union  of  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  with 
Christ  and  with  each  other,  form  the  premises  of  the  conclusion, 
which  the  Apostle  presses  on  the  saints  at  Ephesus,  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  they  should  walk,  to  serve  and  glorify  their  God. 
"This  I  say,  therefore  ;"  mark  the  word  "  Therefore, "^ — - 
that  is — because  you  are  united  to  this  glorious  Head — because 
you  are  members  of  so  glorious  a  body — so  blessed  a  brotherhood 
— because  you  are  children  of  your  Heavenly  Father — "  brought 
7Ugh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,^'  and  members  of  the  body  of  Christ 
— because  you  are  so — "this  I  say,  therefore,  and  testify 
IN  THE  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other 
Gentiles  walk,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind."  If  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  were  to  make  no  difference  in  this  world  between 
man  in  his  former  state  and  his  redeemed  state,  what  blessing 
would  the  Gospel  confer  on  this  earth  ?  What  moral  capability 
could  an  unholy  being  possess  of  happiness  in  the  presence  of  a 
holy  God,  if  he  had  not  been  taught  to  feel  that  holiness  and  hap- 
piness are  inseparable  to  a  redeemed  spirit  ?  But  we  say  on  the 
authority  of  all  the  Word  of  God,  that  wherever  the  Gospel  does 
reach  the  sinner's  heart,  it  must  make  a  difference  and  a  mighty 
difference  too — "  If  any  man  be  hi  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature, 
old  things  are  passed  aivay  ;  behold,  all  things  are  bccotne  new.''^ 
2nd  Cor.  v.  17.     So  he  says  "I  testify  that  ye  henceforth 

WALK     NOT     AS     OTHER    GeNTILES     WALK,    IN    THE     VANITY    OF 

their  mind."  They  who  are  ignorant  of  God,  mark  how  they 
walk. — Ye,  who  know  God,  how  ought  ye  to  walk?  How  do 
they  walk  ?  In  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  in  the  ignorance,  guilt, 
folly,  wickedness,  corruption,  of  their  natural  heart.  All  vanity  : 
— "  Spending  their  money^''  as  the  Prophet  saith,  '^for  that 
which  is  not  bread,  and  their  labor  for  that  which  satisjieth  notP 
Isa.  Iv.  2.  But  he  describes  their  state  more  particular!}-,  "  hav- 
ing THE  understanding  DARKENED."  You  sec,  here  is  the 
first  place  where  sin,  and  the  power  of  sin  is  manifested  in  the 
fallen  heart  of  man,  "  Having  the  understanding  darkened." 
— That  was  the  first  proof  of  his  fall  that  Adam  gave  ; — he  ran 
to  hide  himself  from  the  Lord  among  the  trees  of  the  garden. 
What  must  have  been  the  prostration  of  his  intellect,  what  the 
blindness  of  his  understanding,  when  he  could  have  hecome  such 
a  fool  as  to  think,  that  he  could  hide  himself  from  God  ! — to  forget 
the  Omniscience, — Omnipresence, — Omnipotence  of  his  Creator  ! 
We  see  in  all  his  fallen  children  how  this  blindness  of  the  under- 
standing pervades  the  race  of  men  from  infancy  to  the  grave. 
The  child  thinks  if  he  can  hide  himself  from  his  parents  or  his 
teachers,  that  it  is  no  matter  what  he  does.  If  he  can  escape 
their  observation  he  is   content — that  is,  his  natural  mind — his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS.  377 

understanding  being  darkened,  the  child  does  not  reflect  or  know 
that  God  sees  him.  Let  him  but  think  that  the  eye  of  his  parent 
or  teacher,  or  of  any  person  who  will  give  them  information  of 
his  misconduct,  is  fixed  on  him,  he  immediately  stops  whatever 
he  is  doing  that  he  is  afraid  should  come  to  their  knowledge,  or 
that  his  conscience  tells  him  is  wrong,  but  the  thought  that  God 
sees  him,  never  enters  his  mind,  his  understanding  is  darkened. 
So  it  is  with  man  in  his  natural  state,  wherever  he  is ; — that 
principle  wiiich  is  illustrated  by  the  child,  is  the  same  in  the  man. 
His  moral  condition  in  this  respect  is  described  by  the  Psalmist, 
"  God  is  not  in  all  his  thonghts.  His  ways  are  always  grievous. 
Thy  judgments  are  far  above  out  of  his  sight.  He  hath  said  in 
his  heart,  God  hath  forgotten.  He  hideth  his  face,  he  will  never 
see  it."  Ps.  x.  4,  5,  11. 

Look  at  him  again  in  the  objects  of  his  worship, — the  idols  he 
sets  up.  What  can  exhibit  the  desperate  fall  and  blindness  of 
the  human  mind  more  than  the  idols  of  the  Gentiles  ?  The  idol 
formed  by  them  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  stone,  wood,  or  whatever  it 
may  be,  they  mould  that  image,  whether  large  or  small,  they  place 
it  in  their  mighty  temples,  as  Jupiter  at  Rome — Juggernaut  in 
Hindostan — Diana  at  Ephesus — Minerva  at  Athens— the  Virgin 
at  Loretto — or  they  keep  in  their  chambers  or  houses,  be  they 
large  or  small,  it  is  no  matter — they  form  these  idols  and  bow  be- 
fore them  with  reverence,  and  worship  them,  as  if  these  things,  or 
some  real  or  imaginary  beings  identified  with  them,  or  represented 
by  them,  as  if  these  had  made  the  heavens,  or  could  intercede  for 
them  or  deliver  them — they  bow  before  them  as  God.  They 
would  not  say  to  the  idol,  although  it  is  present  to  their  eyes, 
"  regulate  my  house,  rule  my  children,  govern  my  servants." 
They  would  feel  the  absurdity  of  asking  the  idol,  or  supposing  it 
competent  to  perform  a  single  act  which  a  child,  or  a  servant,  or 
even  a  beast  could  perform — they  are  not  so  foolish  as  to  say  that, 
to  an  inanimate  thing — yet  they  bow  before  it — worship  it,  and 
say  that  this  tiling  made  the  world.  What  could  exceed  the 
blindness,  the  ignorance,  and  folly  of  Aaron  and  the  Israelites, 
when  he  made  their  calves  for  them—"  These  be  thy  Gods,  O 
Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  EgyptP  Exod. 
xxxii.  4.  Such  is  the  sort  of  being  they  worship,  though  they 
know  it  could  not  really  perform  one  act  of  a  human  being,  or 
even  of  a  brute.  What  then  must  be  the  desperate  blindness  and 
darkness  of  the  human  heart ! 

This  is  what  the  Apostle  says,  "  Having  the  understanding 
DARKENED."  Evcry  man  on  the  earth  has  his  understanding  in 
a  spiritual  sense  perfectly  dark ;  the  nominal  Christian  has  no 
more  spiritual  light — no  clearer  spiritual  view  of  the  real  character 
of  God  than  the  Pagan  idolater.  He  is  accustomed  to  call  a 
Being  whom  he  imagines  in  his  own  mind,  and  of  whom  he  has 
read  in  the  Bible,  or  heard  of — God — but  he  has  no  more  notion 
of  the  real  Scriptural  character  of  that  God  than  the  heathen. 
He  knows  indeed  that  the  gods  of  the  heathen  are  but  the  work 


378  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

of  men's  hands,  wood  and  stone,  and  that  the  God  who  made  the 
world  is  an  invisible  Almighty  being — but  this  gives  him  no 
knowledge  of  God's  moral  character  as  just,  holy,  merciful,  faith- 
ful and  true.  Even  the  attributes  of  God  which  he  acknowledges 
and  believes  as  abstract  truths  are  of  no  spiritual  use  to  him,  and 
he  has  no  real  understanding  of  them.  He  calls  God  Omniscient 
and  Omnipresent,  but  has  no  regard  for  Him — no  sense  of  his 
Omniscience  and  Omnipresence.  If,  like  the  child  of  whom  we 
spoke,  he  escapes  the  eye  of  man,  he  cares  not  for  the  eye  of  God. 
He  has  no  more  sense  of  the  wickedness  of  his  own  heart  and 
thoughts,  desires  and  imaginations,  which  are  all  open  before 
God,  than  if  there  were  no  God.  He  is  so  blind  as  to  God's  moral 
character  and  government,  that  he  thinks  God  is  pleased  with 
some  punishment  inflicted  on  his  body  for  his  sins,  and  that  some 
deeds  which  he  calls  good,  will  atone  for  others  which  he  knows 
to  be  evil,  and  that  the  justice  of  God  is  satisfied  with  this,  and 
with  tlie  outward  form  of  service,  when  his  heart  is  far  from  Him. 
If  you  were  to  ask  him,  would  you  be  satisfied  or  pleased,  if  a 
servant  or  one  in  an  humbler  situation  in  life  were  to  approach 
you  with  great  reverence,  and  to  ask  with  great  apparent  submis- 
sion and  sincerity,  and  in  most  respectful  and  decorous  language 
some  petition,  while  you  knew  that  that  man  disregarded  and 
slighted  you,  and  did  not  care  for  either  you  or  what  he  asked  for, 
or  whether  you  granted  his  petition  or  not,  how  would  you  receive 
such  a  petitioner  ?  He  Avould  answer,  I  would  turn  him  away  as 
a  hypocrite  and  an  impostor.  Yet  that  is  the  way  in  which  he 
himself  approaches  God ; — tliat  is  the  way  in  which  an  uncon- 
verted man  who  is  called  a  Christian,  goes  to  Church  to  worship, 
or  to  the  Sacrament,  or  to  read  his  Bible,  or  to  say  his  prayers,  as 
he  calls  it.  He  kneels  down,  mutters  a  portion  of  prayers,  and 
never  thinks  or  cares  whether  God  hears  him  or  not.  If  you 
speak  to  such  a  man,  and  ask  him.  Does  God  hear  and  answer 
your  prayers  ?  Does  He  grant  what  you  pray  for  ?  Do  you 
watch  for,  or  expect  an  answer  to  your  petitions  ?  He  will  say, 
you  are  an  enthusiast  or  a  fanatic  for  even  supposing  such  a  thing. 
So  blind  and  ignorant  is  the  natural  understanding  of  man. 
"  There  is  no7ie  that  under standeth^  there  is  none  that  seeketh 
after  God,  they  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together 
become  unprofitable,  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one." 
Rom.  iii.  11,  12. 

So  here  "Having  the  understanding  darkened;" — and 
what  is  the  consequence?  "Being  alienated  from  the  life 
OF  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because 
OF  THE  BLINDNESS  OF  THEIR  HEART  ;"  bliudiiess  of  the  Under- 
standing necessarily  produces  alienation  from  the  life  of  God ; — 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  the  worship  or  service  of  God,  no  fear,  no 
love,  nor  any  knowledge  of  God,  while  the  understanding  remains 
darkened.  This  exactly  corresponds  with  the  description  given  of 
the  Gentile  world,  in  Acts  xxvi.  18,  where  the  Apostle  Paul  recites 
the  words  used  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  when  He  ar- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  379 

rested  him  on  his  way  to  Damascus,  and  declares  the  commission 
which  he  had  received  from  the  Lord,  when  He  sent  him  as  His 
Apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  It  was  this — "  To  open  their  eyes,  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.^'' 
They  are  "alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the 

IGNORANCE  THAT   IS   IN  THEM,   BECAUSE   OF  THE    BLINDNESS  OF 

their  HEARTS,"  and  therefore,  the  first  thins^  is,  "7o  open  their 
eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light  P  This  is  the  same 
blessing  which  every  sinner  wants — to  have  his  eyes  opened. 
You  require  not  only  to  have  the  Word  of  God  set  before  you — 
but  to  have  the  Spirit  of  God  opening  your  eyes  and  enlightening 
your  mind  to  receive  the  sense  of  God's  eternal  truth — you  require 
to  have  your  understanding  enlightened,  that  you  may  know  and 
believe  the  plain  meaning  of  the  words  you  read  or  hear.  The 
angel  with  the  drawn  sword  was  before  Balaam,  but  his  eyes  were 
blinded,  and  he  could  not  see  or  fear  him.  Num.  xxii.  31. — The 
chariots  of  fire  were  round  about  the  Prophet  and  his  servant,  but 
the  servant's  eyes  must  be  opened  l>y  the  Lord  before  he  could  see 
them,  2d  Kings  vi.  17.  So  it  is  with  the  sinner  in  his  natural 
state — ^tlie  sword  of  justice  and  the  golden  sceptre  of  mercy — death 
and  life — condemnation  and  salvation  are  in  every  page  of  the 
Bible,  but  he  neither  sees  nor  regards — neither  fears  or  hopes — he 
is  "  ALIENATED  FROM  THE  LIFE  OF  GoD."  His  heart  is  ignorant 
and  blind. 

I  do  not  know  any  greater  change  exhibited  in  the  sinner  by 
conversion  than  in  his  understanding.  His  will  and  his  aflfections 
are  not  more  effectually  renewed  in  their  purpose  and  objects  than 
his  understanding ;  he  is  improved  and  advanced  by  the  illumina- 
tion of  God's  Holy  Word — he  learns  to  see  at  once  the  difference 
between  truth  and  falsehood — he  has  got  a  standard  of  right  and 
wrong — good  and  evil — a  sound  judgment  of  what  renders  a  man 
happy  and  unhappy — of  what  renders  a  character  excellent  or 
wicked.  He  learns  to  form  a  right  estimate  of  man,  of  books,  of  all 
principles  which  he  had  not  before.  He  receives  and  exhibits  the 
proofs  of  an  intelligent  understanding  which  no  other  instruction 
could  possibly  bestow.  No  education  in  sciences,  classics,  languages, 
literature,  nothing  on  earth  can  enlarge  or  enlighten  the  mind  of 
a  sinner  so  much  as  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  The  real  character 
of  the  most  enlightened  man  on  earth,  if  he  is  not  enlightened  by 
the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  is  that  given  by  the  Apostle  here, 
"Having  his  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated 
from  the  life  of  god  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 

HIM,  BECAUSE  OF  THE  BLINDNESS  OF  HIS  HEART  ;"  and  the  pOOlCSt, 

the  most  illiterate  creature  in  the  world,  who  never  read  anything, 
but  the  Bible,  or  who,  perhaps,  cannot  read  at  all, — that  poor  sinner 
if  brought  to  Christ,  and  reconciled  unto  God,  through  the  blood 
of  the  covenant,  has  more  real  understanding  than  all  the  uncon- 
verted, learned  men  on  earth  ;  for  his  understanding  is  enlight- 
ened, he  is  "  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God^''  he  has  "  received  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 


380  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

inheritance  among  them,  that  are  sanctified,  throngh  fa'ith,  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus."     Therefore,  when  the  Apostle  exhorts  that 

"  THEY    HENCEFORTH  WALK    NOT    AS    OTHER    GeNTILES    WALK, 

IN  THE  VANITY  OP  THEIR  MINDS," — he  thcii  gives  the  real  and 
universal  source  of  the  wicked  walk  of  men, — they  have  "  their 

UNDERSTANDING  DARKENED,  BEING  ALIENATED  FROM  THE 
LIFE  OF  God  through  the  ignorance  THAT  IS  IN  THEM, 
BECAUSE  OF  THE  BLINDNESS  OF  THEIR  HEARTS."       YoU  peiCeivB 

the  very  same  truth  set  forth  in  2d  Cor.,  chap,  iv.,  3,  4,  in  which 
the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  state  of  those  who  do  not  know  the 
Gospel,  "  If  our  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost ;  in 
whotn  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which 
believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  ivho  is 
the  image  of  God  should  shine  unto  them  f — this  is  their  natural 
state. — Now  observe  the  converted  state  in  the  6th  verse,  "  Par 
God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  You  perceive  the 
difference  here  stated  between  the  converted  and  ujiconverted 
man  ;  the  one  lost — unbelieving — blinded  by  the  devil — his  un- 
derstanding all  dark ;  the  other  enlightened  by  the  same  power 
which  "  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness," — his  un- 
derstanding illumined  by  the  Divine  Spirit — the  light  that  shines 
is,  a  '^  light  of  knowledge," — the  subject  of  that  knowledge, — is 
"  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God :"  and  the  knowledge  is 
revealed,  "  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ," — in  the  glorious  face  of  a 
crucified  Redeemer,  bowed  in  death  on  the  cross  for  our  sins, 
blotting  out  our  transgressions,  '■'■receiving  ns  graciously,  and 
loving  ns  freely"  forgiving  all  our  iniquities,  bringing  us  nigh  to 
God  by  His  precious  blood,  as  a  reconciled  Father — then  the  sin- 
ner sees  indeed  the  blessed  light  of  eternal  day,  when  "  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  ariseth  on  his  soul  with  healing  on  his  wings." 
Mal.'iv.  2. 

But  now  mark  the  necessary  result  of  the  blindness  and  aliena- 
tion from  God  here  spoken  of — ■'  who,  being   past   feeling, 

HAVE  GIVEN  THEMSELVES  OVER  UNTO  LASCIVIOUSNESS,  TO 
WORK     ALL     UNCLEANNESS     WITH     GREEDINESS."       Sucll     Is     the 

result  of  this  dark  and  blinded  understanding.  "Being  past 
FEELING," — no  sense  of  fear,  or  shame,  or  remorse — conscience 
stifled  and  hardened,  so  that  it  is  only  fear  of  consequences  with- 
out, and  no  compunction  from  within,  that  holds  them  back  from 
any  sin.  He  mentions  these  peculiar  sins  ; — but  every  sin  is 
exactly  the  result  of  the  same  thing.  The  Apostle  enumerates 
the  various  iniquities  that  deform  the  w^orld,  under  the  head  of 
the  fruits  of  the  flesh.  Gal.  v.  19 — 21,  and  in  Rom.  i.  29 — 31. 
These  are  sins  that  are  manifest — they  '■'■loork  all  uncleanness 
with  greediness,"  or  as  the  word  is  also  "  covetousness" — swallow- 
ing down  iniquity  as  water — so  Job  saith — he  "  drinketh  in  ini- 
quity like  uiater."  Job  xv.  16.  All  that  man  wishes  for  in  his 
natural  state  is  this,  power  to  fulfil  the  desires  of  his  flesh  and  his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  381 

mind,  whatever  they  are ; — the  greediness,  the  covetousness,  the 
great  ambition,  of  the  natural  mind  is  this, — "Oh,  that  I  was  able 
to  do  what  I  hke  to  do !"  This  is  the  master-desire  of  the  natural 
heart — and  from  the  child  that  hates  the  restraint  of  his  parent, 
of  the  servant  that  attends,  or  of  the  teacher  that  instructs  him — 
to  the  man  who  hates  the  restraints  of  the  laws  of  his  country  that 
will  not  allow  him  to  act  according  to  the  wicked  disposition  of  his 
mind — or  who  trembles  at  the  law  of  opinion  lest  he  should  lose 
or  injure  his  character,  and  so  he  should  be  consigned  to  contempt, 
which  he  fears  more  t4ian  he  loves  his  lusts — I  say,  from  the  infant 
to  the  full  grown  man,  the  natural,  the  universal,  the  absorbing 
desire  of  the  mind  is,  "  Oh,  that  I  was  able  to  do  what  I  like  to 
do"  ! ! ! 

But  how  widely  different  the  principle  of  the  true  Christian  ! 
He  knows  he  would  like  to  commit  sin — his  natural,  corrupt  heart 
would  follow  after  sin — -but  he  has  received  a  purer  and  higher 
principle — a  holy  and  heavenly  desire.  He  is  now  reconciled  to 
his  God,  and  at  peace  with  Him — he  remembers  that  the  eyes  of 
God  are  on  him,  and  he  says,  "Oh  !  that  my  God  may  ever  keepi 
me  from  doing  what  my  natural  heart  would  like  to  do  !  Oh  ! 
that  He  may  subdue  my  iniquity— conquer,  and  bring  into  subjec- 
tion my  wicked  lusts  !  Oh  !  that  my  God  may  cast  down  every 
imagination  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  Christ !" 
So,  David,  "0/i  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  statutes  T 
Psalm  cxix.  5.  So,  that,  though  man's  laws  never  reach  or  touch 
the  believer — yet  God's  law  is  written  in  his  heart.  So,  this 
Apostle,  ^^  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ;  But 
I  see  another  law  in  my  'members,  ivarring  against  the  law  of  m,y 
mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin,  which  is 
in  my  members.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  'P  Rom.  vii.  22 — 24. 

Hence,  the  conflict  of  the  believer — hence  the  walk  of  the  be- 
liever— hence  his  strength  to  mortify  his  corrupt  affections.  Hence 
the  exhortations  in  the  Bible — to  mortify  his  members — to  crucify 
the  flesh.  Hence  the  struggle  in  the  believer ;  there  is  a  deep 
struggle.  The  warfare  commences  from  the  time  he  is  brought  to 
his  God — and  against  whom  ? — against  himself  You  see,  the 
unregenerate  "  loho  being  past  feeling  have  given  themselves  over 
vnto  lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greedinessJ^ 
But,  saith  the  Apostle  to  the  believers,  "  ITe  have  not  so  learned 
Christy     We  shall  see  hereafter  what  this  means. 

I  trust  the  Lord  will  teach  us  these  lessons — sanctify  His  blessed 
instruction — and  seal  it  to  our  souls.  Think  of  these  truths,  dear 
friends  ! 

And  now,  let  us  review  this— let  us  consider  our  place ;  what- 
ever that  place  be  in  which  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  appoint 
our  lot — Let  us  glorify  him  there  with  our  body  and  spirit  which 
are  His — Let  us  commit  ourselves — our  souls  and  bodies  to  Him 
in  well  doing — Let  us  wait  on  Him,  '■'■As  the  eyes  of  servants  look 
tmto  the  hand  of  their  masters ;  as  the  eyes  of  a  maiden  unto 


382  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  hand  of  her  mistress ;  so  let  our  eyes  wait  on  our  God." 
Ps.  cxxiii.  2. 

Let  us  consider  well  whether  we  are  yet  in  darkness  or 
brought  into  the  light.  If  indeed  "we  are  children  of  the  light 
and  of  the  day  let  us  not  sleep  as  do  others,  but  let  us  ivatch 
and  be  sober. ^^  1st  Thess.  v.  5,  6.  ^'■Let  us  lay  aside  every  tveight, 
and  the  sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  icith 
patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus." 
Heb.  xii.  1,  2. 

And  if  we  are  "  looking  to  Jesus,"  let  us  not  walk  as  those  who 
know  Him  not ;  let  us  manifest  the  difference  in  our  principles — 
our  state — and  our  hopes  by  our  conduct.  Let  us  remember,  it  is 
only  by  our  works  that  we  can  prove  we  are  the  servants  of  God 
— works  do  not  make  the  sinner  a  servant  of  God,  but  they  prove 
that  he  is  a  servant  of  God  ;  it  is  grace,  washing  him  in  the  blood 
of  Christ — -covering  him  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  the  Spirit 
testifying  of  Jesus  in  his  heart,  this  makes  him  a  son  by  adoption 
and  grace ;  but  we  can  only  prove  ourselves  children  of  God,  by 
loving  and  serving  our  Lord  and  Heavenly  Father. 


THIRTY- THIRD  LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV.— 20,  21,  22,  23,  24. 


"  But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  ye  have  heard  him,  and  have  been 
taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus :  that  ye  put  oflF,  concerning  the  former  conver- 
sation, the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  ;  and  be  renewed 
in  the  spirit  of  your  mind  ;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

It  has  been  universally  admitted  by  all  persons  professing  to  call 
themselves  Christians,  that  the  wickedness  of  the  human  heart 
and  of  human  conduct  ought  to  be  corrected  by  true  religion  ;  and 
this  is  indeed  the  very  principle  on  which  men  affect,  even  at  this 
very  day,  to  make  light  of  the  doctrines  of  religion.  "  Because," 
they  say,  "  since  it  is  on  all  hands  agreed,  that  people  ought  to  live 
a  holy  and  godly  life,  and  that  religion  ought  to  produce  good 
works,  we  should  all  unite  in  that  practical  point,"  as  they  call 
it,  "  in  which  we  are  agreed,  namely,  that  religion  ought  to  pro- 
duce good  works,  and  not  dispute  about  doctrines  in  which  we  are 
not  agreed."  This  is  one  of  the  delusions  of  the  devil,  by  which 
all  true  religion  is  sought  to  be  subverted  under  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian peace  and  Christian  charity. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  383 

But,  although  all  men  who  call  themselves  Christians  agree  in 
this,  that  good  works  ought  to  be  the  fruit  of  true  religion,  yet,  they 
do  not  agree  with  God's  Word  in  this  principle,  that  there  is  but 
one  means  of  producing  these  good  works.  They  do  not  agree, 
that  these  good  works  can  he  produced  alone  by  good  principles, 
and  that  these  good  principles  can  only  be  such,  as  are  given  to  us 
in  the  Word  of  the  living  God.  Therefore  we  never  can  admit, 
that  we  are  to  assent  to  the  opinion  of  ungodly  men,  that  good 
works  are  to  be  the  result  of  true  religion,  and  yet  abandon  the 
only  principle  on  which  these  works  can  be  produced,  namely,  the 
doctrines  of  truth  as  they  are  revealed  in  the  Gospel. 

Nothing  is  more  absurd  than  for  a  man  to  suppose,  that,  as  long 
as  men  hold  false  principles,  they  can  produce  good  fruits  ;  there- 
fore we  have  to  contend  for  two  things,  we  have  to  contend,  first 
for  principles,  and  then,  we  have  to  contend  for  the  fruits  of  these 
principles. 

Nothing  can  more  clearly  illustrate  this  than  the  passage  from 
which  our  Lecture  commences  this  day.  The  Apostle  shows,  as 
we  have  seen  in  our  preceding  Lecture,  that  those  who  believed  in 
Jesus  were  all  one  body,  united  together,  under  one  head,  Christ 
Jesus,  and  because  tiiey  are  so,  he  presses  upon  them  the  conse- 
quent obligations.  "  This,  I  say,  therefore,  and  testify  in  the 
LordP 

You  see  as  we  proved  that  he  draws  the  inference  with  respect 
to  their  conduct — that  they  should  not  walk  as  other  Gentiles 
walk,  from  the  premises  he  had  laid  down,  namely,  their  position, 
their  union  with  Christ,  and  with  each  other  in  Christ.  "  This  I 
say,  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk 
not  as  other  Gentiles  walkP  Then  he  shows  how  they,  the  Gen- 
tiles walked,  '•'■in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  having  the  under- 
standing darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through 
the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their 
hearts,  who,  being  past  feeling,  have  given  themselves  over  unto 
lascivious ness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.''^  This  is 
his  description  of  the  Gentile  world.  Now  observe  the  contrast 
which  he  presses  on  the  minds  of  his  believing  brethren  at 
Ephesus,  "But"  saith  he,  20  v.,  "ye  have  not  so  learned 
Christ  ;" — he  does  not  say,  ye  have  not  so  learned  the  law,  be- 
cause the  law  could  give  them  no  help  whatever  against  the  sins 
of  the  Gentiles.  The  law  as  the  Apostle  saith  "  was  weak  through 
the  flesh.''''  Rom.  viii.  3.  The  Jews  who  had  learned  the  law 
were  not  strengthened  by  the  law  against  practising  the  sins  of 
the  Gentiles  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  Lord's  complaint  of  them, 
"  they  were  mingled  among  the  heathen,  and  learned  their  worksP 
Psa.  cvi.  35.  So  he  does  not  say,  "Ye  have  not  so  learned  the 
law,"  he  does  not  say,  "  ye  have  not  so  learned  your  duty  to  God," 
because  the  knowledge  of  our  duty  will  never  enable  us  to  per- 
form that  duty ;  but  he  says,  "  Ye  have  not  so  learned 
Christ  ;" — as  much  as  to  say,  that  is  the  only  means  by  which  you 
can  be  kept  from  following  the  conduct  of  the  unconverted  world. 


384  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

And  so  it  is,  we  never  can  have  the  course  of  our  conduct  changed 
unless  our  hearts  are  renewed  again  by  the  Spirit,  "  created  anew 
in  Christ  Jesus ;"  we  never  can  serve  God  tiU  we  are  made  his 
servants,  made  "  children  of  God  hy  faith  in  Christ  Jesus P  Gal. 
iii.  26.  Therefore  he  says,  "  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ," 
because  the  knowledge  of  Christ  is  the  only  means  by  which  you 
can  be  delivered  from  the  ungodly  walk  of  an  ungodly  world. 
We  never  then  can  admit  the  principle,  that  doctrines,  the  only 
principles  of  virtue,  are  not  to  be  contended  for,  and  that  certain 
practical  duties  constitute  true  rehgion.  We  must  contend  for 
jjrinciple^  both  in  others  and  in  ourselves  ;  for  if  we  would  culti- 
vate fruit,  let  us  remember,  it  can  only  be  prodviced  by  making 
the  tree  what  it  ought  to  be ;  if  we  would  produce  any  fruit  unto 
God,  it  only  can  be  by  being  grafted  into  Christ :  so  our  blessed 
Lord  himself  tells  us,  "  As  the  branch  cannot  hear  fruit  of  itself 
except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  me." 
Therefore  he  saith,  "Ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ,  if  so 
be  ye  have  heard  him,  and  have  been  taught  by  him  as 
THE  TRUTH  IS  IN  Jesus."  That  is  to  say — As  surely  as  ye  have 
"learned  Christ,"  As  surely  as  ye  have  been  "taught  by 
HIM  as  the  truth  IS  IN  Jesus,"  SO  surely  a  vast  and  mighty 
change  from  the  principles,  the  life  and  conversation  of  the  Gen- 
tiles is,  and  must  be,  produced  in  you.  He  then  proceeds  to  show 
what  instruction  is  to  be  derived  from  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ; 
namely,  v.  22,  "that   ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former 

CONVERSATION,  THE    OLD  MAN,    WHICH   IS    CORRUPT,   ACCORDING 

TO  THE  DECEITFUL  LUSTS."  Tliis  is  the  description  of  the  natu- 
ral heart  of  every  one  of  us,  w^hich  is  to  be  put  off, — v.  23,  24, 
"And  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind,  and  that 
ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which,  after  god  is  creatrd  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

You  see  here  the  lesson  that  is  derived  from  the  knowledge  of 
Jesus, — "That  YE  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conver- 
sation, THE  old  man,"  that  is,  that  ye  put  off,  concerning  your 
former  habits  in  your  unconverted  state,  which  were  the  same  of 
those  of  all  unconverted  men ; — the  fulfilling  of  your  natural  evil 
propensities  whatever  they  be — "that  ye  put  off,  concern- 
ing YOUR  FORMER  CONVERSATION,    THE     OLD    MAN." 

The  "  OLD  man"  is  called  in  Scripture  by  various  other  names  ; 
— sometimes,  it  is  called  "  The  flesh,''  as  for  instance  in  Galatians 
V.  17,  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit 
against  the  flesh,  and  these  are  contrary,  the  one  to  the  other,  so 
that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  tvould." 

Sometimes  it  is  called  "  the  carnal  mind,"  as  in  Romans  viii.  7, 
"  The  carnal  ttiind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 

Sometimes  it  is  called  "  The  natural  man"  as  in  1st  Cor.  ii.  14, 
15,  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  thitigs  of  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know 
them, ;  because  they  are  spiritiially  discerned."     Here  it  is  called 


lectures  ois"  the  ephesians.  385 

"The  old  man."  "That  ye  put  off,  concerning  the 
FORMER  CONVERSATION  THE  OLD  MAN,"  that  is,  youi"  own  natu- 
ral disposition,  the  natuial  corrupt  inclinations  of  your  own  wicked 
heart.  That  is — If  ye  have  learned  Christ,  If  ye  have  been  taught 
of  Jesus,  this  is  the  lesson  ye  have  learned,  that  ye  put  this  off. 

Now,  there  is  a  sense  in  which  "  the  old  man"  is  completely  and 
forever  put  off  by  the  believer :  and  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the 
"  old  man"  is  to  be  put  off  every  day.  These  are  two  important 
points  for  us  to  attend  to.  There  is,  I  say,  a  sense  in  which  "  the 
old  man"  is  put  off  completely  and  forever  by  the  believer.  This 
subject  I  have  entered  into  very  often  at  length,  I  shall  therefore 
only  now  call  your  attention  to  it  to-day,  by  reminding  you  of 
a  passage  in  Romans  vi.,  on  which  we  dwelt  so  much  at  large,  and 
in  which  the  Apostle  says,  "  We  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism 
into  death  ;  that^  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also,  should  loalk  in  newness  of 
life  ;  for  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his 
death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurredioti,  know- 
ing this,  that  our  old  nian^'  (observe  now)  "  is  crucified  loith  him, 
that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should 
not  serve  sin.  For  he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sinP  Rom.  vi. 
4 — -7.  In  that  sense,  "  the  old  man"  is  crucified  with  Christ,  the 
body  of  sin  is  destroyed,  that  is,  all  the  sins  of  the  believer,  all  the 
guilt  and  corruption  of  his  sinful  nature,  all  the  condemnation  and 
curse  due  to  his  iniquity,  is  put  away  forever  with  respect  to  its 
power  to  condemn  his  soul ;  all  his  iniquity,  past,  present,  and  to 
come,  is  cancelled  forever  on  the  cross  of  Christ :  Christ  "  bare  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.''  1st  Pet.  ii.  24 ;  and  in  that 
sense  he  has  '^finished  transgression,  and  made  an  end  of  sin  /' 
— we  are  reconciled  to  God — "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  iSon 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.''^  1st  John  i.  7 — in  that  sense,  as  the  Apos- 
tle says,  "  the  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,,  the  body  of  sin  is  de- 
stroyed .•"  in  that  sense,  we  are  to  "  reckon  ourselves  dead  indeed 
unto  sin.^^  Rom.  vi.  II.  This  is  a  blessed  refuge  for  the  believer, 
so  that,  though  1  feel  my  sinful,  corrupt  heart — my  vile,  wicked, 
carnal,  earthly  affections — my  rebellious  will,  although  I  feel  these 
things  working  in  me,  and  struggling  in  me  against  God's  will, 
and  lusting  within  to  turn  my  heart  from  God  continually,  to  this 
vile  earth, — though  I  feel  these  things  in  myself, — and  therefore 
feel  myself  to  be  a  poor,  vile,  helpless,  sinful  worm,  unfit  to  lift  up 
my  eyes  to  God,  yet  it  is  my  privilege  by  faith,  to  look  out  of  sin 
and  self  to  Jesus,  and  to  rest  on  Jesus  whose  precious  '■'■blood 
cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;"  and  I  therefore  can  ^'jtourout  m,y  heart 
before  hitn,^^  because  "  God  is  a  refuge  for  Twe."  Psalm  Ixii.  8, 
and  I  therefore  can  bring  all  my  sins,  and  pour  out  at  His  feet, 
those  sins  and  that  wickedness  that  I  could  not  acknowledge  to 
any  fellow-sinner — those  sins  that  1  feel  in  my  own  wicked  heart, 
— I  can  pour  them  all  out  at  the  feet  of  my  blessed  Lord  and 
Saviour,  because  He  is  a  Refuge  for  me,  because  He  is  the  Salva- 
tion of  my  soul ;  therefore  I  may  count  my  body  of  sin  and  death, 

25 


386  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

dead  with  Jesus ; — therefore,  I  may  say  with  the  Apostle,  "  God 
forbid  that  I  shoidd  glory ^  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  we,  and  I  unto  the 
worlds     Gal.  vi.  14. 

Therefore  I  say,  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the  old  man  is  put 
off  forever — made  an  end  of — dead  with  Christ, — he  has  no  power 
whatever,  with  all  his  working  and  struggling,  to  condemn  the 
sinner ;  because  "  there  is  no  condemfiation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,  7vho  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.''^ 
Rom.  viii.  1.  He  may  fight  and  rage,  as  he  does  continually 
within,  and  Satan  may  take  advantage  of  his  dispositions  and 
propensities  as  he  does,  to  tempt  us,  but  still,  it  is  the  privilege  of 
the  believer  to  say,  ''This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith,"  1st  John  v.  4,  and  to  say,  "-The  life  that  I  now 
live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  loho  loved 
me,  and  gave  himself  for  me?''  Gal.  ii.  20.  It  is  his  privilege  thus 
to  look  unto  Jesus,  still  to  believe  and  trust,  and  still  to  hope,  in 
spite  of  sin  and  self,  that  none  shall  pluck  him  out  of  the  hand  of 
his  Lord  and  Saviour :  for  He  saith  of  His  sheep,  "  /  give  unto 
them  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  ?ieither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  which  gave  them  me  is 
greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Fathefs 
hand.     I  and  my  Father  are  oneP  John  x.  28,  29. 

But  now  there  is  another  sense  in  which  the  old  man  is  never 
entirely  put  otF,  and  in  which  he  is  to  be  put  off  every  day — I  say, 
though  he  is  completely  made  an  end  of,  as  to  his  power  to  con- 
demn, he  is  not  made  an  end  of  in  the  corrupt  workings  of  our 
own  sinful  hearts ;  therefore  the  Apostle  shows  them  what  they 
have  learned  from  Christ  if  they  are  "  taught  by  him  as  the 
TRUTH  IS  IN  Jesus;"  "that  ye  put  off,  concerning  the 

FORMER  conversation,  THE  OLD  MAN  WHICH  IS  CORRUPT 
ACCORDING    TO    THE    DECEITFUL    LUSTS,    AND    RE    RENEWED    IN 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  YOUR  MIND."  Now,  obscrvc — you  know  he  had 
told  his  believing  brethren,  as  we  have  seen,  that  they  were 
"  blessed  ivith  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.'''' 
chap.  i.  3.  He  had  told  them,  that  they  had  "  obtained  an  inher- 
itance in  Christ  Jesus,  being  predest'inated,  according  to  the  jrur- 
pose  of  hi/in  who  worketh  all  things,  after  the  counsel  of  his  oicn 
will."  chap.  i.  11.  He  had  told  them,  that  they  "  who  were  some- 
times afar  off,  tvere  made  nigh  by  the  blood'  of  Christ,"  chap.  ii. 
13,  that  they  were  ''no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints  and  of  the  household  of  God,  built  upon 
the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Chi^ist  hitnself 
being  the  chief  corner-stoneP  chap.  ii.  19,  20.  He  had  told  them, 
that  "  they  were  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God,  through 
the  /Spirit  f  v.  21 ;  therefore,  observe  the  state  in  which  they  were 
— ''kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation."  1st 
Pet.  i.  5. 

Yet,  he  exhorts  them,  on  this  very  ground — if  they  had  learned 
Christ,  "If  so  be  they  had  been  taught  by  him,  as  the 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  387 

TRUTH  IS  IN  Jesus  ;"  to  "  put  off,  concerning  the  former 

CONVERSATION,  THE  OLD    MAN,  WHICH  IS  CORRUPT,  ACCORDING 

TO  THE  DECEITFUL  LUSTS."  Therefore,  I  say,  in  every  one  of 
these  men — these  saints  at  Ephesus — this  "  old  man,"  as  it  is 
called,  that  is,  this  natural  corrupt  heart  existed ;  and  they  were 
called  on,  every  day,  to  put  it  off.  And  there  is  not  one  of  you 
who  believes  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  who  does  not  feel  that  it  is  in 
yourselves — -as  it  is  in  every  one  of  you.  It  is  a  subject  of  grief — 
it  is  a  burthen  and  trial  to  you ;  and  you  have  often  learned,  by 
fatal  experience,  the  workings  of  this  corrupt  -'old  man."  He 
says,  you  see,  it  "is  corrupt,  according  to  the  deceitful 
LUSTS."  Now,  that  is  the  statement  of  inspiration,  the  old  man 
"  IS  corrupt."  We  have  all  our  lusts  in  our  hearts,  and  they 
are  all  naturally  ^'■deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked^''  and  we  do  not  know  their  iniquity,  we  are  not  aware  of 
their  deceits  ;  we  are  tempted  and  tried  in  various  ways ;  and  the 
deceitful  lusts  of  our  heart  are  drawn  out  in  ways  that  we  have 
not  anticipated,  and  by  temptations  that  we  never  thought  of. 
One  man  is  tempted  to  one  iniquity,  another  to  another,  and  they 
find  evil  inclinations  arise,  as  temptations  are  presented  to  them — 
inclinations  in  their  own  sinful  hearts,  to  yield  to  these  temptations 
whatever  they  be.  There  are  temptations  to  various  sins,  covet- 
ousness — self-righteousness  —  pride — anger  —  ambition — vanity — 
vain  glory — impurity — intemperance — -and  excess  of  various  kinds ; 
we  are  tempted  to  these  and  countless  other  sins,  in  various  ways, 
and  as  temptations  are  presented,  we  find  the  inclinations  in  our- 
selves to  give  way  to  them  ;  and  according  as  Satan  sees  our  pe- 
culiar points  of  natural  corruption,  and  where  our  hearts  are  most 
easily  tempted  and  deceived,  there  Satan  is  sure  to  ply  us  with 
temptations,  just  exactly  as  a  skilful  sportsman  lays  his  snare,  or 
his  trap  to  catch  his  game ;  or  as  a  fisherman  will  bait  his  hook 
or  tie  his  fly,  in  whatever  way  he  thinks  most  likely  to  allure  the 
fish  it  is  his  object  to  take,  so  will  Satan  bait  his  hook  to  catch  us. 
or  he  will  lay  his  trap,  or  his  snare,  to  deceive  us  in  whatever  way 
he  thinks  he  is  most  likely  to  entice  us,  that  we  may  not  see  him 
and  be  deceived.  So  saith  David  of  him  and  his  emissaries,  "//^ 
lieth  in  loaif  secretly  as  a  lion  in  his  den :  he  lieth  in  wait  to 
catch  the  poor :  he  doth  catch  the  poor,  when  he  draweth  him  into 
his  net.  He  croncheth,  and  hitmbleth  himself,  that  the  poor  may 
fall  by  his  strong  ones.'"'  Psalm  x.  9,  10.  Therefore  our  great 
need  of  the  armor  of  which  we  read  in  the  (3th  chapter  of  this 
Epistle,  and  the  great  blessing,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  that  we  be 
not  ^'■ignorant  of  his  devices.'^  2nd  Cor.  ii.  11, — otherwise  we  are 
entrapped  before  we  are  aware,  and  know  not  until  we  find  our- 
selves caught  in  some  snare  by  Satan.  The  old  man  is  "  cor- 
rupt according  to  the  deceitful  lusts."  If  sin  was  pre- 
sented to  us  by  Satan  in  its  own  natural,  hideous  shape,  we  would 
start  back  from  the  monster.  The  devil  knows  this  well ;  just 
exactly  as  if  the  trap  were  presented  without  any  bait  to  the  bird 
or  the  wild   beast,  they  would  run  away  from  it ;  so,  if  sin  was 


388  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

presented  to  us  in  its  naked  defoimity,  without  some  lure  for  our 
"deceitful  lusts,"  we  would  run  away,  we  would  avoid  it. 
When  tlie  trap  is  covered  or  baited  with  something  that  the 
animal  likes,  then  it  is  caught : — so  it  is  with  us ; — the  sin  is 
hid,  the  end  of  sin — the  evil  of  sin — the  deformity — the  bitterness 
—the  remorse — the  curse  of  sin,  is  hid  from  us,  we  do  not  see — 
we  do  not  suspect,  it  :  something  is  presented  to  allure  and  to  en- 
tice us,  and  so,  the  devil  gains  an  advantage  over  us.  He  told  our 
fallen  mother,  "  Yoti  shall  not  surely  die.'^  He  concealed  death — 
expulsion  from  paradise — the  misery — the  curse — the  ruin  of  her- 
self, her  husband,  and  their  posterity,  from  her  view — and  he  only 
presented  to  her  the  fruit,  '■'•good  for  food,  and  pleasant,  to  the 
eyes,  and  to  he  desired  to  make  one  wiseP  Gen.  iii.  6.  Which  of 
you  who  knows  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  who  has  not  fallen  a  hun- 
dred times,  not,  perhaps  through  mercy,  into  sins  and  iniquitie^^ 
that  would  expose  you  to  man's  judgment  or  the  penalty  of  human 
laws,  but  who  among  you  has  not  fallen  in  your  own  heart,  and 
been  wounded  in  your  own  consciences,  and  heavily  afflicted 
under  the  sense  and  burthen  of  sin?     This  is  "the  old  man, 

WHICH     IS    CORRUPT,    ACCORDING    TO    THE     DECEITFUL    LUSTS," 

that  continually  harasses  us  and  draws  us  aside.  Consider  this, 
and  think  with  what  bitter  triumph  the  enemy  of  our  souls  rejoices 
if  he  can  allure  us  into  snares  and  evils.  And  therefore  you  see 
the  exhortation  of  the  Apostle,  "That  ye  put  off,  concerning 

THE  former  CONVERSATION,  THE  OLD  MAN,  WHICH  IS  COR- 
RUPT, ACCORDING  TO  THE  DECEITFUL  LUSTS,  AND  BE  RENEWED 
IN  THE  SPIRIT  OF  YOUR  MIND,  AND  THAT  YE  PUT  ON  THE  NEW 
MAN,  WHICH  AFTER  GoD  IS  CREATED  IN  RIGHTEOUSNESS  AND 
TRUE    HOLINESS." 

If  these  are  great  and  solenm  duties — let  us  never  forget  how 
they  are  to  be  performed  ; — "  Ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ. 

If  so  BE  YE  have  heard  HIM,  AND  HAVE  BEEN  TAUGHT  BY 

HIM,  AS  THE  TRUTH  IS  IN  Jesus."  Thcie  is  no  use  in  pressing 
duties  on  others  or  on  ourselves,  no  exhortation  will  be  efficacious 
to  help  us  in  the  discharge  of  them,  unless  we  have  the  means 
prepared  by  God,  and  use  those  means  which  the  Lord  prescribes, 
and  with  which  He  supplies  us : — and  you  see  the  mighty  instru- 
ment— "The  TRUTH  AS  IT  IS  IN  Jesus."  What  is  the  power  by 
which  to  overcome  the  malice  of  the  devil?  Only  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  So  the  Apostle  John  says  in  the  Apocalypse,  speaking  of 
the  brethren  whom  Satan  accuseth  day  and  night  before  God, 
"  They  overcame  him  hy  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word 
of  his  testim,07iyy  Rev.  xii.  11.  We  shall  see — if  we  are  permitted 
to  consider  that  beautiful  chapter,  the  6th,  in  which  the  whole  ar- 
mor of  God  is  presented  to  the  Christian  to  take  for  defence  against 
his  foe, — we  shall  see,  that  every  part  of  that  armor  is  only  another 
name  for  Christ.  ^^Having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth." 
What  is  truth?  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — ^'I  am  the  way  and  the 
truth,  and  the  lifeJ^  John  xiv.  6.  "  77^6  breast-plate  of  righteous- 
ness."    What  is  that?     Chri?t— "T/ie  Lord  our  righteousness.'^ 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  389 

Jer.  xxiii.  6.  "  'Your  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  peace."  What  is  that  ?  Christ — ^^He  is  oiir  peace.''  chap, 
ii.  14.  -'Take  the  helmet  of  salvation.''  What  is  our  salvation? 
Christ — ''Behold  God  is  my  salvation.'"  Isa.  xii.  2.  '•'And  the 
sword  of  the  iSpirit,  which  is  the  word,  of  God."  Who  is  the 
Word?  Christ — John  i.  1.  He  is  the  Word,  and  the  power  of 
the  Scripture  is  in  the  revelation  of  Him.  ''Above  all.,  taking'  the 
shield  of  faitli^  wherewith  ye  shall  he  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery 
darts  of  the  ivicked  one  .•"  Faith  in  whom,  but  in  Christ  as  our 
Redeemer  ?  The  only  way  to  conquer  our  sin,  or  our  enemy,  is 
to  take  the  shield  of  faith ;  to  say  thus,  ■'  True,  I  am  guilty,  I  am 
such  a  vile  sinner,  my  spirit  trembles  under  the  power  of  this  sin, 
or  this  lust  or  corruption,  but  I  fly  to  my  Lord  and  Saviour,  I  rest 
beneath  the  cross  of  my  Lord  and  Master,  I  come  to  my  Redeemer 
and  lean  on  Him,  I  will  'come  uj)  from,  the  wilderness  leaning  on 
my  beloved.'  Satan  tempts  me  into  evil,  and  then  charges  me 
with  it,  he  draws  me  into  sin,  and  then  makes  sin  an  accusation 
against  my  conscience,  to  turn  me  away  from  Christ ;  but  I  will 
meet  Satan  with  Christ — I  will  take  Christ  by  faith,  and  meet  the 
foe — I  will  resist  the  devil  in  the  strength  of  my  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter." And  so,  when  the  Apostle  here  exhorts  to  put  off  the  old 
man,  and  speaks  of  the  guilt  of  the  Gentiles,  who  were  walking 
in  darkness,  he  says,  "Ye  have  not  so  learned- Christ  :"^ 
as  much  as  to  say.  This  is  the  power  whereby  alone  you  can  be 
able  to  conquer  your  sins  or  yourselves,  and  to  fly  from  the  sins 
of  those  who  know  not  His  salvation. 

And  thus,  dear  friends,  you  see  that  the  Lord,  by  the  riches  of 
His  mercy,  overrules  the  various  evils  and  corruptions  of  His  peo- 
ple, to  teach  them  more  of  His  own  love,  otherwise  we  never  could 
comprehend  the  grace  or  the  love  of  Christ.  It  is  in  dangerous 
diseases  we  learn  the  skill  of  the  physician,  and  it  is  in  the  trials 
and  temptations  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  that  we 
learn  the  character  and  glory  of  our  Heavenly  Physician.  The 
Lord  overrules  even  the  workings  of  sin  in  us  to  make  Himself  more 
precious  to  our  souls,  and  to  teach  us  deeper  experimental  lessons 
of  His  power,  faithfulness,  truth  and  love,  and  so  to  draw  forth  from 
us  more  and  more  of  love  to  our  Lord  and  Master. 

Therefore,  what  need  we  have  to  watch  and  pray  that  we  may 
learn  more  and  more  of  Christ,  that  Satan  may  have  no  advan- 
tage over  us  !  If,  in  our  temptations  we  come  to  Christ,  bring  all 
our  inward  trials,  conflicts  and  sins  by  faith  to  Christ,  Satan  shall 
have  no  power  against  us.    Let  us  therefore  bring  "  the  old  man, 

WHICH   is  corrupt,  ACCORDING  TO  THE    DECEITFUL    LUSTS,"  tO 

Christ.  Let  us  cast  him  down,  as  it  were,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
and  say  to  him  thus, 

"  Ah,  thou  art  crucified  ! — Thou  wicked  heart — thou  vile  na- 
ture,— thou  corrupt,  rebellious  will — ye  grovelling  affections, 
earthly,  sensual,  devilish — although  I  feel  you  all  within,  a  body 
of  sin  and  death — yet  Christ  hath  made  an  end  of  you — you  shall 
never  condemn  me — you  were  all  hung  on  the  cross  with  Christ. 


390  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

there  you  are  crucified,  dead  with  Him,  who  died  to  bear  the  curse 
you  have  brought  on  my  soul.  True,  I  feel  your  power  within, 
but  that  power  cannot  extend  to  condemn  my  soul,  I  fly  to  my 
Lord  and  Saviour.  '•He  that  helieveth  on  him  is  not  condenitied.'' 
John  iii.  18, — as  I  receive  from  his  salvation  pardon  for  your  guilt, 
so  shall  I  gain  strength  to  stand  against  your  power :  '  Nay^  in 
all  these  tltings  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that 
loved  us.''  Rom.  viii.  37." 

Thus,  though  we  are  tried  and  afflicted  with  sins  and  corrup- 
tions, if  we  bring  them  to  Christ,  and  cast  them  on  Christ,  we  feel 
their  power  conquered  in  the  strength  of  Jesus — so  saith  the  Apos- 
tle, chap.  vi.  10,  '■'■Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might^^- — thus  we  learn  more  to  feel  what  a  privilege  it  is  for  a 
sinner,  to  be  able  to  know  that  he  has  such  a  precious  Saviour  as 
this,  one  who  is  "  able  to  save  them,  to  the  uttertnost  that  come  unto 
God  hy  himP  Heb.  vii.  25,  and  of  whom  he  can  say  with  the 
Apostle,  '■'■I  can  do  all  things  thi'ough  Christ  ivhich  strengthen- 
eth  me:'  Phil.  iv.  13. 

But  he  not  only  says,  "That   ye   put  off  the  old   man, 

WHICH    IS  CORRUPT,  ACCORDING  TO  THE   DECEITFUL  LUSTS,"  but 

he  adds,  "And  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind." 
Now,  they  had  been  renewed,  they  had  been  born  again,  for  "  Who- 
soever helieveth  that  Jesus  is  the  Ch?'ist,  is  born  of  GodJ'  1st 
John  V.  1.  And  so  the  Apostle  says  to  these  Ephesians,  "  We  are 
his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  u7}to  good  works.''' 
chap.  ii.  10,  and  though  they  were  so,  yet  he  says,  "Be  renewed 
in  the  Spirit  of  your  mind  ;"  as  the  Apostle  says  in  another 
place,  ^^  Though  our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is 
renewed  day  by  day.''''  2nd  Cor.  iv.  16.  We  need  refreshing  grace 
and  strength  every  day.  As  we  require  continually,  daily  nutri- 
ment, and  nightly  repose  for  our  bodies,  so  do  we  need  daily  spir- 
itual food,  "  The  Bread  of  life  ;" — daily  drink,  "  The  Fountain  of 
living  waters ;" — daily  air.  the  breath  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God — 
daily  repose,  rest  in  Jesus  : — we  want  these  all  for  our  souls  every 
day,  and  we  cannot  do  without  them ;  and  none  but  those  who 
are  renewed  in  spirit,  know  their  need  of  daily  renewal.  So  Da- 
vid, "ii/e  restoreth  my  soul:'  Ps.  xxiii.  3. 

This  truth  is  fully  and  beautifully  set  forth  in  our  Collect  for 
the  Sunday  after  Christmas  Day  :— 

"  Almighty  God,  who  hast  given  us  thy  only-begotten  Son  to  take  our  nature  upon 
him,  and  as  at  this  time  to  be  born  of  a  pure  Virgin, — Grant  that  we  being  regenerate, 
and  made  thy  children  by  adoption  and  grace,  may  daily  be  renewed  by  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  through  the  same  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  liveth  and  reigneth  with  thee  and 
the  self  same  Spirit,  ever  one  God,  world  without  end.     Amen.'' 

Satan  tries  by  all  means  to  hinder  us  from  these  blessings  ;  and 
just  as  an  enemy  who  thought  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  starve  us, 
would  use  his  best  efforts  to  do  so,  thus  our  foe  tries  to  hinder  us 
from  feeding  on  the  ^-Bread  that  cometh  down  from  heaven,  and 
giveth  life  unto  the  world."  John  vi.  33.  He  tries  to  draw  us 
aside  from  "  The  Fount ain  of  living  waters,  to  hew  out  to  our- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  391 

selves  cisterns,  broken  cisterns  that  can  hold  no  waters  Jer.  ii.  13. 
He  tries  to  hinder  us  from  "  entering  into  his  rest.''''  Heb.  iv.  1. 
Therefore  the  constant  need  of  the  exhortation,  "Be  renewed 
IN  THE  SPIRIT  OF  YOUR  MINDS,"  look  for,  aim  at  continually, 
watch  and  pray  for  the  constant  renewal  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
His  power  and  intiuences  on  your  heart  and  spirit. 

What  a  comfort  the  believer  has,  when  he  remembers,  that  this 
is  not  a  thing  to  be  attained  by  his  own  struggling ; — the  Lord  is 
engaged  in  it  for  him  ;  the  Lord — his  covenant  God,  has  under- 
taken it  for  him,  and  will  carry  him  through  all  his  trials,  conflicts, 
and  difficulties,  till  he  brings  him  at  last  to  the  haven  where  he 
would  be.  But  the  Apostle  explains  the  effects  of  this  renewal ; 
he  shows  what  he  means  by  it,  "  And  that  ye  put  on  the 

NEW  MAN,  WHICH   AFTER  GoD    IS  CREATED  IN    RIGHTEOUSNESS 

AND  TRUE  HOLINESS."  The  kiiowlcdgc  of  Jesus  teaches  two 
lessons.  To  put  off  the  old  man — and  to  put  on  the  new  man. 
A  true  change  of  mind  must  necessarily  superinduce  a  change  of 
habits.  The  sins  of  the  natural  disposition — the  old  Adam — the 
fruits  of  the  flesh,  are  to  be  put  off.  The  holy  will  of  the  Lord — 
the  new  man — Christ,  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  are  to  be  put 
on.  So  the  Apostle  says,  in  Romans  xiii.  14,  ^'-  put  ye  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  provision  for  the  Jiesh,  to  fulfil  the 
lusts  thereof.''''  So  here,  "Put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

Now  the  Apostle  says,  "  put  on  the  new  man,"  although  they 
had  put  him  on,  because  the  same  Apostle  teaches  us.  Gal.  iii.  27, 
'■^As  Tnany  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on 
Christ ;"  and  yet  he  says  here,  "  Put  on  the  new  man."  For  just 
as  the  old  man,  in  the  sense  I  have  mentioned  to  you,  was  forever 
crucified  and  made  an  end  of,  yet  they  were  called  upon  to  "  Put 
OFF  THE  OLD  MAN  ;"  SO  they  had  been  united  by  faith  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  had  put  on  Christ ;  yet  they  are  called  on  here  to 
"  Put  on  the  new  man."  For  as  there  is  a  sense  in  which  sin  is 
made  an  end  of, — in  which  the  believer  is  severed  forever  from  the 
"  old  man,"  yet  is  called  daily  toAvatch  and  fight  against  him.  So 
there  is  a  sense  in  which  he  is  made  one  with  Christ  forever,  yet 
is  daily  called  to  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  the  "  new  man  :"  "  Put 

ON  THE  new  man,  WHICH  AFTER  GoD  IS  CREATED  IN  RIGHT- 
EOUSNESS AND  TRUE  HOLINESS." — He  says,  "Put  on  the  new 
man," — that  means,  put  him  on  as  a  robe.  This  is  an  image  fre- 
quently used  in  Scripture,  to  indicate  the  completeness  with  which 
the  gift  or  attribute  belongs  to  a  person.  It  is  used  in  reference  to 
God  Himself.  "  The  Lord  reigneth,  he  is  clothed  with  majesty. 
The  Lord  is  clothed  with  strength,  where^oith  he  hath  girded 
himself P  Psa.  cxiii.  1.  So  the  Prophet  saith,  "iSe  hath  clothed 
'me  w'lth  the  garm^ents  of  salvation ;  he  hath  covered  me  with  a 
robe  of  righteousness  as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  his 
ornaments,  and  as  a  br'ide  adorneth  herself  urith  her  jetoels."  Isa. 
Ixi.  10.  So  the  Apostle  applies  it  in  several  places  to  putting  on 
Christ — Which  is  used  for  putting  on  His  righteousness,  as  by  the 


392  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Apostle  for  himself,  Phil.  iii.  9,  by  our  Lord  to  the  Church  at  Lao- 
dicea  Rev.  iii.  18.  But  it  seems  here,  as  well  as  in  Rom.  xiii.  14, 
quoted  above,  to  mean  that  you  are  to  put  Him  on,  in  your  prac- 
tical walk  and  conversation ;  we  might  say  as  the  whole  habit  of 
your  life.  We  are  called  on  therefore,  to  "  abhor  that  lohicli  is 
evil,  and  cleave  to  that  which  is  goodP  Rom.  xii.  9  ;  we  are  called 
on,  therefore,  to  mortify  our  corrupt  members  and  affections,  to 
"  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lustsP  Tit.  ii.  12  ;  not  to  "  yield 
our  members  as  instrtmients  of  unrighteousness  unto  sinP  Rom. 
vi.  13.  This  implies  a  continual  solicitation  on  the  part  of  sin,  as 
there  is  both  from  temptation  without  and  corruption  within, — we 
are  solicited  to  do  what  is  wrong  by  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil.  There  is  a  crowd  without  us,  saying,  "  Come  with  us,  enjoy 
yourselves  with  us,"  and  there  is  a  crowd  of  sins  within  ready  to 
lend  an  ear,  and  to  go.  But  we  must  deny — we  must  resist — ^we 
must  remember  him  who  saith,  "Tliy  son,  if  sinners  entice  thee, 
consent  thou  notP  Prov.  i.   10.     We  must  "  Put  off  the  old 

MAN,  WHICH  IS  CORRUPT  ACCORDING  TO  THE  DECEITFUL  LUSTS, 
AND  PUT  ON  THE  NEW  MAN,  WHICH   AFTER  GoD  IS  CREATED  IN 

RIGHTEOUSNESS  AND  TRUE  HOLINESS."  We  must  Walk  ill  prac- 
tical godliness  ;  "  yield  not  your  members,^''  saith  the  Apostle,  "  as 
instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin,  but  yield  yourselves 
unto  God,  as  those  who  are  alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  mem- 
bers as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto  GodP  Rom.  vi.  13. 
So  the  believer  should  say,  "  Let  me  yield  my  tongue  to  God,  let 
me  no  more  speak  in  the  ways  of  sin,  let  me  not  give  my  tongue 
to  wickedness.  Let  me  yield  my  hands,  my  feet,  to  God, — let  me 
yield  my  eyes  to  God, — let  me  pray,  "  Turyi  aivay  mine  eyes 
from,  beholding  vanity,  and  quicken  thou,  me  in  thy  wayP  Psa. 
cxix.  37  ; — let  me  yield  all  my  members  to  God,  for  ^'■I  am  not  my 
own,  I  am,  bought  with  a  jjriceP  Let  me  therefore  ^^  glorify  God 
in  m,y  body,  and  in  my  spirit,  which  are  God's ;"  1  Cor.  vi.  20 ; 
let  me  "Put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
IN  righteousness  and  true  holiness;"  or  "  holiness  of  the 
truth,"  as  in  the  Greek.     This  seems  to  refer  to  v.  21,  "If  ye 

HAVE  BEEN  TAUGHT  AS  THE  TRUTH  IS  IN  JeSUS — PuT  ON  THE 
NEW  MAN,  WHICH  AFTER  GoD  IS  CREATED  IN  RIGHTEOUSNESS 
AND    HOLINESS    OF    THE     TRUTH."       The  "  TrUTH    AS    IT    IS    IN 

Jesus"  brings  forth  the  righteousness  and  holiness  that  are  de- 
rived from  it  and  belong  to  it — true  practical  godliness  of  life, — 
true  separation  from  the  world  of  sin,  and  true  devotedness  to 
God. 

The  difference  between  holiness  and  righteousness  appears  to 
be  this.  Righteousness  is  the  practical  fulfilment  of  the  law  of 
God.  Holiness  is  a  state  of  separation  unto  God,  a  state  of  devot- 
edness to  God.  As  the  vessels  of  the  temple  were  said  to  be  holy, 
because  they  were  devoted,  consecrated  to  God, — so  believers  are 
said  to  be  holy,  because  they  are  sanctified  in  Christ,  as  I  ex- 
plained to  you  fully  when  on  the  term  saint — sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  set  apart  unto  God  ;  and  therefore,  as  we  are  set  apart 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  393 

to  God  if  we  be  his  people,  let  us  walk  in  the  ways  of  God,  "  in 
RIGHTEOUSNESS  AND  TRUE  HOLINESS."  Righteoiisiiess  of  life  if! 
the  effect  of  holiness  unto  God. 

The  Apostle  proceeds  afterwards  to  explain  the  practical  details  of 
the  righteousness  and  true  holiness  in  which  believers  are  to  walk. 

And  now,  dear  friends,  what  need  we  have  of  continual  exhor- 
tation on  this  subject !  what  need  to  have  the  blessed  Word  of 
God  lying  continually  open  before  us,  showing  us,  not  only  our 
sin,  but  the  glorious  remedy  for  sin !  Oh,  what  a  blessing  that 
the  Word  of  God  does  not  come,  like  a  rough,  unskilful,  unfeeling 
surgeon,  to  probe  and  to  tear  open  the  wounds  of  a  guilty  con- 
science, and  to  leave  them  then  to  bleed  and  fester  unto  death  ; 
but  that,  while  with  skilful  hand  it  comes  to  probe  the  wound,  it 
comes,  too,  like  the  good  Samaritan,  to  pour  in  balm,  and  oil,  and 
wine,  to  heal  it !  We  can  have  no  earthly  sin,  trouble,  sorrow, 
which,  if  we  come  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ  is  not  a  sufficient  balm  to  cure.  liet  us  think  of  this  ;  how 
precious  is  the  balm  of  Immanuel's  blood  !  Oh,  may  it  be  applied 
to  our  consciences  !  Let  us  pray  that  it  may  be  applied  to  our 
hearts,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  know  the  blessing  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus !  that  our  hearts  may  "  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  have  no  confidence  i)i  the  fiesh.^^  Phil.  iii.  3, — and  that  thus 
we  may  feel  ourselves  "  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  poiver  of 
His  might,^''  chap.  vi.  10, — and  be  made  "  Tuore  than  conquerors 
through  Him  uiho  loved  us"  Rom.  viii.  37. 

May  the  Lord  apply  this  to  your  heart  and  mine  and  sanctify 
it  to  us  according  to  our  several  necessities  !  He  knows  our 
wants,  and  He  is  able  to  make  His  word  efficacious  to  bless,  to 
heal,  and  strengthen  us — to  enable  us  to  live  to  Hira  who  hath 
lived,  and  died,  and  risen  again  for  us.  To  whom  be  glory  and 
dominion  forever  and  ever.     Amen. 


THIRTY-FOURTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV.— 25,  26,  27,  28. 


"Wherefore,  putting  away  lying,  speak  every  man  truth  with  his  neighbor :  for  we 
are  members  one  of  another.  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not :  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon 
your  wrath  :  Neither  give  place  to  the  devil.  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more :  but 
rather  let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good,  that  he  may  have 
to  give  to  him  that  needeth." 

In  our  last  Lecture,  you  recollect  the  double  exhortation  given 
by  the  Apostle  to  his  Ephesian  brethren,  from  the  22nd  to  the 


394  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

24th  veise.  The  first — "  That  ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former 
conversation,  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  de- 
ceitful lusts ;"  and  the  second — "  That  ye  put  on  the  nexo  man., 
ichich  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness" 

The  Apostle  now  proceeds  in  the  passage  where  we  commence 
to-day,  25th  verse,  to  explain  his  meaning-,  and  he  shows  what 
they  are  to  understand  both  by  putting  "  off  the  old  maii,^'  and  by 
putting  "  071  the  new  man."  Therefore,  let  us  look  through  these 
verses  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  and  see  the  character  of  the  "  old 
man"  which  the  believer  is  called  upon  to  put  off, — Lying, — Ven- 
geance,— Giving  place  to  the  Devil, — Stealing, — Uttering  corrupt 
communication, — Grieving  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, — Bitterness, — 
Wrath, —  Anger, —  Clamor, —  Evil-speaking, —  Malice, —  these  are 
the  characteristics  of  the  " old  m,an"  which  the  Apostle  exhorts 
his  brethren  to  put  off. 

Then  again,  let  us  observe  the  characteristics  of  the  "  new  man^ 
of  which  he  speaks,  and  we  find,  instead  of  Lying — truth.  In- 
stead of  Vengeance — Cessation  from  Wrath.  Instead  of  giving 
place  to  the  Devil — Not  giving  him  any.  In  opposition  to  corrupt 
Communication,  "  That  xohich  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  to 
m,inister  grace  unto  the  hearers."  In  opposition  to  Grieving  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  not  to  grieve  or  wound  Him.  In  opposition  to 
Bitterness,  Wrath,  Anger,  Clamor,  Evil-speaking,  and  Malice,^ — - 
Kindness,  Tender-heartedness,  forgiveness  of  each  other  for  their 
various  wrongs  ; — "  Even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven 
you."  V.  32. 

Let  me  first  call  your  attention  to  the  principle  which  the 
Apostle  ever  maintains  as  the  groundwork  of  these  exhortations. 
You  find  this  in  the  last  verse.  "  Even  as  God,  for  Chrisfs 
sake,  hath  forgiven  you,"  so  do  ye.  Always  remember,  that  ex- 
hortations to  the  performance  of  moral  duties  are  only  addressed 
in  the  Apostolical  Epistles,  and  can  only  be  scripturally  addressed 
to  believers,  as  such.  The  Moral  Law  is  indeed  of  equal  obligation 
upon  all.  No  vmbelief — no  rejection  of  God's  Holy  Word,  can  in 
the  least  exonerate  from  that  obligation.  The  belief  of  the  Gospel, 
while  it  can  scarcely,  in  one  sense,  be  said  to  add  to  an  obligation 
which  is,  and  must  be,  full  and  perfect  on  all  mankind,  yet  in 
another  sense,  may  be  said  to  increase  it,  by  adding  the  further 
obligation  of  love  to  Christ  for  His  redemption.  "  If  ye  love  m>e 
keep  my  commandments"  John  xiv.  15, — and  thus  supplying  the 
motive  to  obey. 

But  the  Law  to  the  unbeliever  must  ever  come,  not  only  with 
its  obligation,  but  its  curse.  So  it  came  to  the  Young  Man,  who 
was  so  blind  and  ignorant  as  to  tell  our  Lord  he  had  observed  it 
from  his  youth,  Mark  x.  17 — 22.  So  to  the  Lawyer,  who  stood 
up  to  tempt  our  Lord,  Luke  x.  25 — 37.  So  must  the  Law  ever 
be  to  man  in  his  unregenerate  state — and  therefore  it  but  blinds 
and  deceives  men,  to  exhort  them  to  perform  their  duty  as  if  they 
were  servants  of  God,  until  they  are  first  made  servants  of 
God  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     We  must  call  on  mea 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  395 

first  to  '•  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel,^^  to  flee  to  Him  who  "  hath 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  laip."  Gal.  iii.  13.  How  absurd 
to  exhort  a  man  under  sentence  of  death  for  his  crimes,  to  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  a  good  citizen  !  His  first  object  must  be  to 
obtain  pardon  of  his  Sovereign — then  we  must  press  on  him 
tlie  duties  of  a  citizen,  when  he  is  restored  to  tlie  liberty  and  priv- 
ileges of  that  state.  So,  it  but  tends  to  deceive  and  blind  a  man 
in  his  unregenerate  state,  to  tell  him  that  he  can  serve  or  please 
God.  "  They  that  are  in  the  flesJi  cannot  please  G^orf,""  Rom.  viii.  8 
— that  is  the  testimony  of  Scripture.  Therefore  ihe  first  point 
for  our  conscience  is,  to  have  it  settled  within,  that  we  are  believ- 
ing in  Jesus,  and  that  faith  in  His  salvation  and  love  to  Him  is 
the  motive  which  we  acknowledge  of  obedience  to  God ;  not  to 
purchase  salvation  from  Him,  but  because  of  the  salvation  which 
is  freely  given  to  us  through  Christ  Jesus,  who  has  died  to  pur- 
chase it.  Let  us  never  forget  this,  my  dear  friends,  for  a  moment : 
we  cannot  take  one  step  in  the  Christian  life,  as  I  have  often  en- 
deavored to  impress  on  you,  till  our  minds  are  enlightened  and 
settled  in  that  truth.  No  efforts  to  serve  God  on  false  principles 
are,  or  can  be,  but  displeasing  to  Him.  We  must  have  the  prin- 
ciples that  God  inculcates  before  we  can  pursue  the  conduct  that 
God  commands.  Therefore,  know  your  motives, — watch  your 
motives,  and  cany  those  that  aie  true,  through  all  yovu"  conduct — 
your  motives  are  the  best  test  of  your  state  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  characteristics  of  the  "  old  maif  which 
are  to  be  put  off,  and  the  principles  of  the  '•'•new  man^^  which  are 
to  be  put  on  by  the  believer. 

"  Wherefore,  putting  awav  lying,  speak  every  man 
TRUTH  WITH  HIS  NEIGHBOR."  Lying  is  the  first  characteristic 
of  the  "o/fZ  ma/i"  mentioned  here,  and  certainly  it  is  one  of  the 
most  indigenous  and  precocious  vices,  if  I  may  use  the  expression, 
of  the  human  heart.  As  certainly  as  the  earth  brings  forth  thorns 
and  thistles,  so  certainly  does  the  natural  heart  of  man  bring  forth 
its  innate  corruptions,  and  lying  is  among  the  earliest  seeds  of  sin 
that  burst  in  the  spring  of  life  from  the  infant  mind.  '•'•The  -wicked 
are  estranged"  saith  the  Psalmist,  '•'•from  the  womb  ;  they  go 
astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born,  speaking  lies."  Psa.  Iviii.  3.  I 
dare  say,  that  all  here  who  are  parents  will  agree  with  me,  that 
this  is  one  of  the  first  vices  we  discover  in  the  heart  and  conduct 
of  our  children.  Lying  is  the  necessary  consequence  of  sin,  it  is 
the  refuge  of  an  accusing  conscience  from  the  fear  of  accounta- 
bility to  judgment.  The  child  is  conscious  it  does  what  is  wrong, 
what  it  iias  been  forbidden  to  do ;  it  knows  it  is  accountable  to  its 
parent,  and  it  hopes  to  escape  the  penalty  of  its  fault  by  conceal- 
ment, therefore  it  tells  a  lie.  The  first  thing  Adam  did,  you  know, 
Avas  not  indeed  to  tell  a  lie,  but  to  act  a  lie.  Instead  of  going, 
when  he  heard  the  voice  of  his  God  in  the  garden,  instead  of  going 
to  confess  his  sin,  "  Lord,  I  have  sinned  against  Thee,"  he  tried  to 
conceal  himself,  "/  was  afraid  because  I  tvas  naked,  and  I  hid 
myself.'''  Gen.  iii.  10.     That  was  a  lie, — it  was  not  because  he  was 


396  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

naked,  but  because  he  knew  he  had  violated  the  commandment 
of  his  God,  and  he  was  afraid  to  meet  his  Judge. 

But  it  is  not  only  in  conceahng  fauUs  and  sins  that  lying  is 
evinced  in  our  heart  and  conduct,  bvit  also  in  justifying  ourselves, 
in  palliating,  and  excusing  the  evils  of  which  we  are  conscious,  or 
even  those  of  which  we  are  convicted.  We  see  this  also  in  Adam, 
instead  of  acknowledging  his  sin  when  he  was  convicted  of  it, 
"  Hast  thou  eaten  of  the  tree  whereof  I  commanded  thee^  that  thou 
shouldest  not  eat?''''  Instead  of  at  once  acknowledging  his  sin,  he 
justifies  himself,  and  throws  the  blame  on  his  wife,  and  through 
her  on  God.  "This  woman  whom,  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she 
gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  1  did  eat^  Gen.  iii.  12.  As  much  as  to 
say,  "  I  am  not  in  fault, — 1  am  not  the  person  on  whom  the  blame 
is  to  rest, — the  woman  gave  me  of  it,  and  the  fault  rests  immedi- 
ately on  her,  and  ultimately  on  you ;  for  you  gave  me  such  a  wo- 
man. "  The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to  he  with  me,  site  gave 
me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat  J''  It  is  thus  with  all  his  fallen  pos- 
terity. In  the  concealment  of  our  sins,  in  our  self-justification,  in 
the  palliation  of  our  offences,  the  principle  of  lying  is  pre-eminently 
exhibited  in  the  natural  heart  and  character  of  man.  It  is  not 
only  discoverable  in  our  children,  as  we  have  seen,  but  in  our  ser- 
vants, in  all  those  who  are  placed  in  a  state  of  accountability  to  per- 
sons whom  they  fear.  It  would  be  exactly  the  same  in  ourselves  if 
we  were  placed  in  similar  circumstances.  If  we  were  accountable  to 
others,  the  very  same,  principle  would  be  manifested  by  us,  in  our 
natural  character,  although  there  is,  no  doubt,  a  diversity  in  this ; 
as  falsehood,  however  general,  is  not  equally  conspicuous  in  all. 
But  Oh  !  what  a  common  sin  is  lying  throughout  the  whole  world. 
Simulation,  that  is  the  pretence  or  affectation  of  Avhat  does  not  exist, 
is  lying — Dissimulation,  that  is  the  concealment  of  what  does  ex- 
ist, is  lying.  Every  sort  of  artifice  that  is  opposed  to  truth, 
whether  in  word  or  deed,  may  be  justly  termed  lying.  If  this  be 
so,  how  it  shows  that  the  intercourses  of  social  life  are  carried  on 
too  generally  in  the  world  by  a  system  of  hypocrisy,  falsehood, 
and  deceit.  The  appearance  of  pleasure,  where  pleasure  is  a 
stranger  to  the  heart — The  affectation  of  enjoyment  in  the  society 
of  others,  whose  company  or  presence  is  not  only  joyless,  but  irk- 
some— The  ordinary  intercourse  that  is  carried  on,  as  it  were,  in 
masquerade,  in  the  world,  among  those  who  know  not  God,  is  dis- 
covered by  these,  the  private  detraction — the  secret  whisper — the 
slanderous  report — the  satirical  inuendo — the  unkind  expression — 
the  dark  allusion — the  malevolent  hint, — as  to  persons  whom  we 
have  met  with  a  face  of  blandness  and  civility,  perhaps  with  ex- 
pressions of  regard  and  friendship — all  these  things  evince,  with 
what  a  system  of  lying  and  deception  the  social  intercourse  of  the 
world  is  carried  on.  This  corresponds  with  the  divine  testimony, 
"Full  of  envy,  inurder,  debate,  deceit,  malignity,  whisperers, 
backbiters,  haters  of  God,  despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventors 
of  evil  things.''^  Rom.  i.  29,  30.  So  "  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  397 

another. ^^  Tit.  iii.  3.  Now  consider  this— think  of  it.  Is  it  not  so? 
There  is  not  one  sin  of  the  heart  of  man  which  is  more  inter- 
woven with  its  natural  deceit,  than  that  of  lying.  When  we  con- 
sider the  evil  that  defiles  us  in  this,  we  may  well  say,  "  Who  can 
tell  hoio  oft  he  offendethl  Oh,  cleanse  thou  me  from  my  secret 
faults^  Psa.  xix.  12. 

Not  to  speak  of  the  deliberate  and  intentional  falsehoods  which 
many  persons  tell  without  remorse,  are  there  not  innumerable 
'■^  white  lies^''  "/•  -rmXess  liesP  Do  we  not  hear  these  things  con- 
tinually ?  Do  >u  not  hear  continually  falsehoods  glossed  over 
with  such  names? — as  the  Church  of  Rome  calls  them,  "officious 
lies,  which  hurt  nobody." 

But  "  Putting  away  lying,"  is  the  command  of  Scripture,— 
that  is  the  "  old  man,^^  the  corrupt  nature.  Let  us  remember  this, 
my  brethren,  the  least  lie  that  you  or  I  have  ever  told,  and  Oh  ! 
how  many  have  we  told  ! — the  least  lie  that  we  ever  told,  would 
cast  us  into  everlasting  death  if  there  were  not  another  sin  to  be 
charged  against  us — and  if  God  were  to  enter  into  judgment  with 
us,  unless  Jesus  had  hung  on  the  cross  to  save  us  from  eternal  ruin. 

When  then  a  person  is  brought  to  believe  the  Gospel  of  Jesus, 
his  principles,  as  well  as  his  conduct,  are  to  be  totally  renewed  and 
changed  ;  not  only  wilful  falsehoods,  but  also,  the  deceit — duplicity 
— hypocrisy — insincerity — hollow  profession — the  lying  mockery 
of  masquerade,  in  which  the  world  walks,  is  to  be  put  off  from  the 
servants  of  God.  There  is  no  sin  which  is  more  particularly  specified 
through  the  Scripture  as  casting  the  soul  into  perdition,  than  lying. 
'■^But  the  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable,  and  mur- 
derers, and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all 
liars,  shall  have  their  par^t  in  the  lake  that  bnrneth  with  fire  and 
brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death J^  And  again,  '■^And  there 
shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it,  anything  that  defileth,  neither  what- 
soever worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie  ;  but  they  which  are 
written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  lifeP  Rev.  xxi.  8,  27. 

Let  us  then  consider  this,  and  see,  not  only  that  we  cultivate, 
(if  we  be  servants  of  God.)  the  spirit  of  truth,  and  avoid  any  de- 
parture from  strict  veracity,  but  that  we  also,  in  our  life  and  con- 
versation, evince  that  '•^simplicity  and  godly  sincerity, ^^ — that 
singleness  of  eye  to  truth  in  our  life  and  conversation,  which  be- 
cometh  those,  and  which  we  are  expressly  told  must  be  the  char- 
acter of  those,  who  are  really  the  servants  of  God.  Remember, 
that  no  determination  to  adhere,  and  no  adherence  to  truth,  can 
purchase  for  you  eternal  life.  But  remember,  if  you  be  servants 
of  God,  disciples  of  Him  whose  name  is  "  Faithful  and  true," 
Rev.  xix.  11, — lying  is  to  be  put  away  from  you,  as  a  proof,  one 
of  the  many  proofs,  that  you  are  indeed  the  servants  of  God,  as 
you  profess  to  be. 

"Wherefore,  putting  away  lying,  speak  every  man 
TRUTH  WITH  HIS  NEIGHBOR."  I  remember  reading  a  story, 
when  I  was  a  child,  with  which,  perhaps,  some  who  hear  me  may 
be  acquainted,  but  which  struck  me  very  forcibly  even  then  as 


398  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

illustrating  the  deceit  and  wickedness  of  the  human  heart.     It  is 
a  tale. 

The  tale  was  called  ''  The  Palace  op  truth."  The  writer 
describes  a  place  into  which  every  person  who  enters  is  bound  by 
a  certain  spell,  so  that  they  speak  actually  the  thoughts  of  their 
hearts,  whatever  they  be,  while,  at  the  same  time,  they  are  not  at 
all  conscious  of  the  power  that  influences  them,  or  of  the  words 
they  utter,  but  imagine  they  are  saying  what  they  would  intend 
to  say  in  the  ordinary  language  of  the  duplicity  or  compliment  of 
the  world.  Therefore,  when  friends  meet  friends,  and  relatives 
meet  relatives,  while  they  are  carrying  on  the  farce  which  in  too 
many  instances  they  do  carry  on  in  social  life,  expressing,  as  they 
imagine,  regret  or  kindness,  compliments  or  pleasure,  they  are 
really  giving  vent  to  the  genuine  feelings  of  their  heart.  When 
they  are  brought  into  the  test  of  the  palace  of  truth,  the  mask  is 
there  torn  off,  and  all  the  vain  fantastic  mockery  of  kindness,  of 
regard,  or  of  affection,  they  had  once  professed,  is  now  exchanged 
for  the  genuine  expression  of  envy,  malice,  hatred,  or  disgust,  and 
all  the  other  passions  which  really  possessed  their  breasts.  Then 
they  are  manifested  in  their  true  character  to  each  other,  and  con- 
sequently all  these  evil  passions  produce  their  natural  result,  in 
severing  almost  all  the  ties  of  social  and  domestic  life.  What  a 
blessing  is  the  truth  expressed  in  the  language  of  the  Poet : — 

"  Heaven's  Sovereign  saves  all  beings  but  Himself 
That  hideous  sight, — a  naked  human  heart." 

The  believer  has  learned  to  feel  in  some  degree  the  burthen  and 
evil  of  his  own  heart,  and  he  knows  the  necessity  of  hearing  the 
Apostolical  exhortation,  "Putting  away  lying,  speak  every 
MAN  truth  with  HIS  NEIGHBOR."  And  uow  mark  the  prin- 
ciple on  which  this  is  especially  enforced  by  the  Apostle.  It 
is  the  spirit  of  Christian  love,  of  union  by  faith  and  love  with 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  with  each  other,  by  which  alone  men 
can  really  learn  to  speak  the  truth  in  sincerity.  "  For,"  saith 
the  Apostle,  "we  are  members  one  of  another:"  we  are 
united  to  Jesus,  and  vmited  to  one  another  in  Jesus ;  therefore 
the  principle  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  love  to  Christ,  union  with 
Him  and  with  each  other,  is  pressed  throughout  on  the  believer 
as  the  motive  of  his  conduct,  and  therefore,  "Putting   away 

LYING,   SPEAK    EVERY    MAN    TRUTH  WITH    HIS    NEIGHBOR,    FOR 

WE  ARE  MEMBERS  ONE  OF  ANOTHER."  As  One  member  of 
our  body  will  not  hurt  another  member  of  our  body,  so,  saith  the 
Apostle,  as  we  are  all  members  of  one  body,  united  under  one 
head,  Christ  Jesus,  let  us  deal  with  truth,  sincerity  and  love,  one 
with  the  other.     Consider  this,  then,  "  Wherefore,  putting 

AWAY  LYING,  SPEAK  EVERY  MAN  TRUTH  WITH  HIS  NEIGHBOR, 
FOR  WE  ARE  MEMBERS  ONE  OF  ANOTHER."       HoW  blcsScd  aiC  the 

genuine  fruits  of  true  Christianity,  where  those  who  bear  the  name 
are  truly  Christians,  but  when  we  see  that  the  very  fundamental 
truths  of  the  Gospel — the  only  hope  of  man's  salvation,  are  rejected, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  399 

denied,  or  neglected  by  those  who  are  called  Christians,  it  is  hope- 
less to  expect  the  fruit.  "  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns^  or 
Jigs  of  thistles  T  Matt.  vii.  16. 

Another  evil  he  mentions  of  the  old  man  is  anger,  "Be  ye 

ANGRY,  AND    SIN    NOT  ;    LET    NOT    THE    SUN  GO    DOWN   ON    YOUR 

WRATH."  You  see,  anger  is  an  evil  of  the  "  old  inan,^^  which  is 
to  be  put  off,  and  restraining  anger  is  the  ^'- new  man^''  which  is  to 
be  put  on.  This  is  another  corruption  of  the  heart  which  we  see 
so  prominent  in  the  character  of  children.  When  they  are  left 
unrestrained  together,  how  soon  they  begin  to  quarrel  and  to  con- 
tend with  each  other,  how  easily  their  angry  passions  are  excited  : 
we  see  it  pre-eminently  in  them,  for  this  reason,  they  have  not  the 
restraint  over  their  tempers  and  passions  that  the  laws  of  society, 
education,  or  fear  of  the  opinion  of  others,  may  impose.  But  anger, 
wicked  tempers,  are  not  confined  to  children.  What  misery  they 
excite  in  every  family !  Are  there  members  of  any  family  here  who 
have  not  in  some  way  experienced  it?  If  you  have  not  experi- 
enced it  among  the  members  of  your  own  family,  and  your  own 
immediate  relatives  and  friends,  surely,  you  have  experienced  it  in 
yourselves — there  is  no  one  who  has  not  experienced  it  in  their 
own  hearts.  How  easily  are  we  excited  to  anger  and  revenge  ! 
Some  are  more  amiable  in  their  natural  temper  than  others,  as 
some  are  by  nature  more  sincere  and  true,  but  there  are  few,  if 
any,  who  are  not  excitable  to  anger ;  some  are  peculiarly  irritable, 
some  are  provoked  by  things  that  do  not  produce  any  emotion  in 
others,  but  anger  is  one  of  the  corrupt  indigenous  principles  which 
has  its  seeds  more  or  less  prolific  in  their  growth  and  progress  in 
the  heart  of  every  sinner.  Now  the  natural  propensity  of  every 
individual  among  us  is,  to  indulge  our  anger, — ^and  you  will  see 
persons  where  there  is  no  restraint  placed  on  them,  where  they 
are  not  afraid,  they  will  give  way  to  their  wicked  passions  and 
tempers ;  but  where  restraint  is  placed  on  them,  where  they  are 
afraid  to  show  it,  there  it  is  quite  the  reverse.  Now  the  Scripture 
does  not  admit  the  principle  of  outward  restraint  as  the  means  of 
conquering  sin — does  not  admit  that  wicked  tempers  are  to  be 
indulged  when  the  eye  of  man  beholds  not — and  to  be  concealed 
where  character — fear  of  man — fear  of  the  law — fear  of  reproach, 
subdue  or  compel  them  to  be  still.  All  the  commands  of  Scripture 
bring  the  sinner  before  his  God,  teach  him  to  feel,  to  think,  to  act, 
as  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  of  Glory,  there  to  regulate  his  con- 
duct, and  there  to  regulate  his  heart,  "  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin 
NOT."     Sin  not  as  in  the  eye  of  men — but  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Persons  differ  on  the  exact  interpretation  of  this  verse  ;  some  im- 
agine that  it  should  be  read  interrogatively,  thus — "Are  ye  angry?" 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  Can  you  be  angry,  and  sin  not  ?  Can  you 
be  angry  without  sin  ?"  Some  persons  imagine  that  it  is,  "  Be  ye 
angry,  and  sin  not,"  admitting,  that  there  are  circumstances  in 
which  you  may  be  provoked  to  be  angry,  and  can  be  angry  with- 
out sin.  This,  I  think,  is  the  proper  interpretation  of  it ;  there  is 
such  anger,  a  righteous  anger,  a  just  anger.     "6ro(/  is  angry  with 


400  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  wicked  every  dayP  Psa.  vii.  11.  The  Lord  Jesus  represents 
Himself  as  being  angry — "  The  Master  of  the  house  being  angry. ^^ 
Luke  xiv.  21.  It  is  the  same  word  as  in  ihis  passage.  Righteous, 
holy  indignation  and  anger,  is  a  necessary  part  of  real,  solid, 
Christian  duty.  We  ought  to  be  angry  at  that  which  is  displeasing 
to  God,  we  ought  to  be  angry  at  it  in  others,  and  more  angry  at  it 
in  ourselves,  but  "sin  not  ;"  whenever  anger  exceeds  that  rule, 
namely,  that  it  is  a  holy,  just,  and  righteous  displeasure  against 
that  which  is  wrong,  there  anger  becomes  sin,  and  even  in  that 
case  we  should  watch  that  it  does  not  lead  to  sin.  It  is  righteous 
that  a  father  should  be  angry  at  his  disobedient  child  ;  it  is  right- 
eous that  a  master  should  be  angry  at  his  disobedient  servant ;  it 
is  righteous  that  man  should  be  displeased  in  the  various  rela- 
tions of  life  at  those  things  that  are  wrong,  "Be  ye  angry," 
but  then,  "  sin  not."  Take  care,  it  does  not  lead  you  into  prac- 
tical transgression  of  the  law  of  God, — take  care  it  does  not  lead 
you  into  the  transgression  of  the  law  of  God  in  your  own  heart. 
If  you  are  angry  with  sin,  take  care  you  are  not  angry  with  the 
sinner.  "  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not," — this  is  a  high  standard, 
dear  friends,  and  one  which  we  feel  far  beyond  our  attainment ; 
for  alas,  let  us  remember  how  often  by  this  very  sin  we  have 
brought  on  ourselves  condemnation,  eternal  judgment,  yea,  a 
thousand,  and  ten  thousand  times.  How  often  you  and  I  should 
have  been  cast  into  hell  for  this  sin,  if  God  had  dealt  with  us  after 
our  iniquities  !  How  often  anger  has  produced  enmity,  hatred,  in 
our  breasts  against  the  individual  who  has  provoked  us,  how  often 
have  they  burned  in  our  bosoms  !  How  often  have  we  committed 
murder  in  the  Scriptural  sense  !  Our  hands  may  not  be  stained 
with  blood,  we  may  not  have  emlirued  thon  in  the  blood  of  a 
fellow-creature,  as  I  trust  none  of  us  have,  but  what  saith  the 
Word  of  God  ?  "  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer." 
1st  John  iii.  15.  If  this  be,  as  it  surely  is,  the  spiritual  meaning 
of  the  Law,  I  suppose,  there  is  not  a  single  one  in  this  room  that 
has  not,  in  the  Scriptinal  sense,  committed  murder.  How  often 
have  we  been  provoked  and  angry  at  an  individual,  and  felt  hatred 
towards  that  individual,  thougli  it  might  be  but  for  a  time,  and 
although  we  would  not  murdei',  we  would  be  glad  he  were  dead 
out  of  our  sight.  Have  we  not  felt  so  ?  I  am  sure  I  have  ;  yea, 
and  I  am  sure  you  have.  How  often  in  this  Law  have  we  sinned 
against  God  !  Alas  !  what  vile,  wicked,  ungodly,  devilish  tempers, 
there  are  in  the  natural  heart !  Oh  !  my  friends,  what  need  w<; 
have  to  receive  continually  strength  and  power  from  God,  to  re- 
strain the  corruptions  of  our  hearts,  even  in  this  one  sin.  But 
look  on  a  little,  and  see  the  rule  the  Apostle  lays  down  for  this  in 
the  last  verse  of  this  chapter,  "  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tetider 
hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God,  for  Christ'^s  sake, 
hath  forgiven  youP  You  remember  the  parable  of  our  Lord,  by 
which  He  illustrates  this  principle.  You  recollect  the  servant  that 
was  brought  to  his  Lord.  "  who  owed  him.  ten  thousand,  talents  ; 
hut  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  to  pay,  his  lord  commanded  him  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  401 

be  sold,  and  his  wife  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  pay- 
ment to  he  made^'' — and  you  recollect  that  servant  coming  to  his 
Lord,  and  asking  him,  "  have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay 
thee  all^"" — though  he  undertook  to  do  what  he  could  not  do, 
though  lie  undertook  to  pay  him  what  he  could  never  discharge, 
"  The  Lord  of  that  servant  was  moved  with  compassion,  and 
loosed  him,  and  forgave  him  the  dehtP  Then  he  went  out,  you 
recollect,  "  and  found  one  of  his  fellow-servants,  who  oived  him, 
a  hundred  pence,  and  he  took  him  hy  the  throat,  saying-^  pay  me 
that  thon  oivest.^^  His  fellow-servant  used  the  same  expostulation 
and  entreaty  to  him,  "  have  patience  rcith  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee 
all ;  and  he  rvould  not,  hut  loeut  and  cast  him  into  j)riso?i  till  he 
should  pay  the  debt."  And  do  you  remember  the  remonstrance 
and  judgment  of  his  Lord  against  him?  "O  thou  tvicked  serva?it, 
I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou  desiredst  me  :  shouldest 
not  thou  also  have  had  compassion  on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as 
I  had  pity  on  thee  1  And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered  him 
to  the  tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  nnto  him,. 
^0,"  you  see,  our  Lord  adds,  "  likeivise  shall  my  heavenly  Father 
do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not  every  one 
his  brother  their  trespasses."  Matt,  xviii.  24-35. 

Observe,  this  is  the  principle  that  the  Lord  keeps  continually  in 
view  in  the  hearts  of  His  people  ;  you  recollect  in  the  I>ord's 
prayer,  "forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  ive  forgive  them  that  tres- 
pass against  us." 

Now  do  you  suppose  that  forgiving  others  their  trespasses  is  the 
condition  on  which  God  pardons  ours  ?     Never  was  a  principle 
more  false  than  that, — and  it  is  the  natural,  corrupt  principle  of 
the  human  heart.     I  have  heard  that  principle  often  professed  on 
the  bed  of  death.     Often  and  often  have  sinners  said  tome,  when 
I  have  asked  them,  what  is  the  hope  you  have  in  going  before 
God  in  expecting  pardon  for  your  sins  ?     I  have  often  received  for 
answer,  "  I  forgive  all  men,  and  am  at  peace  with  all  the  world." 
I  have  heard  that  melancholy  expression  a  thousand  times,  they 
make  a  merit  of  pardoning  others,  by  which  they  think  to  pur- 
chase forgiveness  from  God.     Nothing  can  be  more  false ;  for  if 
this  were  so,  forgiveness  could  not  be  by  the  blood  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.     But  it  is  charged  by  the  Lord  on  the  consciences  of  his 
believing  people,  as  a  test  of  their  sincerity  in  coming  to  Him  for 
pardon,  "forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them  that  tres- 
pass against  us," — -that  is,  can  you  come  to  the  Lord  "  in  spirit 
and  truth,"  with  the  sense  of  the  weight  of  ten  thousand  talents 
which  you  owe  Him,  on  your  soul?     Can  you  come  to  Him,  and 
ask  Him  for  pardon,  for  that  which  your  conscience  tells  you,  you 
owe  to  Him,  when  you  are  cherishing  some  unforgiving  principle 
in  your  heart  to  your  fellow-sinner  that  owes  you  an  hundred 
pence  ?     There  can  be  no  sense  of  the  depth  and  magnitude  of 
our  own  debt  to  God,  when  we  come  to  Him  for  pardon,  there  can 
be  no  sense  of  the  magnitude  of  our  debt,  no  genuine  sincerity  in 
seeking  forgiveness,  if  our  conscience  tells  us  that  we  have  come 

26 


402  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

to  ask  God  for  the  pardon  of  our  own  sins,  with  unforgiving  tem- 
pers towards  any  of  our  fellow-sinners, — and  therefore  observe,  the 
Lord  puts  this  test  on  the  consciences  of  men  in  that  prayer. 

Therefore,  "Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not."  If  you  are  excited, 
if  your  tempers  are  excited,  if  your  passions  are  excited,  if  you 
are  stirred  up  to  indulge  a  wicked  temper,  beware  how  you  cherish 
it — go  to  the  Lord,  take  it  to  Him — "  Let  not  the  sun  go  down 
ON  YOUR  WRATH,"  go  to  your  Lord  for  pardoning  grace,  bring 
your  guilt,  your  debt  of  ten  thousand  talents,  to  the  foot  of  the 
cross.  See,  what  a  mighty  debt  you  are  forgiven  !  what  vast  wick- 
edness !  what  innmuerable  sins  !  See  all  that  debt  cancelled  by 
the  blood  of  the  cross  ;  and  beware,  lest  your  heart  accuses  you, 
and  your  conscience  charges  you  with  coming  to  God,  with  the 
mockery  of  seeking  such  pardon — of  trusting  in  such  forgiveness — 
when  you  do  not  forgive  the  hundred  pence  your  fellow-sinner 
owes  to  you.  Yes,  dear  friends,  there  is  nothing  that  leads  us  to 
estimate  the  provocations  we  receive  from  our  fellow-sinners  aright 
so  much,  as  this  one  reflection — 

"  Alas,  why  should  I  be  so  angry  ?  Let  me  think  of  the  provo- 
cations wherewith  I  have  provoked  my  God  !" 

Let  us  remember  this.  In  every  relation  of  life,  whatever  in- 
juries we  receive  from  our  fellow-sinners,  let  us  remember,  what 
is  all  that  man  can  do  to  us,  compared  with  the  provocations  with 
which  we  have  provoked  God  !  How  this  would  humble  us — 
subdue  our  heart — bring  us  down  to  the  dust,  and  enable  us  to 
remember  what  we  are,  what  a  Savioiu'  we  have — what !  a  God 
"  loho  pardonetli  iniquiti/,  transgression  and  sin,  and  retaineth 
7iot  his  atiger  forever,  because  he  delighteth  in  mercyP  Mic. 
vii.  18. 

"Neither  GIVE  place  to  the  devil."  Do  not  allow  the 
devil  any  place  in  your  mind — give  him  no  quarter — grant  him 
not  a  moment's  admission  or  entertainment  in  your  breast.  As 
in  contending  against  an  enemy  who  was  attacking  you,  you 
would  not  let  him  gain  an  inch  of  advantage  against  you, — as 
you  would  not  let  him  plant  his  foot  on  a  spot  of  ground  where  he 
could  have  a  position  of  superiority, — as  you  would  not  let  him 
into  your  house,  or  to  your  door,  or  give  him  a  place  where  he 
could  have  an  opportunity  to  wound  or  injure  you — so,  remember, 
you  have  an  enemy  that  is  continually  attacking  you,  "going 
about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  who?n  he  may  devourP  1st  Pet. 
v.  8, — do  not  give  him  a  point  to  stand  on  :  if  he  gains  entrance 
into  your  hearts,  thoughts,  imaginations,  he  will  have  the  advan- 
tage over  you  ;  do  not  let  him  in  for  a  moment.  Perhaps  you  do 
not  understand  how  this  can  be  done.  When  thoughts  come 
into  your  minds,  when  desires  come  into  your  hearts,  that  you 
know  in  your  conscience  are  contrary  to  God's  word  and  God's 
will,  what  do  you  do  with  them  ?  If  you  take  them,  and  keep 
them,  and  cherish  them,  and  entertain  them,  you  give  place  to 
the  devil ;  you  give  the  devil  the  advantage  over  you,  of  getting 
into  your  heart  with  his  temptations  and  suggestions,  and  you 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  403 

give  him  a  lodgment  there.  Now  do  not  do  this— do  not  give 
place  to  him — do  not  allow  him  a  moment's  admission  within 
you  ;  dismiss  every  thought — every  desire — every  wish — as  soon 
as  it  comes  into  your  heart ;  bring  it  to  the  Cross  at  once,  bring  it 
to  Christ,  bring  it  to  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  say  to  him,  "Lord,  de- 
liver tne  ;  make  haste  to  help  me.''''  That  is  what  we  have  need 
to  do.  Therefore  do  not  "Give  place  to  the  devil,"  for  every 
advantage  he  gains  in  this  way,  you  give  him  a  stronger  hold,  a 
stronger  position,  a  firmer  lodgment  in  your  heart,  whence  he  can 
more  effectually  attack  you,  and  draw  you  into  sin  against  your 
God. 

Now  this  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  features  of  the  natural 
mind.  The  natural  man  or  woman — that  is,  man  or  woman  in 
their  unregenerate  state — believe,  that,  provided  they  do  not  carry 
out  their  sins  into  practice,  it  is  no  matter  what  they  may  think, 
or  how  far  they  may  indulge  their  imaginations  in  sin. — -Nay  it  is 
our  natural  propensity  to  indemnify  ourselves  for  subduing  the 
outward  practices  of  sin,  by  the  inward  cherishing  and  indulgence 
of  it.  We  delight  ourselves  in  the  wicked  and  corrupt  thoughts 
and  imaginations  of  our  own  hearts,  we  revel  in  them — we  enjoy 
ourselves  in  them, — and  thus  console  ourselves  by  the  secret  in- 
dulgence of  sins  in  our  imagination,  for  not  carrying  them  into 
practical  effect.  We  may  be  prevented  from  doing  it ;  the  law  of 
the  land — respect  for  character — the  laws  of  society  may  not  allow 
us  to  do  it ;  but  we  cherish  these  sins  in  our  hearts.  It  does  not 
occur  to  the  natural  man  that  these  things  are  evil,  he  thinks  he 
is  very  good,  if  he  is  not  practically  indulging  in  wickedness.  The 
believer  is  taught  to  see  that  the  power  of  sin  is  in  his  heart,  that 
there  he  is  to  meet  the  enemy — there  to  guard  against  the  evil — 
there  to  watch  and  "keep  his  heart  with  all  dilio-ence,  for  out  of 
it  are  the  issues  of  life^  Prov.  iv.  23.  It  is  there  then,  dear 
brethren,  in  our  hearts,  as  well  as  in  our  lips  and  lives,  we  are 
specially  to  watch  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil. 

These  practical  fruits  which  the  Apostle  inculcates  on  his  be- 
lieving brethren,  let  us  remember,  are  the  exhibitions  of  the  Gos- 
pel on  earth,  the  manifestations  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus, — of  the 
fruit  and  power  of  religion  in  the  heart.  If  religion  were  to  con- 
sist in  mere  notions,  mere  speculative  opinions,  that  Gospel  would 
produce  no  benefit  in  this  world.  If  it  were  possible  that  man,  by 
the  belief  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  could  enter  into  eternal  life,  and 
that  that  faith  were  to  be  a  principle  totally  inoperative  on  his  life 
here  below,  what  blessing  would  the  Gospel  be  to  man  on  earth  ? 
or  what  difference  would  religion  make  between  the  servants  of 
God  and  the  servants  of  the  devil  ?  None.  But  let  us  remember, 
though  the  Gospel  of  Christ  does  proclaim  that  glorious  truth,  that 
through  the  faith  of  it,  man  does  enter  into  eternal  life,  let  us  re- 
member that  the  faith  of  that  Gospel  is  practical.  It  "  worketh  by 
loveP  The  principle  that  is  given  into  the  heart  is  the  faith  of 
Jesus,  and  the  love  of  Jesus  is  the  result ;  to  turn  man  "from, 
darkness  to  light,  from,  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,^^  that  he 


404  LECTURES    OM    THE    EPHESIANS. 

may  live  to  that  Redeemer,  "  wlio  died  for  Itim,  and  rose  ag-ain.'" 
Therefore,  consider  this,  and  you  shall  see  that  these  practical  ex- 
hortations given  in  the  Apostolic  writings  supply  the  manifesta- 
tions,— the  only  manifestations  of  the  servants  of  Jesus  on  this 
earth,  as  these  principles  are  brought  unto  their  hearts,  and  their 
existence  in  their  hearts  manifested  in  their  lives.  Let  us  pray, 
that  we  may  have  clear,  full,  simple  views  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
for  the  hope  of  our  souls,  that  our  hearts  may  be  enabled  to  em- 
brace Christ,  to  rest  on  Christ,  in  simplicity  and  sincerity  as  the 
whole  of  our  salvation,  and  that  we  may  be  able  to  manifest  that 
we  do  so,  by  living  to  Him,  showing  that  we  are  the  servants  of 
God,  by  turning  from  the  service  of  the  world,  sin  and  Satan. 
Let  us  apply  through  grace  these  practical  exhortations  to  our- 
selves, ^^  putting  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt,  according  to 
the  deceitful  lusts,'''  '■'■  putting  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God 
is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.''^ 

I  may  conclude  with  the  w^ords  of  the  Apostle  to  the  Philip- 
pians,  "  This  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and 
more  in  knoioledge  and  in  all  judgment ;  That  ye  may  approve 
thino-s  that  are  excellent :  that  ye  may  he  sincere,  and  without 
offence,  till  the  day  of  Christ ;  Being  filled  with  the  fruits  of 
righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God."     Amen.     Phil.  i.  9,  10,  11. 


THIRTY-FIFTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  IV.— 28,  29,  30,  31,  32. 


"  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more  :  but  rather  let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands 
the  thing  which  is  good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth.  Let  no  corrupt 
communication  proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edify- 
ing, that  it  may  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers.  And  grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath, 
and  anger,  and  clamor,  and  evil-speaking,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice; 
And  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  for 
Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you." 

Again  we  must  take  up  the  principle  on  which  these  exhorta- 
tions are  given  by  the  Apostle.  Let  us  never  lose  sight  of  it  in 
our  hearts  and  consciences,  either  when  we  speak  practically  of 
the  Gospel,  or  think  practically  of  our  own  duty.  This  is  the 
principle  to  which  I  called  your  attention  in  our  last  Lecture, 
which  is  to  be  found  in  the  last  verse  of  this  chapter,  "  Be  ye  kind 

ONE  TO  ANOTHER,  TENDER-HEARTED,  FORGIVING  ONE  ANOTHER, 

EVEN   AS   God  for   Christ's    sake    hath    forgiven   you." 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  405 

There  the  Apostle  is  addressing  those  persons,  who  as  beUevers  in 
Jesus,  trusted  on  the  Lord  for  the  pardon  of  their  sins.  They 
were  not  to  do  any  of  these  things  in  order  to  obtain  pardon, 
which  is  the  corrupt  principle  of  duty  in  the  natural  heart  of  man, 
but  they  were  to  do  these  things,  and  to  love  one  another,  because 
they  had  received  pardon,  ^'-  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Rom.  iii.  21. 
Therefore,  remember  this  is  always  the  point  for  the  sinner  to 
have  settled  in  his  conscience,  when  he  is  coming  to  the  Lord. 
He  should  ask  himself, — "Am  I  coming  through  the  precious 
blood  of  Jesus,  leaning  on  my  Lord  alone  for  my  salvation?  hav- 
ing that  blessed  hope  that  all  my  sins  are  cancelled  through  that 
great  offering  which  he  has  made  on  the  cross  ?  Oh  !  let  my  soul 
come  thus  to  God !  let  my  soul  bring  nothing  but  the  righteous- 
ness and  blood  of  Immanuel !  let  my  soul  repose  with  joy  and 
peace  in  Him,  thus  let  me  "  heartily  rejoice  in  the  strength  of  my 
salvation.^  Ps.  xcv.  1.  "  Let  me  enter  into  his  gates  with  thanks- 
giving, and  into  his  courts  with  praise.^'     Ps.  c.  4. 

Think  of  these  things  again  and  again,  my  friends.  Observe, 
he  says,  "  Even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven 
YOU."  Mark  the  distinction.  It  is  not,  that  God,  for  Christ's 
sake  ?nay  forgive  you, — but  he  says,  "  As  God  for  Christ's 
sake  hath  forgiven  you." 

Well  then,  recollecting  this,  you  will  remember,  that  the  Apos- 
tle is  here  drawing  a  parallel  between  the  old  man  and  the  new 
man,  that  is,  between  man's  own  natural  corrupt  heart,  and  that 
new  heart  which  is  given  to  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel,  "  That  ye  put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  cor- 
rupt according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,''^  and  '•^put  on  the  new  Tnan, 
which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.^^ 

We  have  seen  that  the  Apostle  is  drawing  a  parallel  in  several 
particulars  between  the  old  man  and  the  new  man  in  their  work- 
ings. We  have  seen  Lying,  and  Revengeful  Anger,  and  Admis- 
sion of  Satan  into  our  minds,  contrasted  with  their  opposite  duties. 

In  the  28th  verse  we  have  Stealing  as  the  work  of  the  old  m^n 
— we  have  Honesty — Industry,  as  the  work  of  the  new  man. 
We  have  taken  away  by  theft  the  property  of  others — and  we 
have  that  contrasted  with  giving  in  Christian  love  to  the  wants 
of  others.     "Let    him  that    stole,    steal    no    more,  but 

RATHER  LET  HIM  LABOR,  WORKING  WITH  HIS  HANDS  THE 
THING  THAT  IS  GOOD,  THAT  HE  MAY  HAVE  TO  GIVE  TO  HIM 
THAT  NEEDETH." 

Stealing  is  the  natural  propensity  of  the  old  man.  All  men 
covet — and  many  men  steal.  Let  us  remember  that  this  sin  may 
be  committed  in  many  ways  that  the  law  cannot  take  hold  of. 
Many  a  man  who  never  in  a  legal  sense  stole  a  shilling,  may  have 
stolen  much  in  the  sight  of  God.  How  many  a  man  is  pleased 
with  what  he  calls  a  good  bargain,  disposing  of  something  he  has 
to  sell,  for  more  than  in  the  sight  of  God  he  knows  it  to  be  worth  ;  or 
getting  something  from  his  neighbor  by  some  means  or  other,  for 


406  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

what  in  his  conscience  he  knows  to  be  less  than  its  vahie — count- 
ing himself  very  clever  if  he  skilfully  and  strongly  depreciates 
whatever  he  wants  to  buy,  and  as  skilfully  and  deceitfully  puffs 
beyond  its  worth  whatever  he  wants  to  sell.  What  a  mixture  of 
theft  and  falsehood  there  is  in  some  of  your  great  bargain-makers. 
"J/  is  no  tight  J  it  is  nought,  saith  the  buyer,  hut  when  he  is  gone 
his  way  then  he  boasteth."  Prov.  xx.  14.  But  remember  the  word 
of  God  is,  "  That  no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother  in 
any  matter,  because  that  the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all  snchP 
1  Thess.  iv.  6.  Then  if  I  have  been  such  an  one,  let  me  put  ofl" 
that ;  but  let  me  manifest  the  life  of  the  "  we?/;  '/waw,"  let  me  "  la- 
bor, WORKING    WITH    MY    HANDS    THE    THING    THAT    IS  GOOD." 

The  Gospel  of  Christ,  or  true  religion  is  anything  but  idleness, — 
true  religion  inculcates  industry,  spiritual  industry  and  temporal 
industry  ; — spiritual  industry,  "  The  soul  of  the  sluggard  desireth, 
and  hath  nothing ;  but  the  soul  of  the  diligent  shall  he  m^ade  fatJ^ 
Prov.  xiii.  4 — temporal  industry,  "Let  him  labor,  working 
WITH  his  hands  the  THING  THAT  IS  GOOD."  "  TF/igyi  we  Were 
with  you,  this  we  commanded  you,  that  if  any  m,an  would  not 
work,  neither  should  he  eatP  2  Thess.  iii.  10.  The  Christian,  in 
whatsoever  station  of  life  he  is  placed,  ought  to  be  the  most  active 
and  diligent  person  in  that  station  of  hfe.  The  persons  who  are 
placed  at  the  head  of  a  property  ought  to  be  most  diligent  in  the 
discharge  of  their  duty  as  Christians.  The  duties  that  devolve  on 
them,  having  a  number  of  persons  depending  on  them,  for  exam- 
ple, for  employment,  for  provisions,  for  education, — all  these  and 
others  are  great  responsibilities  which  God  has  laid  on  the  man  to 
whom  he  has  committed  the  talent  of  wealth  in  this  world.  The 
persons  who  are  to  provide  for  their  families  in  any  profession 
should  be  diligent  and  attentive  to  the  calling  of  their  profession. 
The  merchant  at  his  counting-house,— the  shopkeeper  in  his  shop, 
active  in  his  business,  faithful  and  upright  in  his  dealings,  accurate 
in  his  accounts.  The  Christian  soldier  ought  to  be  the  best,  the 
most  obedient  and  the  bravest  soldier.  The  Christian  sailor  ought 
tojae  the  man  to  nail  his  colors  to  the  mast.  The  Christian  ser- 
vant should  be  the  most  diligent  in  his  labor,  "  not  with  eye-ser- 
vice, as  men-jjleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the 
will  of  God  from  the  heart."  chap.  vi.  6, — not  serving  his  earthly 
master,  but  his  Heavenly  Master.  Whatever  station  the  Lord  has 
been  pleased  to  place  us  in,  our  religion  should  be  manifested  in  the 
fidelity — in  the  zeal  and  activity  with  which  we  discharge  our 
duty  in  that  situation.  Therefore,  while  the  Gospel  of  Christ  does 
not  describe  our  works  as  having  anything  to  do  with  the  justifica- 
tion of  our  souls  before  God,  you  observe,  that  the  Word  of  God 
points  out  our  duties  or  our  works  as  being  the  means  of  both  test- 
ing and  proving  the  sincerity  of  our  profession,  and  the  only  means 
we  have  of  manifesting  it  before  man,  and  the  mode  in  which  it 
shall  be  finally  approved  and  tested  before  God. 

Then  again,  it  is  not  merely  for  our  own  support  that  we  are 
commanded  to  work,  or  for  the  due  discharge  of  the  duty  that  God 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  407 

has  been  pleased  to  annex  to  our  calling,  whatever  it  be,  but  also 
that  we  may  be  liberal,  "  Working  with  his  hands  the  thing 

THAT     IS    GOOD,    THAT    HE    MAY    HAVE    TO    GIVE    TO    HIM    THAT 

NEEDETH."  Christianity,  you  see,  is  not  only  industrious  and 
just,  but  it  is  generous  too  ;  it  opens  not  only  the  hand  to  work, 
but  the  heart  and  the  hand  to  give.  If  we  remember  what  God 
Jias  done  for  us,  and  bestowed  on  us,  and  if  We  remember  it  as  we 
ought  to  do,  we  should  be  anxious  to  manifest  love  to  our  fellow- 
sinners  in  whatever  way  we  can,  continually — effectually — liber- 
ally— according  to  our  means,  to  help  our  poor  brethren.  Alas  ! 
these  are  duties,  that  I  am  afraid  are  commonly  neglected  among 
those  who  call  themselves  Christians,  and  even  who  are  Christians. 
We  think  a  great  deal  too  much  of  supporting  ourselves  in  a  cer- 
tain style,  in  the  different  circumstances  in  which  the  Lord  has 
been  pleased  to  place  us,  we  think  many  more  things  necessary 
for  us  than  really  are.  How  many  are  not  contented  with  the 
necessaries  or  even  the  comforts,  but  they  must  have  the  luxuries, 
yea,  the  extravagancies  of  life,  while  their  poorer  brethren  have 
not  even  the  necessaries.  I  do  not  mean  that  persons  should  not 
maintain  the  station  in  life  in  which  God  has  been  pleased  to  place 
them.  There  is  not  a  more  awful  mistake  than  to  suppose  that 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  was  meant  to  level  ranks  or  distinctions  in 
society.  God  has  been  pleased  to  establish  order,  and  there  is 
nothing  for  which  we  see  Satan  and  the  servants  of  Satan  more 
anxiously  laboring,  than  to  annihilate  order,  to  lower  rank,  to  level 
distinctions,  to  establish  what  they  call  liberty  and  equality  ;  but 
what  in  reality  is  anarchy  and  plunder.  These  are  the  doctrines 
of  the  devil.  Authority  and  order,  that  is  the  doctrine  of  God. 
But  generous  liberality  is  the  best  security  for  rank  and  property 
in  a  nation.  If  the  rich  by  their  liberality  would  teach  the  poor 
to  reverence  and  love  them,  no  knaves  could  ever  induce  them  to 
revolution  or  to  plunder. 

Our  positions  in  life  are  relative — we  are  higher  in  the  middle 
ranks  of  life  than  those  who  are  placed  below  us,  as  those  above 
us  are  higher  than  we  are ;  and  in  all  our  situations,  whatever 
they  may  be,  let  us  remember,  there  is  no  way  in  which  the  duties 
of  high  stations  are  discharged  in  such  a  real  Christian  manner, 
as  in  kindness — humbleness — liberality — condescension  to  those 
who  are  placed  below  us.  "//f  is  tnore  blessed  to  give  than  to  re- 
ceive,^'' is  a  maxim  of  the  Lord,  and  that  is  the  very  principle  which 
the  Apostle  sets  forth  to  the  elders  of  this  church,  the  church  of 
Ephesus,  when  he  called  them  together  at  Miletus,  Acts  xx.,  where 
he  shows  his  own  blameless  walk  and  conversation  among  them. 
He  says,  "  Therefore  watch,  and  retnember,  that  by  the  space  of 
three  years,  1  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one  night  and  day 
with  tears.  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to 
the  word  of  his  grace,  ivhich  is  able  to  build  you  up.,  and  to  give 
you  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified.  I  have  cov- 
eted 710  mail's  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel ;  yea,  ye  yourselves  know 
that  these  hands  have  ministered  unto  m,y  necessities,  and  to 


408  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

them  that  are  with  me  ;"■ — although  he  had  power  as  an  Apostle 
of  demanding  support  and  maintenance  from  the  church,  yet  so 
fa«i"  from  doing  this,  we  see  he  appeals  to  them — "  ye  yourselves 
know^  that  these  hands  have  m^inistered  to  iny  necessities,  and  to 
them  that  were  with  me.  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  Jiow  that 
so  laboring,  ye  ought  to  support  the  weak,  and  to  remember  the 
words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said,  it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive,''^  Acts  xx.  31 — 35, 

The  Apostle  here,  you  see,  impresses  oq  the  elders  the  same 
principle  which  we  have  here  in  the  epistle  to  the  church,  "Let 

HIM  that  STOLE,  STEAL  NO  MORE  ]  BUT  RATHER  LET  HIM  LA- 
BOR, WORKING  WITH  HIS  HANDS  THE  THING  THAT  IS  GOOD, 
THAT  HE    MAY    HAVE  TO  GIVE  TO  HIM    THAT    NEEDETH."       YoU 

observe  the  difference  then  here,  between  '■'■the  old  maii!^  and  '•'•the 
new  m,an,^^  what  we  should  put  off,  and  what  we  should  put  on. 

Again,  the  next  principle  is  with  reference  to  our  conversation. 
The  principle  of  the  old  man  is,  "Corrupt  communications 

OUT  OF   his   mouth." 

The  principle  of  the  new,  "  That  which  is  good,  to  the 

USE  OF  edifying,  THAT  IT  MAY  MINISTER  GRACE  UNTO  THE 
HEARERS." 

The  principle  of  the  old  man  is,  "Corrupt  communications 
OUT  OF  HIS  mouth."  Oh  !  what  a  grievous  state  the  world  is  in 
from  that  very  sin, — "corrupt  communications!"  How  aw- 
fully is  that  exhibited  in  the  human  character  from  the  earliest 
period  of  life  !  The  Scripture,  speaking  of  the  ungodly,  says, 
"  They  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born,  speaking  lies'^ — Psa. 
Iviii.  3,  meaning,  that  as  soon  as  tliey  come  to  the  use  of  their 
tongue,  that  tongue  is  exercised  in  iniquity.  So  it  is. — How  pain- 
fully parents  feel  this  !  how  they  continually  hear  the  wicked 
words  of  their  children  !  how  painfully  we  feel  this  in  the  educa- 
tion of  our  children  !  we  tremble  to  send  our  children  to  school 
from  the  "  CORRUPT  communications  "  to  which  they  are  sub- 
jected there.  The  sinful  principles — the  blasphemy — pride — ob- 
scenity— disobedience — wickedness  of  all  kinds ;  and  that  which 
is  so  readily  imparted  from  the  tongue  of  one  is  as  eagerly  re- 
ceived in  the  ears  and  hearts  of  others.  "  Evil  communications 
corrupt  good  manners.''''  I  Cor.  xv.  33,  there  is  no  parent  who  has 
thought  at  all,  even  if  they  have  not  any  true  religion — there  is 
no  parent  that  has  ever  reflected,  and  who  has  felt  as  parents 
must  feel,  anxious  for  their  children,  who  has  not  felt  the  pain  of 
this. 

Then  again,  how  awful  is  the  example  that  children  often  see 
in  their  relatives  and  even  in  their  parents  !  what  "  corrupt 
COMMUNICATIONS,"  what  uiigodly,  wicked  expressions  !  perhaps 
Swearing  !  Blasphemy  !  Passion  !  Rage  !  Deceit !  Falsehood  ! — all 
the  "corrupt  communications"  with  which  the  world  is  full! 
^'■filthiness,  foolish  talking,''^  unseemly  jests,  which  the  Apostle 
speaks  of  in  another  passage,  these  are  the  fruits  of  the  natural, 
corrupt  heart  of  man  ;  "  Of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  409 

speaketh.''''  Mat.  xii.  34.  '•  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things, 
and  desperately  wicked^^^  and  the  mouth  speaks  its  deceits  and 
desperate  wickedness.     Then  he  says,  put  these  off,    "  Let  no 

CORRUPT  COMMUNICATION  PROCEED  OUT  OF  YOUR  MOUTH."    That 

is  ''■  the  old  inan^''  put  him  off. 

"But  that  which  is  good,  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that 
IT  may  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers."  That  is  "^Ae 
new  mavH'' — put  him  on. 

You  perceive,  that  it  is  to  the  source  of  the  evil  we  must  go. 
The  unregenerate  heart  will  speak  its  own  unregenerate  and  wicked 
thoughts  ;  the  renewed  mind,  the  renewed  heart,  will  speak  its  re- 
newed thoughts,  but  then  you  see,  both  these  hearts  are  in  the 
sinner,  we  have  two  hearts;  as  the  poor  negro  woman  said,  "Ah! 
me  feel  me  have  two  hearts,  one  heart  to  love  my  God,  one  heart 
to  hate  my  God ! " 

This  is  the  truth — we  have  "  The  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity 
against  GodJ'  Rom.  viii.  7, — and  that  new  mind,  which  is  the 
work  of  the  Spirit,  and  which  loves  God  always ; — ^that  heart 
which  ^^  delights  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  manP  Rom. 
vii.  22, — that  heart — that  spirit  which  would  pray  that  it  might 
never  sin — which  longs  for  holiness — loves  to  serve  its  God — - 
pants  to  be  delivered  from  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  that  it  may 
serve  the  Lord  in  holiness  and  righteousness  forever, — and  that 
corrupt  and  wicked  principle  which  '■'■wars  against  the  law  of  our 
minds,  and  brings  lis  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in 
our  members ;"  Rom.  vii.  23, — therefore,  we  have  to  watch  against 
the  "corrupt  communications"  of  the  one,  and  we  have  to 
watch  that  we  may  be  under  the  influence  and  be  breathing  forth 
the  communications  of  the  other.  In  our  business — in  our  worldly 
occupations — in  our  intercourse  with  mankind — in  society,  yea,  in 
all  the  relations  of  life,  the  natural  heart  is  called  forth  ;  it  is  pro- 
voked, for  instance,  by  neglect — by  disobedience  of  children — by 
the  conduct  of  servants;  who  again  in  their  turn  are  stirred  up  to 
anger — children  by  the  treatment  of  their  parents,  and  servants  by 
the  conduct  of  their  masters  or  mistresses.  Relatives — neighbors 
— friends — are  mutually  irritated  or  offended  by  the  conduct  of  each 
other ;  and  therefore,  in  these  circumstances,  the  natural  mind, 
when  it  is  excited,  is  ready  to  pour  forth  its  displeasure — opposition 
— indignation— envy — revenge,  or  whatever  feeling  may  be  stirred 
up  within  it. 

Here  then  it  is  the  Christian's  business  to  watch,  to  pray,  that 
he  may  be  kept  in  the  midst  of  the  world  and  in  the  midst  of  all 
or  any  of  these  various  trials,  from  having  his  heart  involved  in 
them.  Oh  !  let  us  be  in  the  world,  but  let  us  not  be  of  the  world, 
let  not  our  hearts  be  engrossed  with  its  pleasures  or  its  cares. 
Let  us  recollect  that  both  ahke  choke  the  seed,  "  The  cares  of 
this  world,  and  the  deceitfidness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts  of  other 
things,  entei'ing  in,  choke  the  loord,  and  it  becometh  unfruitful." 
Mark  iv.  19. 

If  our  hearts  be  engrossed  with  the  things  of  the  world,  our 


410  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

feelings  will  be  stirred  up,  and  excited  when  these  go  wrong; 
wicked  tempers,  ungodly  expressions,  "  corrupt  communica- 
tions" will  be  drawn  out.  Then  "  Can  a  fountain  send  forth 
at  the  same  place  sweet  water  and  hitter  ?"  "  Out  of  the  same 
inouth  jtroceedeth  blessing  and  cursing P  Jam.  iii.  10,  11.  You 
see  how  the  Apostle  James  speaks  of  this  subject  in  his  3d  chap- 
ter. That  chapter  we  ought  to  read  with  much  attention.  "  In 
many  things  we  offend  all.  If  any  man  offend  not  in  word.,  the 
same  is  a  perfect  m,an,  and  able  also  to  bridle  the  whole  bodyP 
There  is  nothing  in  which  we  are  more  ready  to  offend  than  in 
word.  What  need  have  we  then  to  pray  with  the  Psalmist,  "  ^et 
a  watch.,  O  Lord,  before  my  mouth,  keep  the  door  of  my  lips." 
Psa.  cxli.  3.  For  what  purpose  do  we  set  a  watch  on  a  door?  To 
let  no  person  go  out,  that  ought  not  to  go  out  of  it.  "  Keep  the 
door  of  my  lips.'''  Oh,  what  a  great  and  blessed  mercy  if  the 
Spirit  places  a  sentinel  of  sobriety,  holiness,  reflection,  to  mount 
guard,  as  we  call  it,  on  our  lips,  and  before  a  word  comes  forth,  to 
challenge  it,  as  it  were : — 

"  Who  comes  there  ?" 

"  Who  are  you  that  are  coming  forth  ?" 

"  For  what  are  you  going  forth  ?" 

"  What  business — what  object  have  you  in  passing  out  of  this 
mouth  ?" 

"  Do  you  come  as  a  messenger  of  a  wicked  heart  ?" 

"  Are  you  going  forth  to  provoke, — to  excite, — to  corrupt  ?  Are 
you  going  forth  to  dishonor  God  ?  Are  you  going  forth  to  in- 
jure your  neighbor?  Are  you  going  forth  in  slander,  in  malice? 
Avaunt — begone  :^ — back  to  your  den, — to  be  smothered  there 
forever." 

Oh !  what  need  have  we,  to  have  this  watch  set  on  our  mouth, 
to  "A'ee/j  the  door  of  our  lips!"  Oh!  what  need  we  have  to  pray 
for  this ! 

Consider  the  description  which  the  Apostle  James  gives  of  the 
tongue.  "  Behold,  we  put  bits  in  the  horses'  inouths,  that  they 
may  obey  us ;  and  we  turn  about  their  whole  body.  Behold  also 
the  ships,  ivhich  though  they  he  so  great,  and  are  driven  of  fierce 
winds,  yet  are  they  turned  about  with  a  very  small  helm,  ivhither- 
soever  the  governor  listeth.  Even  so,  the  tongue  is  a  little  m,em,- 
her,  and  hoasteth  great  things ;  behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little 
fire  kindleth.  Atid  the  tottgue  is  a  fire,  a  world  of  iniquity,  so 
is  the  tongue  among  our  Tuembers,  that  it  defileth  the  ivhole  body, 
and  setteth  on  fire  the  course  of  nature,  and  it  is  set  on  fire  of 
helV  Jam.  iii.  3 — 6.  There  is  nothing  on  earth  so  awful  as  a 
wicked  tongue.  And,  though  our  tongue  may  not  fall  into  the 
extreme  of  wickedness,  yet,  alas  !  how  often  sinful  and  wicked  it 
is  !  How  far  from  what  it  ought  to  be  !  Alas  !  what  cause  we 
have  to  be  humbled  for  our  sinful  tongues !  what  innumerable 
causes  we  have  to  be  ashamed  !  There  is  not  one  of  us  that  has 
not  reason  to  lie  down  in  the  dust  before  God,  and  cry  to  Him  for 
mercy  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face  for  this  ver)?^  thing ;  for 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  411 

if  there  was  not  another  member  of  our  body  that  had  sinned 
against  our  God,  our  tongues  would  cast  us  all  into  the  depths  of 
hell,  where  we  would  not  have  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  them  ! 
Nothing  but  the  blood  of  Christ  could  wash  the  sins  of  our  tongues 
as  well  as  those  of  our  hearts  and  lives.  Dear  brethren,  let  us 
think  of  tliis,  and  let  us  pray,  that  God  may  guard  us  in  this 
respect ! 

So  '■'■Put  off  the  old  man^' — "  Let  no  corrupt  communica- 
tion   PROCEED    OUT    OF    YOUR    MOUTH."' 

'■'•Put  on  the  new  nian^^  "But  that  which  is  good,  to  the 

USE  OF  edifying,  THAT    IT   MAY    MINISTER    GRACE    UNTO    THE 

HEARERS."     You  sec  "  the  new  man^''  what  it  means, — '•  That 

WHICH  IS  GOOD,  TO  THE  USE  OF  EDIFYING,  THAT  IT  MAY  MIN- 
ISTER GRACE  UNTO  THE  HEARERS."  How  caii  that  be,  if  we 
have  not  grace  in  our  own  hearts  ?  How  can  we  communicate 
that  which  we  do  not  know  ?  I  cannot  communicate  a  language 
or  a  science  which  I  do  not  know,  a  secret  with  which  I  am  not 
acquainted.  I  cannot  communicate  any  knowledge  which  I  do  not 
possess  myself, — and  how  can  we  communicate  with  our  lips,  or 
'•Minister  grace  unto  the  hearers,"  if  we  have  not  grace 
in  our  hearts  !  Oh,  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is,  if  the  heart  is 
renewed  and  instructed  by  the  word  and  by  the  grace  of  God !  so 
that  "  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  month  may  speak,^^ 
then  indeed  it  will  "  Minister  grace  unto  the  hearers," 
when  it  is  filled  with  grace  itself. 

It  is  my  privilege,  I  perceive,  to  address  a  number  of  females  in 
this  assembly.  There  is  a  swt  of  proverbial  reproach  on  their  sex 
for  the  use,  or  rather  the  abuse,  of  their  tongue.  I  mean  not  to 
say  how  far  this  may  in  many  instances  be  just  or  not.  But  Oh, 
how  blessed  the  use  of  the  tongue  of  the  female  may  be  !  How 
sweet  the  tongue  of  the  mother  communicating  instruction  to  her 
child,  pouring  into  the  infant  ear  the  first  accents  of  truth  and 
love  from  the  word  of  God — distilling  upon  the  earliest  thoughts 
that  spring  up  and  bud  in  the  infant's  breast,  in  "That  sweet  hour 
of  prime,"  those  "  doctrines  that  drop  as  the  rain/^  that  "  speech 
that  distils  as  the  dew,^^  Deut.  xxxii.  2, — of  tender,  faithful,  holy 
instruction  from  the  sacred  volume  of  inspired  truth.  This  is  the 
greatest  blessing  that  can  be  given  to  a  child,  to  have  a  mother 
who  will  teach  it  faithfully. 

So,  next  to  a  Christian  Mother,  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  gieater 
blessing  in  the  world  than  a  faithful  Christian  Instructress  of  the 
infant  mind.  What  a  wonderful  blessing  are  these  very  Infant 
Schools.*  The  instruction  that  is  conveyed  to  the  children  here, 
is  given  in  their  infant  years,  identified  with  all  their  first  and 
easiest  associations,  when  all  their  little  thoughts  and  minds  are 
just  beginning  to  expand  beneath  the  opening  dawn  of  reason^ 
these  instructions  will  remain,  even  when  those  received  at  later 
periods  are  obliterated  from  their  memories.     I  remember  things  I 

*  These  Lectures  were  delivered  in  an  Infant  School. 


412  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

learned  when  I  was  a  little  child  with  far  greater  clearness  and 
intensity  than  I  can  recall  those  things  which  I  have  learned  since. 
1  remember  thoughts  received,  and  sentiments  impressed,  and  les- 
sons learned,  when  I  was  a  child,  while  those  of  many  a  later 
date  have  been  completely  swept  away  from  my  recollection. 
What  a  blessing,  I  say,  is  the  tongue  of  a  tender  Christian  mother, 
or  that  of  a  tender  Christian  instructress,  who  trains  the  infant 
mind  as  his  grandmother  Lois  or  his  mother  Eunice,  Timothy, 
that  ^'■from,  a  child  they  shall  have  learned  the  holy  Scriptures, 
rchich  are  able  to  tnake  them  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus?^  2  Tim.  iii.  15. 

Then,  the  tongue  of  a  sister,  if  she  has  grace  in  her  heart,  how 
sweet  and  blessed  is  its  influence? — how  she  "may  minister 
GRACE "  to  her  brother !  how,  by  her  kindness  and  aflfection  she 
may  allure  him  to  his  home,  from  evil  company  or  from  evil 
habits  ! 

The  tongue  of  the  wife,  who  can  estimate  its  value,  if  "^Ae  law 
of  kindness  is  upon  her  lips ;"  Oh  !  how  sweet,  how  winning  is 
that  charm  !  So  the  Apostle  saitli,  ^'■If  any  obey  not  the  word, 
they  also  inay,  without  the  word,  be  won  by  the  chaste  conversa- 
tion  of  their  ivives,  ivhile  they  behold  your  chaste  conversation 
coupled  with  fear  y    1st  Pel.  iii.  1,  2. 

How  sweet  the  instruction,  too,  of  the  Christian  mistress  to  her 
servants  !  When  we  compare  this  with  the  anger,  the  clamor,  the 
scolding  of  an  impatient  unreasonable  mistress — the  ill-tempered 
and  unruly  tongue  and  spirit  of  a  self-willed,  ungovernable  wife — 
the  alternate  caresses  and  corrections,  alike  ill-judged,  excessive, 
and  injurious,  of  a  foolish,  weak,  indulgent,  injudicious  mother. 
When  we  compare  too  "  the  orna^nent  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit, 
which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price^''  with  the  scandal, 
malice,  gossip,  tattling,  slander^ — -these  curses,  these  pests  of  society 
which  too  often  are  to  be  met  with  in  females, — when  we  look  at 
the  two  characters,  the  character  of  a  Christian  female,  and  of  an 
ungodly,  worldly  female, — the  character  of  one  who  is  going  on 
her  way  to  her  Lord,  and  the  character  of  one  who  is  going  on 
her  way  to  death, — Oh  !  think  of  the  solemn  contrast !  and  pray, 
that  )^ou  may  be  enabled  to  apply  this  practically.  "  Let  no  cor- 
rupt COMMUNICATION  PROCEED  OUT  OF  YOUR  MOUTH,  BUT  THAT 
WHICH  IS  GOOD,  TO  THE  USE  OF  EDIFYING,  THAT  IT  MAY  MIN- 
ISTER   GRACE    UNTO    THE    HEARERS," " «  WOrd   Spokcu    in    duB 

seaso7i,"  saith  Solomon,  "  how  good  is  it  ?"  Prov.  xv.  23.  And 
again  "  a  word  fitly  spoken  is  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of 
silver.^^  Prov.  xxv.  11.  Remember,  how  David  blessed  Abigail, 
when  she  came  to  arrest  him,  by  her  tender,  kind,  judicious,  and 
well-timed  expostulation — how  she  averted  the  heavy  judgment 
that  was  about  to  be  inflicted  on  her  wicked  husband  Nabal,  for 
his  stinginess,  hard-heartedness,  and  ingratitude — how  she  turned 
away  the  sword  of  David,  which  was  to  be  unsheathed  against  all 
her  husband's  house — Recollect  how  David  blessed  her,  and  blessed 
God,  that  God  had  sent  her  to  arrest  his  hand  that  day ! 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  413 

Then,  there  is  another  contrast  between  ^^  the  old  man^^  and 
"  the  new  7nan.^^  There  is  another  work  of  "  the  old  man^'' — to 
grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  to  weary,  to  provoke  the  Lord  to 
anger. 

So  the  Prophet  Isaiah  says,  ^^Hear  ye  now,  O  house  of  David, 
is  it  a  small  thing-  for  you  to  loeary  men,  hut  will  ye  weary  my 
God  also."    Isa.  vii.  13. 

And  again  by  the  same  Prophet  the  Lord  saith,  ^^Thou  hast 
onade  me  to  serve  with  thy  sins,  thou  hast  wearied  m£  with  thine 
iniquities."     Isa.  xhii.  24. 

And  again,  "  They  rebelled  arid  vexed  his  Holy  Spirit ;  there- 
fore he  was  turned  to  he  their  enemy,  and  he  fought  against 
them,P    Isa.  xhii.  10. 

And  so  the  Lord  saith,  before  he  poured  out  the  deluge  on  a 
guilty  world,  '■'■My  Spirit  shall  not  ahvays  strive  with  man,  for 
that  he  also  is  flesh  f  Gen.  vi.  3, — ^man,  by  rebelling  against  God, 
vexing  and  provoking,  as  it  were.  His  Holy  Spirit, — that  is  the 
natural  character  of  man. 

What  can  grieve  a  parent  so  much,  as  to  see  his  child  notwith- 
standing his  kindness,  his  tenderness,  and  his  love,  always  provok- 
ing him — always  doing  what  he  forbids — always  neglecting  to  do 
what  he  desires — deceiving  him — ever  professing  and  promising, 
and  ever  violating  his  word  ; — what  can  wound  or  grieve  a  parent 
so  much  as  that  ?  What  can  so  wound  or  irritate  a  man  as  to  see 
a  servant  to  whom  he  has  been  kind,  indulgent,  considerate,  affec- 
tionate, to  see  that  servant  robbing  him — plundering  him ;  and 
instead  of  rendering  him  any  service,  serving  the  man  who  is  his 
enemy  ?  Yet  this  is  a  picture  of  man,  a  rebel  against  his  God. 
This  is  the  Lord's  complaint  of  Israel,  as  a  child,  ^'•Ihave  nourished 
and  hrought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me." 
Isa.  i.  2.  Such  is  man's  treatment  of  God  as  a  child.  And  as  a 
servant,  not  serving  his  Master,  but  serving  his  enemy — serving 
the  devil,  instead  of  serving  God — ^provoking  Him  in  every  way, 
returning  His  kindness,  love,  long-suffering,  compassion,  and 
mercy  ;  with  ingratitude,  rebellion,  and  enmity  against  Him.  So 
the  Lord  complaineth  by  another  Prophet,  "tI  son  honoreth  his 
father,  and  a  servant  his  Master.  If  I  he  a  father,  where  is 
Tnine  honor  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master,  where  is  my  fear?"    Mai.  i.  6. 

Since  this  is  the  natural  character  of  man,  we  need  not  wonder 
to  meet  this  exhortation  to  the  believer,  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
REDEMPTION."  Oh,  thiiik  what  that  Spirit  has  done  for  you,  if  you 
are  indeed  a  child  of  God  !  He  has  enlightened  your  eyes.  He  has 
opened  your  heart,  to  see  and  to  embrace  the  glory  of  the  love  of 
God,  he  has  taken  you  and  bathed  you  in  the  blood  of  Jesus.  Re- 
member, that  the  whole  work  of  Jesus  is  all  in  vain  for  man,  unless 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  takes  of  the  things  of  Jesus,  and  shows 
them  to  the  sinner's  soul.  There  is  no  testimony  in  the  Scripture 
of  God's  love — of  the  riches  of  His  grace, — of  the  work  that  God 
has  revealed  as  being  wrought  by  His  beloved  Son, — or  of  all  that 


414  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Christ  hath  wrought  for  the  sinner,  that  could  be  of  any  use  to 
man,  more  than  to  the  beast  that  perisheth,  unless  the  Holy  Spirit 
awakens  the  sinner's  heart,  and  writes  on  that  heart  the  blessed 
testimony  of  God  and  of  His  Christ.  It  must  be  ^'■written  not 
with  ink.,  hut  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God :  not  in  tables  of 
stone,  but  in  fleshly  tables  of  the  heartP    2  Cor.  iii.  3. 

Therefore,  consider  what  the  Spirit  has  done  for  your  soul,  if 
you  are  indeed  brought  to  know  and  rest  on  Jesus.  Well  then 
the  Apostle  saith,  "Grieve    not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 

WHEREBY    ye    ARE    SEALED   UNTO  THE    DAY    OP    REDEMPTION." 

Think  what  He  hath  done  for  you, — and  grieve  Him  not.  Re- 
member what  you  owe  Him, — grieve  him  not ;  He  has  sealed  you 
to  the  day  of  redemption ;  He  has  set  his  seal  on  you — He  has 
stamped  you — you  are  His — the  Spirit  of  God  hath  executed  the 
covenant.  It  is  an  image  taken  from  the  sealing  of  a  covenant, 
or  an  agreement,  or  bond,  which  when  sealed,  and  the  person  who 
executes  it  says,  that  is  my  hand  and  seal,  and  I  acknowledge 
that  as  my  act  and  deed, — when  he  does  that,  it  is  executed,  what- 
ever it  be.  So  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  bringing  to  the  sinner's 
heart  the  truth  and  the  salvation  of  Jesus,  seals  him  ;  he  is  sealed 
with  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant ;  he  is  sealed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  a  seal  of  consummation — of  security — - 
of  finality.  He  who  is  sealed  is  made  a  member  of  that  blessed 
covenant,  brought  into  covenant  relation  to  his  God ;  no  longer  an 
outcast  and  alien.  As  we  bad,  you  recollect,  "  Yon  are  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  hiitfelloio-citizens  with  the  saints,  and 
of  the  household  of  God,  and  are  built  upon  the  foundatioii  of 
the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone.  In  whom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together, 
groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord.  In  lohoni  ye  also  are 
builded  together,  for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  i^pirit." 
This  then  is  the  Spirit's  work. 

Thus  the  Apostle  saith  here  of  the  Spirit,  "  Wherehy  ye  are 

SEALED  UNTO  THE   DAY  OF  REDEMPTION."       As  SUlcly  aS  yOU  aie 

brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  He  is  indeed  the  refuge  of 
your  soul,  so  surely  "  Ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 
demption." Are  they  not  then  redeemed  already "?  Yes,  of 
course, — certainly — they  are  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  But 
"  the  day  of  redemption"  spoken  of  here,  is  that  final  day 
when  the  Lord's  people  shall  be  manifested,  as  redeemed  both  in 
body  and  soul ;  their  soul  redeemed  from  hell,  as  their  body  is  re- 
deemed from  the  dust,  and  soul  and  body  together,  in  resurrection 
glory,  rising  to  meet  their  Lord  in  the  air.  This  is  what  he 
speaks  of,  as  "the  day  of  redemption,"  sealed  for  that  glorious 
day,  sealed  for  that  glorious  hope,  set  apart  for  that  glorious  tri- 
umph "  When  the  Lord  shall  come  to  he  glorified  in  His  saints^ 
and  to  he  admired  in  all  them  tliat  believeP  2  Thes.  i.  10. 

Since  then  you  are  sealed  to  that  day  by  the  Holy  Spirit ; — • 
therefore  grieve  not  that  Spirit,^ — grieve  not  Him  Avho  hath  sealed 
you, — set  you  apart  for  such  a  glorious  dav  ;    grieve  not  that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  415 

Spirit  whereby  you  are  brought  into  this  blessed  relation,  and 
whereby  all  the  glorious  work  of  your  adorable  Redeemer  is  ap- 
phed  to  your  soul — grieve  not  that  blessed  Spirit  who  has  sancti- 
fied you — set  you  apart  as  God's  adopted  children.  Since  '•  be- 
cause ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son  into 
your  hearts,  crying  Abba,  Father."  Gal.  iv.  6.  "  Grieve  not  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God." 

The  Apostle  proceeds  to  show  how  He  may  be  grieved,  "  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering;  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance,"  Gal.  v.  22.  Therefore  as 
the  Spirit  lusteth  against  the  flesh — to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of 
the  flesh  is  to  oppose  and  grieve  the  Spirit.  So  the  Apostle 
presses  these  admonitions,  "  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath, 

AND    anger,  and    CLAMOR,  AND    EVIL-SPEAKING,  BE    PUT   AWAY 

FROM  YOU,  WITH  ALL  MALICE."  Let  all  tliesc,  which  are  the 
works  of  the  flesh- — of  "  the  old  m,an,"  "  be  put  away  from 
YOU  ;"  and  "  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind,  and  put  on 
the  new  man."     "Be   ye  kind  one  to  another;"  instead   of 

(I  bitterness,    and    wrath,    and    anger,    and   clamor,"  "  BE 

ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one 
another." 

The  Apostle  does  not  suppose — the  word  of  God  does  not  sup- 
pose, that  there  will  not  be  in  the  believer,  as  there  are,  numerous 
faults.  It  is  impossible  that  we  can  be  together,  it  is  impossible, 
that  we  can  be  united  in  any  bonds,  no  matter  what  they  be,  in 
any  relation  whatever,  however  close  or  dear,  as  husbands,  wives, 
parents,  children,  brothers,  sisters,  masters,  servants — ^or  in  social 
relations,  friends,  neighbors,  fellow-citizens,  fellow-believers,  fellow- 
communicants,  associating  together — it  is  impossible  we  can  lie 
united  in  any  relations,  and  be  much  together  in  these  relations, 
that  we  shall  not  see  in  each  other's  character  and  conduct  some- 
thing of  what  God  sees,  viz.,  that  we  are  poor,  helpless,  weak, 
miserable,  sinners.  And  just  in  proportion  to  the  natural  temper- 
ament of  our  respective  characters,  so,  in  proportion  will  there  be 
evils  developed  in  the  conduct  of  one  person  that  will  offend,  and 
grate  upon  the  feelings  of  another  :  some  person  will  be  wounded 
or  offended  by  some  peculiarity  in  his  relative,  his  connexion,  his 
friend,  or  his  neighbor,  that  another  person  would  pass  by,  and 
with  which  he  would  not  be  offended  at  all.  Hence  it  follows 
that  we  shall  have  mutual  causes  of  forbearance  with  each  other 
in  all  the  varied  relations  of  our  existence.  If  a  child  must  reve- 
rently forbear  with  many  peculiarities  in  a  parent — the  parent 
will  have  perhaps  more  frequent  cause  to  endure  the  provocations 
of  the  child.  If  the  husband  must  treat  with  tenderness  many  of 
the  evils  of  the  wife — the  wife  will  have  equal  cause  to  exercise 
forbearance  with  her  husband.  If  the  brother  must  have  to  bear 
some  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  sister — the  sister  will  be  frequently 
called  on  to  forbear  with  those  of  her  brother.  If  the  master  or 
mistress  require  to  exercise  patience  with  the  servant — the  servant 
will  have  no  less  need  of  patience  with  the  master  or  mistress. 


416  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

If  one  friend  must  pass  over  the  singularities  or  failings  of  another 
— that  other  will  have  no  less  cause  to  exercise  indulgence  to- 
wards him.  It  is  always  the  case.  There  is  so  much  evil  in  all 
our  characters,  that  we  shall  have  great  need  of  forbearance,  pa- 
tience, tenderness,  kindness  and  indulgence  towards  each  other : 
and  so  the  Apostle  saith,   "  Be    ye   kind    one    to    another, 

TENDER-HEARTED,  FORGIVING    ONE    ANOTHER," aS    mucll  aS  tO 

say,  "  you  have  many  things  to  forgive,  and  to  bear  with  in  each 
other."  And  so  we  have.  And  then  why  are  they  to  be  forgiven 
■ — what  is  the  motive?  "Even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
HATH  forgiven  YOU."  Tliis  is  the  great  principle  that  is  to  ac- 
tuate the  whole,  you  are  forgiven  by  God,  the  Lord  has  blotted 
out- your  ten  thousand  talents,  therefore  learn  to  forbear  and  for- 
give the  hundred  pence  of  your  fellow-servant.  And  this,  as  we 
have  before  observed,  is  a  principle  which  the  Lord  puts,  as  a  test, 
on  His  people,  in  that  prayer  which  he  hath  taught  us  to  use, 
'■^forgive  lis  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them  that  trespass 
against  iis^  I  need  not  again  remind  you  that  we  cannot  con- 
sider it  as  a  condition  of  pardon,  for  that  were  to  overturn  the 
Gospel  of  Christ ;  but  it  is  a  test  of  sincerity  and  truth  put  upon 
the  consciences  of  the  children  of  God  when  they  come  to  pray, 
that  they  may  say,  as  it  were,  thus — 

"  Am  I  coming,  with  all  my  mighty  debt,  to  my  blessed  Master 
for  pardon  ?  am  I  coming  in  sincerity  and  truth  to  my  Lord  for 
forgiveness  for  all  my  load  of  sin  ?  and  am  I  cherishing  an  angry, 
unforgiving  temper  or  disposition  to  my  poor  fellow-sinners  for 
their  trifling  offences  against  me  7  Such  an  one  has  provoked 
me  ;  treated  me  badly — ungratefully — cruelly — but  am  I  coming 
to  the  Lord  for  pardon  for  all  my  sins  with  a  wicked  temper,  or  an 
ungodly,  revengeful  spirit  against  my  poor  fellow-sinner  ?" 

You  see,  the  Lord  puts  it,  as  we  have  seen,  as  a  test  on  the 
consciences  of  men  ;  and  we  cannot  come  with  sincerity,  with  our 
mighty  debt — ^w4th  all  our  sins,  to  our  heavenly  Master,  that  in- 
finite love  may  blot  them  all  out — if  we  are  lifting  up,  as  it  were, 
one  hand  for  mercy  to  the  Lord,  with  the  other  on  the  throat  of 
our  fellow-servant  for  his  offences  against  us. 

You  see,  the  motive  is  put  l>y  the  woid  of  God  into  the  heart, 
"Forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
HATH  FORGIVEN  YOU."  What  is  this  to  awaken  in  the  heart? 
Love.  It  is  from  love  to  Him  who  loved  us,  and  hath  blotted  out 
our  sins  with  His  own  blood,  that  our  hearts  are  to  be  filled  with 
love  to  Him.  This  is  the  true  and  only  motive  of  love  to  God 
and  our  fellow-sinners.  So  we  have  it  in  the  words  of  the  hymn 
we  have  just  been  singing, 

"  Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  dove, 

With  all  thy  quickening  powers ; 
Come,  shed  abroad  the  Saviour's  love, 

And  that  vyill  kindle  ours." 

Think  of  this,  and  let  us  pray,  beloved  friends,  that  these 
blessed  truths  may  be  written  on  our  hearts.     Pray  for  me,  that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  417 

they  may  be  written  on  my  heart,  that  I  may  not  be  speaking  of 
love,  and  preaching  of  love,  and  ah  the  blessed  fruits  of  the  Spirit 
to  others,  but  that  I  may  have  love  in  my  heart  and  soul,  engraven 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  practical  lessons,  practical  rules  for  my 
heart,  my  tongue,  my  life.  Thus  I  trust  I  shall  be  enabled  to 
pray  for  you,  that  we  may  be  Christians,  not  in  name  merely,  but 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  and  that  those  who  are  connected  with  us 
may  "  take  knowledge  of  us  that  loe  have  been  with  JestisJ^  Acts 
iv.  13 — that  we  love  our  Lord  and  Master,  and  manifest  that  love 
by  showing  that  it  is  a  living  principle  in  our  hearts,  developed  in 
a  life  of  love,  both  to  God  and  our  fellow-sinners. 


THIRTY-SIXTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

"  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children  ;  And  walk  in  love,  as  Christ 
also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God 
for  a  sweet-smelling  savor.  But  fornication,  and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetousness,  let 
it  not  be  once  named  among  you,  as  becometh  saints;  Neither  filthiness,  nor  foolish 
talking,  nor  jesting,  which  are  not  convenient :  but  rather  giving  of  thanks.  For  this 
ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger,  nor  unclean  person,  nor  covetous  man,  who  is  an 
idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God.  Let  no  man  de- 
ceive you  with  vain  words :  for  because  of  these  things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  children  of  disobedience." 

The  first  verse  of  this  chapter  evidently  shows,  that  it  is  taken 
in  direct  connection  with  the  last  verse  of  that  which  precedes  it, — 

"Be   YE    THEREFORE   FOLLOWERS  OF  GoD,   AS  DEAR  CHILDREN." 

Wherefore  ?  There  must  be  a  reason.  Return  to  the  last  verse  of 
the  preceding  chapter,  'Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender  hearted, 
forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  for  Chrisfs  sake  hath  for- 
given you."  You  are  forgiven — your  sins  are  blotted  out — your 
iniquity  is  cancelled — you  are  reconciled  to  God — you  are  adopted 
into  God's  family — '■'■Because  God,  for  Chris  fs  sake,  hath  forgiven 
you."      "  Be    ye    therefore    followers    of    God   as    dear 

CHILDREN." 

Now  my  dear  brethren,  to  bring  this  single  exhortation  into 
practical  experience  in  the  sinner's  heart,  is  the  very  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  all  true  religion  and  all  true  happiness, — to  bring  this,  I 
say,  so  into  practical  experience,  that  the  believer  may  be  enabled 
to  do  as  he  is  here  commanded,  that  is — to  be  a  follower  of  God  as 
a  dear  child.  I  have  had  continual  occasion  to  set  before  you,  in 
Lectures  on  the  Scriptures,  the  great  difference,  or  rather,  the  en- 
tire opposition  that  there  is  between  the  natural  ideas  that  men 

27 


418  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

have  on  this  subject,  and  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  The  natural 
mind  of  men,  even  of  those  who  are  the  most  rehgious  in  any  re- 
hgion  that  is  not  that  of  the  Gospel — I  say  the  natural  mind  of 
the  most  religious  persons  always  adopt  this  principle — that  they 
shall  endeavor  to  follow  God,  in  order  that  they  become  God's 
children.  Now,  this  is  the  very  reverse  of  the  truth,  and  of  this 
text,  because  the  truth  is,  that  those  who  are  really  followers  of 
God,  are  followers  of  God,  not  that  they  may  become  his  children, 
but  because  they  are  his  children.  You  see  the  total  opposition 
there  is  between  these  two  principles.  To  endeavor  to  serve  God,  in 
order  that  you  may  become  his  child.  And  to  endeavor  to  serve  God, 
or  rather  to  serve  Him  willingly,  because  you  are  his  child  already. 

The  objection  that  is  immediately  presented  to  the  natural  mind 
on  hearing  this  truth  is,  "  Well  then,  if  following  God  is  not  to 
make  me  His  cliild,  how  am  I  to  become  His  child  ?  how  is  man  to 
become  a  child  of  God,  unless  by  following  Him  and  serving  Him  ?" 

Here  we  come  directly  to  the  fundamental  error  of  the  natural 
mind,  and  as  directly  to  the  principles  of  the  Gospel  which  are  op- 
posed to  it.  You  are  made  a  child  of  God,  not  by  following  Him, 
— not  by  serving  Him, — not  by  doing  anything  for  Him,  to  recom- 
mend yourself  to  His  favor, — for  you  cannot  do  any  thing  to  make 
yourself  a  child  of  God,^t  is  not  in  your  power, — there  is  no 
means  which  you  can  possibly  adopt  by  which  to  attain  any 
righteousness  that  can  commend  you  as  a  fallen  sinner  to  God — 
there  is  no  effort  of  your  own  by  which  you  can  possibly  be  made 
a  child  of  God, — or  brought  in  the  least  degree  into  his  favor. 
You  can  only  be  a  child  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  is 
the  glory  of  the  Gospel, — Christ  Jesus  hath  wrought  the  work, 
Christ  hath  finished  redemption,— Christ  hath  completed  salva- 
tion,— -''  Ye  who  were  afar  off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of 
Christ  f — ^^  Christ  is  all.''''  Now  mark  again  the  last  verse  of  the 
preceding  chapter,  ^'■Even  as  God,  for  Chrisfs  sake,  hath  for- 
given youP  Mark,  I  say,  these  words,  if  it  be  '■'■for  ChrisVs 
sake,^''  it  cannot  be  for  any  other  cause.  If  that  be  the  cause 
of  your  salvation,  nothing  else  can  be  the  cause  of  it :  and 
if  you  know  that  that  is  the  cause  of  your  forgiveness,  then 
here,  and  here  alone,  is  rest  for  your  soul, — "  Ye  are  all  the 
children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus."  Gal.  iii.  26.  Trust 
in  Christ,  and  all  the  salvation  of  Christ  is  yours  ;  you  are  made 
a  child  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus.  Therefore  if  there  are  any  here 
who  are  not  his  children,  Oh  '^Repent,  and  believe  the  Gospel." 

As  long  as  your  mind  is  in  doubt  and  ignorance  on  this  subject,  so 
long  you  never  can  serve  God  freely  or  happily.  You  never  can  serve 
God  freely — because  you  never  can  serve  Him  in  His  appointed 
way.  You  are  in  bondage  under  the  law — you  are  forever  labor- 
ing to  perform  a  task  which  you  feel  you  are  wholly  unable  to  ac- 
complish. You  never  can  serve  God  happily,  because  there  is 
always  a  burden  on  your  conscience, — your  conscience  is  always 
afraid.  There  is  always  apprehension — fear — ^doubt — respecting 
the  acceptance  of  your  soul  with  God  ;  and  therefore,  there  is  no 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  419 

freedom,  no  liberty,  no  love,  no  peace,  no  consolation,  no  true, 
genuine  principle  of  solid,  Christian  obedience.  If  we  are  to  obey 
God,  there  is,  as  I  have  often  shown,  but  one  principle  that  God 
admits  as  a  principle  of  obedience,  and  that  is — Love.  But  it  is 
impossible  that  Love  can  exist  in  the  heart,  so  long  as  the  sinner 
is  striving  to  make  himself  a  child  of  God  by  his  own  righteous- 
ness— or  to  make  peace  with  God  by  his  own  efforts,  instead  of 
coming  boldly  to  God  to  obtain  mercy,  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.  As  long  as  the  sinner  expects  that  he  is  to  come  for  ac- 
ceptance to  God  in  whole  or  in  part  through  his  own  efforts  or  his 
own  righteousness,  so  long  the  consciousness  of  sin  must  ever  shut 
out  all  confidence  in  coming  for  acceptance  to  God.  But  when  he 
comes  through  Christ,  the  consciousness  of  his  sin  and  helpless- 
ness is  the  very  ground  on  which  he  turns  to  his  Saviour.  Your 
bemg  a  smner  cannot  hinder  you  from  being  a  child  of  God 
through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus ;  for,  if  it  could,  no  living  mortal 
could  be  a  child  of  God.  Sin  cannot  come  between  the  sinner  and 
God,  Avhen  the  sinner  comes  to  Jesus, — when  feeling  his  lost  con- 
dition, and  that  no  virtue,  no  labor  of  his  own,  can  do  anything  for 
his  soul — he  cries — -"None  but  Christ" — "None  but  Christ."  Sin 
cannot  therefore  shut  you  out  from  God,  when  you  come  to  Christ ; 
because  when  you  come  to  Christ,  your  sins  are  cancelled :  when 
you  bring  your  sins  to  Jesus,  they  are  cast  into  the  fountain  of  his 
precious  blood,  and  blotted  out  forever,  "  their  sins  and  iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more.''    Heb.  x.  17. 

Therefore,  let  no  terror  of  conscience  prevent  you  from  coming 
to  Christ, — but  come  with  your  burden  to  Him,  and  cast  that  bur- 
den on  Him  without  doubt  or  fear.  Then  shall  you  see  "  The 
Sim  of  Righteousness  arise  ivith  healing  in  his  wings,'''  Mai.  iv.  2, 
on  your  soul.  "  In  hitn  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
menP  John  i.  4.  He  saith — "  /  am  the  light  of  the  world :  he 
that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the 
light  of  life.''  John  viii.  12,  •'  and  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is 
in  the  light,  we  shall  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  deanseth  us  from  all  sin."     1  John  i.  7. 

Here  alone  is  Rest  for  your  conscience — here  alone  Refuge  for 
your  soul.  But  it  is  a  full,  a  perfect  Refuge — and  when  you  fly  to 
this,  then  learn,  that  "  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven  j/on." 
Every  sinner  that  looks  to  Jesus,  God  through  Christ  has  forgiven 
that  sinner.  If  you  are  looking  to  Jesus — you  are  forgiven,  it  is  a 
present  salvation. 

You  are  not  to  live  here,  as  you  naturally  think,  in  a  state  of 
bondage  to  sin — of  appreheusion — and  of  guilty  fear,  till  the  day 
of  judgment  clears  up  the  doubt,  as  you  imagine ;  and  then,  it  is 
to  be  known  who  is  to  be  saved,  and  who  is  not.  Instead  of  living 
in  this  unhappy  state,  your  privilege,  nay,  your  only  true  religion 
is,  to  live  in  present  pardon,  in  the  enjoyment  of  present  forgive- 
ness, peace,  remission,  complete  remission  of  all  your  sins  ;  for  if 
you  are  indeed  in  Christ,  they  are  completely  cancelled ;  and  you 
can  look  up,  and  come  with  confidence,  and  joy.  and  peace  to  your 


420  LECTUllES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

reconciled  Father  and  your  God  as  his  child  ; — so  "  Be   ye  fol- 
lowers OF  God  as  dear  children." 

Now  let  me  intreat  you,  brethren,  to  ask  your  own  consciences 
this  question — "  Is  this  a  settled  truth  in  my  heart  to-day — that  1 
can  come  with  confidence  to  my  Lord,  as  a  reconciled  God  and 
Father  through  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  Jesus  ?  Can  1. 
come  with  confidence,  with  all  my  sins — all  my  iniquity — Can  1 
come  with  confidence  to  my  precious  Saviour,  and  trust  in  Him 
for  all  that  are  cancelled  in  His  blood  ?  Can  I  lift  up  my  eyes 
through  Him  with  joy  and  peace  to  God  ?" 

If  you  cannot  do  so.  rest  satisfied  either  that  there  is  some  great 
ignorance  in  your  mind,  of  what  the  truth  is,  or,  though  you  may 
know  that  such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  you  are  not 
living  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  and  trusting  in  Him  as  you 
ought  to  do.  Either  you  do  not  know  what  the  ground  of  a  sin- 
ner's hope  is ;  or  else,  if  you  know  it,  as  a  system  of  doctrine,  you 
do  not  believe  it  as  a  solid  truth.  What  is  the  use  of  your  know- 
ing that  there  is  a  refuge  for  the  smner  in  Christ,  if  you  do  not  rest 
your  soul  on  His  salvation  I  or  what  is  to  hinder  you  from  resting 
your  soul  on  Christ?  You  will  find  that  self-righteousness  lies  at 
the  root  of  your  unbelief.  There  is  some  pride  of  your  own  heart, 
that  borrows  the  veil  of  humility,  and  imposes  on  you  in  that  spe- 
cious garb. 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  fit — I  am  too  great  a  sinner  to  trust  in  Christ  for 
pardon." 

See  what  pride,  self-righteousness,  and  unbelief  is  in  that  sen- 
tence.    For  what  does  it  mean  but  this  ?     "  If  I  were  but  a  little 
more  fit — a  little  better — if  I  had  a  little  more  righteousness — then 
I  might  come  to  Christ.'"     This  seeming  humility,  is  pride — this 
seeming  self-condemnation,  is  really  self-righteousness.     You  are 
thinking  that  some  of  your  sins  render  you  unfit  to  cast  the  re- 
mainder on  Christ,  and  wishing  for  some  righteousness  to  entitle 
you  to  do  so  !     How  easily  are  we  blinded  and  deceived  by  some 
corruptions  of  which  we  are  not  aware  !     There  is  still  some  ex- 
cuse for  unbelief  that  Satan  is  ever  suggesting  to  the  soul.     You 
are  not  simply  taking  God  at  His  word,  and  going  with  all  your 
sins,  whatever  they  are,  and  your  unbelief,  which  is  one  of  the 
worst  of  them,  bringing  that  along  with  the  rest  of  your  sins,  and 
casting  them  all  into  the  fountain  of  Immanuel's  blood.     Come, 
yea,  come  boldly  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  and  trust  your  Lord  with 
confidence  and  hope,  and  joy  and  peace.     Behold  your  sins  as  all 
done  away  in  Christ,  and  when  you  feel  sin,  as  you  continually 
do,  coming  into  your  heart  and  conscience,  bring  it,  as  fast  as  it 
comes,  to  Christ.     "  The  life"  saith  the  Apostle,  "  that  I  now  live  in 
the  flesh,  I  live  hy  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  for  me."     Gal.  ii.  20.     Faith  is  not  an  act  of  the 
mind  that  takes  place,  as  it  were,  to-day,  and  then  is  done.     Faith 
is  a  continual  successive  act — is  a  continual  exercise  of  the  heart 
on  God's  word,  a  continual  turning  of  the  conscience  for  cleansing 
to  God's  promises  in  Christ,  producing  in  its  due  eflfect  an  habitual 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  421 

trusting  of  the  heart  and  soul  on  God's  testimony.  "  Remember 
the  iDord  u7ito  thy  servant  upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to 
hope^^  saith  David,  Psabn  cxix.  49.  You  have  a  constant  neces- 
sity for  the  salvation  revealed  in  the  word,  a  perpetual  need  for 
trusting  in  it,  so  Faith,  in  its  right  exercise,  is  a  continual  going 
forth,  as  it  were,  of  your  heart  on  God's  promises,  and  trusting  in 
these  promises  of  which  you  have  need.  You  do  not  think  of  eat- 
ing once,  and  saying,  this  satisfies  me  forever ; — there  is  a  con- 
tinually-recurring feeling  of  weakness  and  hunger  in  your  animal 
frame,  and  you  are  obliged  to  supply  your  necessities  with  food 
and  drink, — so,  there  is  a  continual  weakness — a  continual  sink- 
ing of  the  spiritual  life — a  fainting,  a  readiness  to  perish  without 
spiritual  sustenance,  and  therefore  it  wants  continual  revival  and 
support  with  ''  The  Bread  of  Life,^^  Therefore,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  set  up  before  us  under  the  emblems  of  bread  and  wine ; 
so  we  say,  "  Feed  on  him,  in  your  heart  by  faith  with  thanks- 
giving-."  "  Feed  on  him." — You  want  continually  the  support  of 
this  food,  and  Jesus  is  "  The  Bread  of  life.''''  "  Feed  on  him." 
"  Drink  this  in  remembrance  that  Christ'' s  blood  ivas  shed  for 
you,  and  be  thankful."  Remember,  that  that  precious  blood  was 
shed  for  you,  and  that  it  "  cleauseth  us  from  all  sin."  So  saith 
our  adorable  Lord  Himself,  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life,  hethat  cometh 
to  m,e  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  beUeveth  on  me  shall  never 
thirst."     John  vi.  35. 

I  know,  that  in  one  sense,  the  belief  of  the  Gospel  is  an  act  done 
once  for  all  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner ;  so  that,  when  the  sinner 
does  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  is  '■'■justified  from  all 
things,"  Acts  xiii.  39,  and  there  is  no  condemnation  to  him.  But 
though  that  is  the  case  in  one  sense — ^yet,  he  requires,  in  another 
sense,  to  have  his  soul  continually  going  forth  in  the  same  exer- 
cise of  faith  and  trust  in  his  Lord,  as  if  he  had  never  believed  be- 
fore. He  requires  ever  to  hold  fast  that  blessed  hope.  "  We  are 
m^ade  partakers  of  Christ,  if  ive  hold  the  beginning  of  our  con- 
fidence steadfast  unto  the  end."  Heb.  iii.  14.  The  truth  that 
first  gives  us  peace  and  comfort,  we  must  hold  fast — stead  fast  unto 
the  end.  Consider  how  important  it  is  to  have  the  truth  settled 
in  your  mind.  When  we  are  exhorted  to  moral  duties,  we  must 
have  the  principles  on  which  they  are  inculcated  established  in  the 
heart.  I  must  continually  press  on  you  these  principles,  for  I 
know  how  continually  the  heart  forgets  them. 

Mark  how  they  are  implied  in  these  first  words,  "Be  ye  there- 
fore   FOLLOWERS    OF    GoD,    AS    DEAR    CHILDREN."        "  iVo    morC 

strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and 
of  the  household  of  God."  as  we  had  in  chapter  ii.  You  are  no 
more  aliens,  but  children  of  God,  and  not  only  children,  but "  dear 
CHILDREN."  As  surely  as  you  are  a  child,  you  are  a  dear  child 
— then  walk  so.  Let  that  point  be  settled  in  your  consciences. 
Trust  in  your  heavenly  Father.  Come  to  your  heavenly  Father 
— as  a  Father,  and  walk  "as  dear  children" — in  love,  and  in 
the  full  confidence  of  your  Father's  love.     "  God  com,mendeth  his 


422  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Love  toward  us,  in  that,  tvhile  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died 
for  us."  Rom.  v.  8.  Therefore  walk  in  the  confidence  of  your 
Father's  love,  and  in  the  exercise  of  love  to  Him. 

When  you  believe  that  God  loves  you — when  you  believe  that 
God  pardons  you — that  God  bears  with  you — that  God  keeps  you 
— when  you  believe  that  God  watches  over  you — that  He  contin- 
ually delivers  you — when  you  believe  He  is  your  strength — your 
refuge — your  salvation — your  peace — your  all — When  you  under- 
stand what  He  means  when  He  says,  '■'■  I  will  he  their  God,  and 
they  shall  be  my  peojile'^ — when  you  believe,  He  is  your  God — 
your  heavenly  Father  ; — this  it  is,  that  draws  out  the  aftections  of 
your  heart,  and  teaches  j'^ou  to  love  your  glorious  Master.  It  is 
not  the  work  of  a  slave,  to  serve  the  Lord — it  is  not  the  wretched, 
heartless,  mournful  obedience  of  a  Pharisee — of  an  ascetic,  who  is 
continually  denying  himself  almost  the  necessaries  of  life — morti- 
fying and  punishing  himself — leading,  what  he  calls  a  holy  life, 
thinking  he  serves  and  pleases  God  by  making  himself  miserable 
— No — it  is  our  pleasure — our  joy — our  happiness^ — to  serve  the 
Lord,  when  we  know  that  God  is  ovu'  Father.  It  is  the  true,  the 
solid  enjoyment  and  liberty  of  life  to  serve  our  Father.  It  is  not 
mortification. 

We  are  desired  indeed  to  '■'■Mortify  our  members  which  are  upon 
the  earth,  fornication,  uncleanncss,  inordinate  affection,  evil  con- 
cupiscence, and  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry  ;"  Col.  iii.  5,  but  it 
is  pleasure  to  do  so ;  yea,  the  greatest  pleasure  that  a  believer  can 
enjoy,  is  the  subjugation  of  his  evil  propensities,  for  his  Lord  and 
Master.  Travail  is  pain, — toil  is  pain, — weariness  is  pain  ; — but 
if  travail,  toil,  and  weariness  are  undertaken  and  endured  for  one 
we  love,  they  cease  to  be  pain ; — they  are  turned  into  pleasure.  It 
is  a  delight  to  undergo  any  labor,  or  any  toil,  for  the  person  we 
love.  The  toil  is  forgotten,  the  pain  is  turned  to  enjoyment. 
Although  it  maybe  pain  and  toil  considered  in  itself — it  is  no  pain, 
no  toil,  considered  in  reference  to  our  own  hearts  when  we  love  the 
person  for  whom  we  undergo  it.  So,  mortification  of  sin,  self- 
mortification,  is  no  mortification  when  we  mortify  sin  for  the  love 
of  our  heavenly  Father.  Then  it  is  a  pleasure  to  deny  ourselves 
anything  for  our  Lord's  glory  and  service — anything — however  it 
would  be  for  the  gratification  of  the  flesh.  Therefore  mortification 
ceases  to  be  mortification — labor,  labor — toil,  toil — in  that  sense  ; 
because  all  is  love.  So,  when  the  heart  is  set  at  liberty  by  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  Jesus,  then  it  is  at  liberty  indeed,  set  free 
from  the  bondage  of  the  law  and  of  fear,  to  serve  its  God ;  so  the 
Psalmist  saith,  ^'^  I  will  walk  at  liberty  ;  for  I  seek  thy  precepts." 
'■'•  I  ivill  run  in  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when  thou  shalt 
enlarge  m,y  heart."  When  the  heart  is  set  at  lilierty  from  the 
bondage  of  sin — of  the  dread  of  death  and  hell,  then  it  is  at  liberty 
to  serve  its  God.  So  saith  the  Apostle,  '■^But  now,  being  made 
free  from,  sin,  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit 
unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life."    Rom.  vi.  22.     So 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  423 

saith  our  Lord,  "i/"  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  youfree^  ye  shall 
he  free  indeed^''  John  viii.  36. 

"Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God  as  dear  chil- 
dren." Walk  not.  and  live  not  in  slavery,  in  a  slavish  fear  and 
apprehension  of  your  judge ;  but  "  walk  in  love,"  the  love  of 
your  Father, — your  reconciled  Father, — your  gracious  Father, — 
your  tender  Fatlier, — who  hath  so  loved  you — of  your  dear  Lord 
who  hath  given  Himself  for  you ;  "  Walk  in  love,  as  Christ 

ALSO  hath  loved  US,  AND  HATH  GIVEN  HIMSELF  FOR  US,  AN 
OFFERING    AND  A  SACRIFICE    TO  GoD    FOR    A    SWEET    SMELLING 

SAVOR."  Therefore,  you  see,  the  great  joy,  the  great  privilege  the 
believer  possesses  is  this,  that  his  sins  being  pardoned,  being  ac- 
cepted with  his  God,  boing  reconciled  to  his  God,  duty  becomes 
pleasure,  for  His  '•'■  service  is  i^erfect  freedomP 

This  it  is  that  accounts  for  that,  which  is  wholly  unaccountable 
to  the  natural  mind,  namely  the  difference  that  exists  between  the 
pleasures  of  the  believer  and  the  pleasures  of  the  world. 

A  worldly  man  or  woman,  when  they  see  a  person  become  relig- 
ious, says,  "Oh  that  person  has  given  up  the  world,  he  has  given 
up  all  the  pleasures,  the  enjoyments  of  life." 

And  there  are  many  persons  whom  I  have  known  and  heard, 
who  say, 

"I  would  not  become  religious — or  I  must  give  up  all  my 
pleasures,  and  all  my  enjoyments  ;  surely  there  is  no  occasion  for 
this." 

So,  they  really  think  that  persons  give  up  enjoyment  and  hap- 
piness, because  they  do  not  go  into  the  pursuits  in  which  the  world 
takes  pleasure,  as  public  amusements,  balls,  theatres,  races,  revel- 
lings  of  various  kinds.  I  just  mention  these  sort  of  things,  because 
they  are  worldly  amusements,  and  worldly  men  say,  "  If  I  were 
to  become  religious,  I  should  give  up  all  these — ^all  my  pleas- 
ures, company,  enjoyments,  and  they  actually  think  that  a  relig- 
ious person  undergoes  great  mortification  and  pain  in  giving  up 
such  things. 

Now,  it  is  totall}^  the  reverse.  It  is  true  indeed,  persons  who 
are  religious  do  not  enter  into  these  things.  But  why  ?  In  the 
first  place,  they  have  really  no  pleasure  in  them,  they  could  give 
them  no  enjoyment.  It  is  not  only  that  they  know  that  such  things 
are  in  opposition  to  God's  will,  and  to  God's  word.  But  they  know 
that,  from  such  things,  God  is  totally  excluded,  and  therefore,  they 
can  have  no  pleasure  in  them.  They  do  not  give  up  pleasure, 
they  do  not  renounce  gratification,  for  these  things  would  not 
really  please  them.  Would  it  be  enjoyment  to  you  to  be  in  a  com- 
pany where,  if  the  name  of  the  person  who  was  dearest  to  you  on 
earth  was  mentioned,  it  would  be  scoffed  at,  or  thought  not  fit  to 
be  spoken  of  there  %  Now  a  believer  can  have  no  pleasure  in  a 
place,  where,  if  he  should  mention  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — the 
blessing  of  serving  his  Lord  and  Master — the  glory  of  His  salva- 
tion— it  would  be  considered  a  perfect  mockery  of  the  person  whom 
he  addressed,  of  all  the  persons  present,  and  of  all  that  the  people 


424  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

were  doing.  Suppose  a  man  standing  up  on  a  race-course  to  ask 
God's  blessing  on  a  race  ! — or  in  a  theatre,  to  invoke  the  blessing 
of  God  on  a  Tragedy — a  Comedy — or  a  Farce  ! — Suppose,  if  you 
can,  a  man  standing  up  in  a  ball-room  to  supplicate  a  blessing  on 
a  Q,uadrille — a  Waltz — or  a  Polka  !  Would  it  not  seem  a  mock- 
ery of  God  ?  Surely  every  one  present  would  exclaim,  "  There  is 
a  time  for  everything" — "  What  business  has  religion  here  ?"  No 
business  at  all,  certainly,  and  therefore  the  person  who  has  any 
true  religion  has  no  business  there — no  happiness,  no  enjoyment 
there.  Can  a  Christian  be  happy  where  the  very  name  of  his 
Lord  were  an  intrusion  ? — where  to  ask  His  blessing  were  a  mock- 
ery 1  If  a  person  were  to  say  to  me,  "  Would  you  have  me  give 
up  such  an  amusement — or  such  another  pleasure  ?"  I  would 
answer,  "  Do  you  believe  in  your  heart,  that  this  amusement  or 
this  pleasure  is  consistent  with  your  character  as  a  servant  of 
God?  If  not — then  if  it  is  a  question  with  you,  whether  you  are 
to  give  them  up  or  not, — if  your  heart  is  in  them,  it  is  to  be  feared 
it  is  not  right  with  God.  It  is  to  be  feared  you  know  nothing  of 
Christ.  But  deal  honestly  with  yourself  Let  conscience  do  her 
office.  Let  me  ask  you  one  question — Can  you  conscientiously 
kneel  down  in  your  closet,  and  ask  the  Lord  to  accompany  you 
there  ?  Can  you  expect  His  presence  and  His  blessing  there  ?  If 
He  shall  come,  or  sunniion  you,  can  you  be  ready  there  ?  If  not 
— then  if  you  are  a  Christian,  most  certainly  you  can  have  no  en- 
joyment there.  As  the  flowers  must  droop  and  wither  when 
placed  where  the  sun  cannot  enter,  so  must  the  believer's  heart 
where  there  is  no  place  for  Him  who  is  his  "  lig-ht  and  his  salva- 
tio?i"  Psal.  xxvii.  L 

Therefore,  to  "walk  in  love"  rectifies  all  these  things  in  the 
believer's  heart  and  conscience.  He  sees  and  knows  at  once,  by 
the  test  of  love,  what  he  is  to  do,  and  what  he  is  not  to  do.  Love 
is  an  instinctive  judge  of  that  which  wounds  its  beloved,  and  thus, 
is  really  the  test.  "  Shall  I  go  here,  into  this  society  ?  Shall  I  go 
there,  into  that  amusement.^  Is  my  Master  there?  Will  my 
Lord  be  present?  Can  I  look  for  His  smile?  Can  I  ask  my 
Saviour's  blessing  in  it?  Can  I  lift  up  my  eyes  to  Him  without  a 
blush,  and  say,  ^  Lord,  here  am  I  ?'  If  I  cannot,  what  pleasure 
can  I  have?  what  enjoyment  can  it  be  to  me?"  That  one 
thought,  that  one  single  thought  decides  the  matter. — If  Jesus  is 
not  there — If  I  cannot  expect  His  presence  or  implore  His  blessing 
— then  what  pleasure  is  there  for  my  soul  ?  What  is  the  world 
to  me  ?" 

Ask  one  who  has  inhabited  and  enjoyed  the  sunshine  of  a  trop- 
ical clime,  "  Will  you  come  and  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  a  Polar 
night?"  "  What !"  he  would  say,  "  Is  not  the  sun  excluded  there? 
— Is  not  the  light  of  heaven  shut  out? — and  do  you  bid  me  leave 
my  happy  glowing  clime,  where  I  am  accustomed  to  bask  in  the 
light  and  heat  of  the  sun,  and  seek  for  happiness  in  regions  of 
eternal  frost,  of  darkness,  and  the  shadow  of  death  ?" 

So  might  the  believer  ask,  "  Do  you  bid  me  seek  for  pleasure 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  425 

where  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  never  shines? — where  all  the 
passing  gleams  of  earthly  pleasure  and  enjoyment  are  like  the 
fitful  flashings  of  the  northern  lights,  that  faintly  flit  along  the 
sky,  to  supply  the  absence  of  the  sun  in  the  dreary  polar  night? 
How  shall  the  children  of  light  have  pleasure  or  enjoyment  in  the 
place  where  darkness  reigns  ?" 

This  test  settles  the  case  satisfactorily  to  the  conscience  of  the 
believer,  gives  him  at  once  a  standard  of  judgment  for  his  pleasures. 
This  proves,  that  to  become  religious  is  not  to  give  up  happiness 
and  true  enjoyment.  Religion  was  never  designed  to  abridge,  but 
to  increase  our  happiness  ten-fold ;  yea,  ten  hundred  thousand 
fold.  The  believer  has  more  true  happiness  in  his  darkest  hour 
of  trial  and  sorrow,  that  the  unconverted  sinner  has,  or  ever  had, 
in  the  greatest  happiness  he  ever  enjoyed,  or  can  enjoy  on  earth. 
The  believer,  in  the  hours  of  trial,  sorrow,  and  aflSiction,  whatever 
they  be,  still  has  a  refuge  to  which  his  soul  can  turn.  It  may  be 
night  with  him,  yea,  even  a  dark  and  stormy  night ;  but  still, 
though  "  heaviness  may  endure  for  a  night,  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning.''''  Dark  and  gloomy  though  the  vista  may  be,  of  the 
long  and  weary  pilgiimage  that  is  spread  before  him,  there  is  a 
blessed  gleam  of  light — there  is  a  star  that  shoots  its  ray  through- 
out its  length, 

"  With  its  long-levelled  rule  of  streaming  light — •' 

even  the  Star  of  Bethlehem  that  guides  and  cheers  him  on  his 
way. 

But  the  poor,  blind,  ignorant,  unconverted  sinner  ! — what  has 
he  to  look  to?  What  light  to  cheer  him  when  his  day  is  gone? 
His  sun  is  about  to  set.  The  night  is  closing  upon  him.  The 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death — the  bar  of  judgment  lie  before 
him — where  are  all  his  pleasures  and  enjoyments  then  ?  His 
lamp  is  put  out  in  death  and  outer  darkness  forever. 

"  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children  ; 

AND  WALK  IN  LOVE,  AS  ChRIST  ALSO  HATH  LOVED  US,  AND  HATH 
GIVEN  HIMSELF  FOR  US  AN  OFFERING  AND  A  SACRIFICE  TO  GoD 

FOR  A  SWEET-SMELLING  SAVOR."  What  a  privilege  to  be  able  to 
walk,  not  in  guilt  and  terror,  but  "in  love"  toward  God.  And 
not  in  malice  and  envy,  but  "  in  love"  toward  each  other.  "  In 
love"  toward  God,  for  Christ  is  our  Surety.  "  In  love"  toward 
each  other,  for  Christ  is  our  Example.  "  In  love"  toward  God, 
"As  Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  given  himself  for 

US,  AN  offering  AND  A  SACRIFICE  TO  GoD  FOR  A  SWEET-SMELL- 
ING SAVOR."  The  work  of  our  glorious  Surety  and  Covenant- 
Head  is  accomplished.  "  It  is  finished.''''  John  xix.  30 — The  offer- 
ing is  accepted. — Salvation  is  completed. — The  sacrifice  has  as- 
cended to  God,  and  God  receives  it. — God  is  well  pleased  with  it. 
"  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  lam  well  jtleasedr  Mat.  xvii.  5. 
This  is  pardon. — This  is  peace. — This  is  salvation. — Come  to  your 
reconciled  Father,  and  "  walk  in  love." 


426  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

We  need  not  envy  monaichs  their  crowns — their  kingdoms — all 
that  tliey  enjoy,  if  thus  we  have  peace,  and  can  "  walk  in  love" 
with  God  through  Christ  Jesus.  If  we  can  enter  into  our  closets, 
and  shut  to  the  door,  and  pray  in  the  confidence  of  faith  and  love 
to  our  Father. — If  we  be  thrown  on  beds  of  suffering  and  of  sor- 
row, and  can  turn  to  our  God  as  Hezekiah  did  on  his  bed  of  sick- 
ness— if  we  be  afflicted — bereaved — despised  and  persecuted — yet, 
if  we  can  come  and  pray  to  our  God, — ^and  walk  in  humble  faith 
and  love  with  Him,  through  our  glorious  Surety, — if  we  can  do 
this,  dear  friends,  we  need  not  envy  all  the  monarchs  of  the  world. 
To  walk  in  peace  with  God  as  a  forgiven  child — To  walk  in  love 
with  Him  on  this  assured  and  everlasting  foundation,  that "  Christ 

HATH  LOVED  US,  AND  GIVEN  HIMSELF  FOR  US."       Tllis  is  joy  and 

blessing  for  time  and  eternity. 

But  ''  Walk  in  love"  not  only  toward  God,  but  toward  each 
other,  "As  Christ  also  hath  loved  us  and  given  himself 
FOR  us."  Christ  is  not  only  our  Surety,  but  our  Example ;  and 
the  example  of  His  love  in  dying  for  us,  is  pressed  on  us  as  the 
motive  of  love  even  to  death,  for  the  brethren.  See  how  it  is  en- 
forced by  the  Apostle  John,  '■'■  Hereby,^''  saith  he,  ^'■perceive  loe  the 
love  of  God,  because  he  laid  doion  his  life  for  us,  and  we  ought 
to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren.  But  ivhoso  Itath  this 
world's  goods,  and  seeth  his  brothor  have  need,  and  shutteth  up 
his  bowels  of  compassion  from  hhn,  how  dioelleth  the  love  of  God 
in  him  ?  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  iti  word,  neither  in 
tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  we 
are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  himP  I  John 
iii.  16-19. 

So  here  the  Apostle  Paul  enforces  the  practical  power  and  in- 
fluence of  love.  "Walk  in  love."  That  is,  let  Love  direct 
your  steps.     Let  every  movement  be  in  the  path  of  Love. 

The  Apostle  then  subjoins  some  of  the  proofs  and  testimonies 
that  believers  are  to  give  in  the  purity  of  their  life  and  conversa- 
tion that  they  really  walk  in  love.  So  he  saith,  "But  fornica- 
tion AND  ALL  UNCLEANNESS,  OR  COVETOUSNESS,  LET  IT  NOT  BE 
ONCE  NAMED  AMONG  YOU,  AS  BECOMETH  SAINTS,  NEITHER 
FILTHINESS,  nor  foolish  talking,  or  jesting,  which  ARE 
NOT  CONVENIENT,  BUT  RATHER  GIVING  OF  THANKS  ;  FOR  THIS 
YE  KNOW,  THAT  NO  WHOREMONGER,  OR  UNCLEAN  PERSON,  OR 
COVETOUS  MAN,  WHO  IS  AN  IDOLATER,  HATH  ANY  INHERITANCE 
IN  THE  KINGDOM  OF  ChRIST  AND  OF  GoD.  LeT  NO  MAN  DE- 
CEIVE YOU  WITH  VAIN  WORDS,  FOR  BECAUSE  OF  THESE  THINGS, 
COMETH  THE  WRATH  OF  GoD  UPON  THE  CHILDREN  OF  DISOBE- 
DIENCE." verses  3 — 6.  He  shows  that  these  things  which  consti- 
tute the  prevailing  sins,  pursuits,  and  pleasures  of  the  world  in 
practice  and  conversation,  are  all  to  be  excluded  from  the  conver- 
sation and  practice  of  the  believer, — "Fornication,  and  all 
UNCLEANNESS,  OR  COVETOUSNESS."  We  need  not  dwell  on  each 
of  the  vices  that  are  here  specified.  The  Apostle  had  thus  described, 
as  we  saw  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  state  of  all  the  nations. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  427 

"  Who  being  past  feeling,  have  given  themselves  over  unto  lascivi- 
onsness,  to  rvork  all  uncleanness  ivith  greediness."  iv.  19.  The 
word  there  translated  '■■greediness"  with  which,  as  it  were,  they 
coveted  the  indulgence  of  every  evil  passion,  is  here  translated 
"  covETOusNESs,"  and  while  some  learned  men  have  contended 
that  it  should  here  be  used  in  a  similar  signification,  I  shall  follow 
the  simplicity  of  our  translation,  and  take  it  just  as  it  is,  "  covet- 

OUSNESS." 

Now  let  us  consider  this  sin.  The  whole  world  is  occupied, 
more  or  less  in  every  sphere  of  life,  in  contriving  how  they  can 
gain,  how  they  can  best  improve  their  condition,  from  the  servant 
who  leaves  his  place  in  hopes  of  getting  a  better — to  the  master, 
whatever  be  his  rank,  who  is  striving  to  obtain  some  increase  of 
wealth,  to  enlarge  his  estates  or  his  establishment — to  aggrandize 
or  to  make  a  provision  for  his  family,  or  something  of  that  sort. 
Money  is  the  God  of  this  v^^orld ;  the  human  heart  is  worshipping 
it  in  every  shape  in  which  Satan  chooses  to  mould  it,  no  matter 
what  that  shape  may  be.  The  universal  prevalence  of  the  sin 
precludes  it  from  observation,  and  in  many  cases  from  suspicion. 
Many  persons  say,  "  Such  a  man  is  not  covetous,  on  the  contrary 
he  is  a  liberal  man,"  meaning,  that  he  gives  perhaps  his  money 
very  liberally.  But  the  very  man  who  does  so  may  be  as  covet- 
ous as  any  miser  on  the  earth.  When  our  Lord  saith,  "  Take  heed, 
and  beivare  of  covetonsness,"  He  does  not  illustrate  the  adjnoni- 
tion  by  the  parable  of  a  miser,  but  of  a  rich  and  liberal  man,  "/ 
will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater,  and  there  tvill  I  be- 
stow all  my  fruits  and  my  goods.'"  He  was  a  man  who  spent  his 
money,  and  employed  many  laborers.  '■^  And  I  will  say  to  my 
soul,  soul  thou  hast  tnuch  goods  laid  uj)  for  many  years,  take 
thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry."  Now  he  could  not  be  merry 
alone  ;  so,  probably  he  had  abuiidance  of  company.  Yet  he  was 
a  poor,  covetous  fool,  see  Luke  xii.  15 — 20.  Some  men  desire  to 
get  money  to  hoard  it — some  to  spend  it.  One  man  to  lock  it  up 
in  his  chest — another  to  squander  it  in  pride,  in  vanity,  or  in  am- 
bition. One  man  will  starve  himself  to  death  to  save  a  farthing — 
another  will  squander  thousands  on  his  friends,  neighbors,  or  de- 
pendants, to  gratify  or  entertain  them.  It  matters  not  which  they 
do,  the  heart  is  covetous  alike  in  both  ;  whether  it  desire  to  possess, 
for  display,  for  pride,  for  pomp,  for  vanity,  or  accumulation;  it  does 
not  signify  what  it  is, — the  heart  of  the  spendthrift  is  as  covetous 
as  the  heart  of  the  miser  before  God.  The  spendthrift  who  covets 
to  spend,  in  whatever  way  he  spends  his  money,  desires  to  possess 
it  to  spend  in  that  way.  But  the  man  who  wishes  to  accumulate 
and  hoard  it  up,  accumulates  it  for  his  own  lust  of  wealth,  and 
hoards  it  for  another  to  spend.  How  many  hearts,  yours  and 
mine, — yea,  our  own  vile  hearts  have  been  exercised  with  it !  de- 
siring sometimes  one  thing  and  sometimes  another — -thinking  that 
if  we  were  in  such  and  such  circumstances, — placed  in  such  a 
situation,  or  had  some  certain  means — how  much  happier,  yea, 
perhaps,  bow  much  more  religious  we  should  be  I     This  is  our 


428  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

corrupt,  vile,  natural  heart  which  is  inclined  to  covetousness,  as 
well  as  to  countless  other  sins  which  we  know  by  experience  pos- 
sess so  much  of  our  thoughts. 

But  the  Apostle,  speaking-  of  these  things,  saith,  "  Let  them 

NOT   be  once   named  AMONG  YOU,  AS  BECOMETH  SAINTS."     There 

is  but  one  treasure  you  are  permitted  to  covet, — "  The  unsearcha- 
hle  riches  of  Christ,^'' — one  inheritance  on  which  you  are  allowed 
to  set  your  heart, — '■'■the  inheritance  incorruptible^  undejiled,  and 
that  fadeth  not  away^  reserved  in  heaven  for  yon,  who  are  kept 
by  the  poiver  of  God,  through  faith  vnto  salvationP  1  Pet.  i.  4. 
This  Christ  has  purchased  for  you.  This  God  is  keeping  for  you, 
and  as  surely  as  your  heart  is  set  upon  it,  here  is  ample  scope  for 
the  vast  desires,  the  immense  ambition  of  an  immortal  soul. 
The  Apostle  continues,  "Neither  filthiness,  nor  foolish 

TALKING,   nor  JESTING,  WHICH    ARE   NOT    CONVENIENT."       Who 

could  ever  suppose  that  offences  like  these  require  to  be  guarded 
against  by  a  Christian  ?  Yet,  indeed  there  is  deep  necessity  for 
such  exhortation.  When  the  propensities  of  the  heart  are  wicked, 
the  tongue  when  unrestrained  is  ready  to  give  vent  to  them.  The 
word  translated  "filthiness"  is  the  substantive  of  that  used  by 
the  Apostle  in  the  12th  verse — shameful,  '■'■It  is  a  shame  even  to 
speak  of  those  things  ivhich  are  done  of  them  in  secret^  What 
is  shameful  to  do  is  shameful  to  speak  of.  But  while,  in  the  so- 
ciety of  persons  who  are  what  is  considered  respectable,  the  ex- 
hortation may  not  be  necessary:  the  other  terms  "foolish  talk- 
ing AND  JESTING,  WHICH  ARE  NOT  CONVENIENT,"  tOO  Constant- 
ly apply  to  them.  For  there  are  multitudes  who  call  themselves 
Christians,  who  are  continually  guilty  of  offences  such  as  these  in 
their  conversation.  Indeed,  purity  of  language,  and  purity  of  sen- 
timent, require  to  be  cultivated  and  guarded,  even  in  that  which 
ought  to  be  the  most  refined  and  best  society.  For  in  these  days, 
"  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation^''  Mark  viii.  38,  it  is,  and 
has  long  been,  very  much  the  fashion  to  dress  up  ideas,  in  lan- 
guage of  poetry  for  example,  from  which  the  mind  and  ear  of 
modesty  would  revolt,  if  they  were  put  into  plain  prose  ;  and  yet, 
they  can  be  clothed  in  poetry — read — admired,  and  sung  by  per- 
sons who  would  be  nnich  displeased  if  their  religion,  or  the  purity 
and  modesty  of  their  conversation  were  called  into  question.  Yet 
if  their  books,  poems,  and  songs,  were  brought  to  the  test  of  the 
holy  Word  of  God,  they  would  be  cast  into  the  fire  as  not  fit  to  be 
admitted  into  society  which  bears  the  name  of  Christian. 

The  word  here  translated  "jesting,"  literally  signifies  an  ex- 
pression which  can  be  easily  turned,  as  it  were,  into  another  mean- 
ing, and  which  corresponds  to  that  species  of  witticism  called  double 
entendre,  in  which,  under  the  guise  of  one  sentiment,  another  not 
fit  to  be  plainly  expressed,  is  conveyed.  This  is  one  of  the  com- 
monest and  most  corrupting  modes  of  giving  vent  to  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  heart,  and  is  here  enumerated  amongst  those  which  are 
"  not  CONVENIENT,"— that  is  most  unbefitting,  most  unseemly. 
And  surely  what  can  be  more  so,  than  that  the  profane  jest — the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  429 

indelicate  insinuation — should  be  modulated  in  sounds  of  polished 
language,  and  spoken  in  the  ear  which  never  ought  to  hear,  or 
pronounced  by  the  tongue  which  never  ought  to  speak  them  ? 

"Let  it  not  be  named  among  you,  as  becometh  saints" 
— is  the  Scriptural  command.  We  may  consider  this  to  include 
all  absurd,  vain,  foolish,  trifling  talking ;  and  indeed  we  all,  espe- 
cially those  of  light  and  buoyant  spirits  and  vivid  imaginations, 
have  need  to  watch  against  ourselves  in  this  particular: — for  as 
the  Apostle  James,  speaking  of  the  tongue,  saith,  "  In  many  things 
we  offend  ally  chap.  iii.  2. — ^The  flippant  remark — the  sharp  re- 
partee— the  satirical  jest — all  things  that  excite  and  wound  the 
feelings  of  others,  or  turn  them  into  ridicule,  to  which  some  of  us 
are  naturally  so  inclined,  these  and  various  other  things  that  ob- 
tain so  much  in  ordinary  conversation,  may  be  classed  among  those 
that  are  "  not  convenient,"  that  is  not  suitable,  not  befitting  the 
saint. 

The  Apostle  adds,  "But  rather  giving  of  thanks."  The 
word  translated  "giving  of  thanks,"  as  applied  to  conversation, 
may  perhaps  be  considered  to  imply  as  a  contradistinction,  which 
the  Apostle  evidently  means,  to  the  evils  which  he  had  specified,— 
that  which  tends  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  God — as  the  former 
tends  to  dishonor  God^so  let  your  conversation  rather  be  such  as 
tends  to  His  praise  and  glory^expressive  of  gratitude  to  God  rather 
than  dishonor  to  Him. 

He  proceeds  to  the  reason  of  this — ^"  For  this  ye  know,  that 
no   whoremonger,    nor    unclean    person,    nor    covetous 

MAN,  who  is  an  idolater,  HATH    ANY    INHERITANCE    IN    THE 

KINGDOM  OF  Christ  OR  OF  GoD."  He  givcs  this  as  a  reason 
against  such  conversation,  justly  implying,  that  men  who  are 
ready  to  speak  of  sins  in  their  ordinary  discourse,  prove  thereby, 
that  they  are  inclined  to  commit  them ;  and  he  argues  from  the 
effect  to  the  cause ;  he  shows  when  these  things  exist  in  the  con- 
versation and  conduct,  they  are  totally  incompatible  with  the  faith 
and  love  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore,  "  those  who 

DO  SUCH  things    HAVE   NO    INHERITANCE   IN    THE  KINGDOM    OP 

Christ  or  of  God." 

And  if  any  should  be  inclined  (as  no  doubt  many  were  then  as 
well  as  now)  to  abuse  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  to  conclude 
against  the  Apostolic  truth,  that  they  might  '^continue  in  sin 
that  grace  tnay  abound.^'  Rom.  vi.  1.  The  Apostle  is  most  clearly 
explicit  on  the  subject  against  all  such  deceivers  and  perverters  of 
the  Gospel.     "Let  no  man  deceive   you  with  vain  words, 

FOR    because    of    THESE  THINGS    COMETH    THE  WRATH  OF  GoD 

ON  THE  CHILDREN  OF  DISOBEDIENCE."  Let  uo  man  make  light 
of  sin ; — "  Fools  make  a  m,ock  at  si7i."  Prov.  xiv.  9,  let  no  man  do 
so,  and  "Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words."  For, 
ali  these  sins  and  various  others,  are  the  causes  why  God's  judg- 
ments are  visited  on  the  ungodly  world  ;  and  therefore  remember, 
that  those  who  live  in  the  practice  of  sins  such  as  these  in  their 
life   and   conversation,  can   "  have   no   inheritance  in  the 


430  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

KINGDOM  OF  Christ  AND  OF  GoD."  They  are  not  God's  children 
— they  have  the  mark  of  their  master  the  devil  upon  their  fore- 
heads— therefore,  '^  Knoio  ye  not  that  to  whom  ye  yield  your- 
selves servants  to  obey^  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey:' 
Rom.  vi.  16.  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  deathJ^  Rom.  vi.  23,  and  if  ye 
serve  the  Master,  ye  shall  be  sure  to  obtain  the  wages  ye  have 
earned. 

Therefore,  consider  these  things.  Think,  what  evils  we  have 
to  watch  against  in  ourselves,  and  if  we  must  watch  against  them 
in  ourselves,  how  anxious  should  we  be  to  guard  against  them  in 
our  associates.  As  we  see  the  Apostle  adds,  "  Be  not  ye  therefore 
partakers  with  them."  That,  which  those  who  are  ignorant  of 
Christ,  will  pass  over,  and  which  will  give  them  no  offence  in  the 
society  of  the  world,  will  be  exceedingly  painful  and  woimding  to 
the  ears  and  feelings  of  a  Christian.  Therefore,  not  only  avoid 
these  evils  yourselves,  but  avoid  all  participation  and  association 
with  those  persons,  whose  conversation  is  such,  as  the  Apostle  here 
commands  believers  to  watch  and  guard  against.  "  Be  not  de- 
ceived: evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners."  1  Cor.  xv.  33. 
Avoid  them. — Study  the  Word  of  God. — Cultivate  the  people  of 
God. — Give  yourself  to  secret  prayer  and  communion  with  God, — 
Wait  on  the  ordinances  of  God. — Pray  that  you  may  have  your 
heart  filled  with  the  precious  knowledge  of  His  love,  and  with 
those  principles  and  motives  under  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  by 
which  you  may  be  enabled  to  guard  against  the  evils  here  enu- 
merated, and  "Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vatn  words, 

FOR  because  of  THESE  THINGS  COMETH  THE  WRATH  OF  GoD 
UPON  THE  CHILDREN  OF  DISOBEDIENCE." 

You  see,  my  dear  friends,  how  the  practical  principles,  are  in- 
separably connected  with  the  doctrinal  truths  of  the  Gospel.  The 
idea,  of  taking  out  these  rules  of  virtue  and  a  holy  life  out  of 
their  place  in  the  Bible — separating  them  from  Christ — giving 
them  to  be  a  guide  to  men  for  their  conduct, — preaching  them  to 
a  congregation, — teaching  them  to  children — pretending  to  set 
them  up  as  the  rule  or  standard  for  men  to  walk  by ! ! ! — You 
might  just  as  well  erect  a  manufactory  in  a  church-yard,  and  call 
on  the  dead  to  arise  and  work  it,  as  take  the  moral  precepts  of 
the  Gospel,  and  give  them  as  the  rule  of  life,  to  those  who  are  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  think  they  will  or  can  put  them  into 
practice. 

Hence  mere  moral  books — moral  precepts  taken  out  of  the  Bible 
■ — the  very  holy  Law  of  God  itself,  hung  up  in  schools  by  way  of 
teaching  children  to  obey  it,  or  the  corrupt  mutilation  of  God's 
Truth,  selecting  the  moral  parts  of  Scripture,  and  separating  them 
from  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  they  stand 
identified  with  them  in  His  blessed  Word,  by  way  of  instructing 
the  souls  of  children  or  grown  persons,  is  all  the  mere  blindness, 
ignorance,  folly,  and  wickedness,  of  worms  of  the  dust,  assuming 
to  be  wiser  than  the  Omniscient  God. 

We  require  all  the  power  of  the  Gospel  brought  into  our  heart 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  431 

by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  bring  the  practical  influence  of  the  moral 
precepts  of  the  Gospel  into  our  lives.  We  require  all  the  power 
of  the  Gospel  by  the  Holy  Ghost  over  our  wills  and  affections, 
to  regulate  our  conduct,  and  constrain  us  to  live  to  Hiin  who  died 
for  us.  We  must  have  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Gospel,  not  only  as  God  has  incorporated  them  in 
His  Word,  but  they  must  be  incorporated  by  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  in  our  own  hearts ;  otherwise  they  never  can  be  manifested 
in  our  lives,  and  instead  of  being  "Followers  op  God,  as  dear 
CHILDREN,"  we  sliall  be  servants  of  Satan  to  the  end  of  our  ex- 
istence. 

May  the  Lord  bring  all  these  truths  home  to  us,  dear  friends ! 
May  the  Lord  Jesus  write  them  on  our  hearts  by  the  power  of  His 
Spirit!  make  us  "Followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,"  and 
enable  us  to  "walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also  hath  loved  us, 
and  given  himself  for  us."     Amen  and  Amen. 


THIRTY-SEVENTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12. 


"  Be  not  ye  therefore  partakers  with  them.  For  ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but 
now  are  ye  Hght  in  the  Lord :  walk  as  children  of  light ;  (for  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is 
in  all  goodness,  and  righteousness,  and  truth  ;)  proving  what  is  acceptable  unto  the 
Lord.  And  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather  re- 
prove them.  For  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them 
in  secret." 

It  is  a  truth  ever  to  be  reiterated,  and  ever  to  be  remembered, 
that  every  practical  duty  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  must  be  always 
enforced  on  the  principles  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  wholly  impossible 
that  genuine  Christian  obedience  can  either  ever  be  properly  en- 
forced by  a  minister  of  Christ,  or  ever  be  attained  by  his  hearers 
unless  on  sound  Christian  principles.  This  is  one  reason  why  it 
has  always  been  Satan's  policy  to  undermine — to  corrupt — and  to 
depreciate  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  This  policy,  the  Prince  of 
this  world  seems  to  have  succeeded  in  embodying  very  generally, 
indeed,  almost  universally,  into  the  public  opinion  of  the  present 
day ;  by  what  is  denominated  Liberalism — that  is,  that  we  are  to 
be  extremely  liberal,  as  it  is  called,  respecting  the  opinions  that 
men  may  hold  on  religion  ;  because  it  is  not  of  much  importance 
what  doctrines  men  entertain  on  this  subject.  These  are  called 
mere  opinions  of  theory — mere  abstract  sentiments — mere  points 
of  belief — ^mere  matters  of  individual  concernment — with  which 
we  have  no  right  whatever  to  interfere :  and  therefore,  which  it  is 


432  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

not  our  business  at  all  to  notice.  But,  as  it  is  universally  admitted, 
that  the  great  end  of  the  Christian  religion  in  this  world,  is  to  pro- 
duce, as  far  as  man's  social  intercourse  is  concerned,  good  fruits, 
or  good  works ;  that  all  we  have  to  attend  to,  is  the  practical  part 
of  religion — the  morality  of  the  Gospel — and  that  as  to  the  doc- 
trinal opinions,  which  men  hold,  it  is  entirely  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence what  they  are. 

This,  I  say,  is  the  policy  of  Satan— this  is  one  of  his  favorite 
modes  of  sentiment,  which  he  seems  to  have  succeeded  in  diffusing 
so  extensively  into  the  minds  of  men,  at  the  present  day.  The 
great  mass  of  those  who  call  themselves  Christians,  either  hold  or 
affect  to  hold  these  opinions. 

Now  this  strikes  at  the  very  root  of  all  true  religion  ;  for  there 
is  no  such  thing  in  any  individual  on  earth,  as  Christian  practice 
without  Christian  principle.  Man  must  have  the  principle  of  the 
Gospel  in  his  heart,  before  he  can  have  the  fruit  of  the  Gospel  in 
his  life.  You  may  think,  I  unnecessarily  reiterate  this  assertion, 
but  as  often  as  men  are  called  to  act,  so  often,  ought  they  to  be 
called  on  to  examine  their  principle  of  action.  God  admits  but  of 
one  principle  as  the  motive  of  moral  action  in  man,  and  where 
that  principle  does  not  exist,  there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  genu- 
ine moral  conduct.  It  is  impossible.  We  may  well  require  to 
have  ever  repeated  in  our  ears,  that  which  ought  to  be  the  habitual 
motive  of  our  actions  in  the  sight  of  God.  These  remarks,  you 
perceive,  are  particularly  applicable  to  the  very  point  at  which  our 
Lecture  this  day  commences.  The  Apostle,  as  you  remember, 
had  been  warning  believers  against  the  vmgodly  practices — the 
ungodly  principles — the  ungodly  conversation  of  the  world,  '■'■For- 
nication^ and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetoiisness,  let  it  not  be  once 
named  among  yon,  as  becometh  saints.  Neitli,er  filthiness,  nm' 
foolish  talking,  nor  jesting,  which  are  not  convenient,  but  rather 
giving  of  thanks.  For  this  ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger,  or 
unclean  person,  or  covetous  man  wlio  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  in- 
heritance in  the  kingdotn  of  Christ  and  of  God.  Let  no  man 
deceive  you  ivith  vain  ivords,  for  because  of  these  things  cometh 
the  wrath  of  God  on  the  children  of  disobedienceP 

Then  the  Apostle  proceeds — "  Be  not  ye  therefore  par- 
takers WITH  them."  Why?  What  is  the  principle  on  which 
they  are  called,  not  to  be  partakers  with  such  persons?  "  For  ye 
were  sometimes  darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the 
Lord,  walk  as  children  op  light."  Observe,  how  he  com- 
mences the  chapter,  "i?e  ye  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children." 
Observe  the  motive,  to  be  His  followers.  ^^And  walk  iyi  love,  as 
Christ  also  hath  loved  ns."  Then,  having  enumerated  the  differ- 
ent sins  of  practice  and  conversation  which  I  have  read,  you  see 
he  brings  forward  again  the  same  principle,  "Be  not  ye  there- 
fore partakers  with  them  ;  for  ye  were  sometimes 
darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord,  walk  as 
CHILDREN  OP  LIGHT."  The  principle  on  which  he  enforces  these 
moral  practical  precepts  is  this,  that  they  have  been  formerly  in  a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  433 

State  which  he  calls  "  darkness,"  and  that  they  are  now  in  a 
state  which  he  calls  "light  in  the  Lord."  Therefore,  I  say, 
the  principle  on  which  Christian  duty  is  here  enforced,  is  this,  that 
of  a  man  being-  brought,  by  the  Gospel,  out  of  his  natural  dark- 
ness into  the  light  of  Christ's  salvation,  and  he  can  no  more  walk 
in  the  light  of  truth,  or  in  the  ways  of  truth  in  his  natural  state 
of  darkness,  than  a  man  can  walk  in  the  light  of  noon  when  it  is 
midnight.  Impossible. — He  must  have  the  principle  in  his  heart, 
or  he  cannot  have  the  practice  in  his  life. 

This  is  so  important,  that  I  must  dwell  on  it  for  a  moment. 

Let  me  suppose  a  person  here  to  ask,  how  do  you  prove  that  ? 
Do  you  mean  to  say,  that  a  man  may  perform — for  example,  an 
action,  which  you  admit  to  be  an  act  of  Christian  duty — of  Chris- 
tian kindness,  or  benevolence.  Suppose — This  person  gives  a 
large  sum  of  money  to  benefit  the  poor — to  feed  the  hungry — to 
clothe  the  naked — to  heal  the  sick — ^to  erect  an  hospital — some- 
thing of  that  kind,  which  you  yourself  acknowledge  to  be  an  act 
of  Christian  benevolence ;  nay,  that  it  is  more  than  a  man  can 
be  said  to  be  bound  to  do,  and  that  he  does  it  voluntarily  and 
liberally ;  and  suppose  he  hopes  that  this  will  conduce  to  his 
salvation. 

Another  man,  on  what  you  call  Christian  principle,  for  the  love 
of  Christ,  does  tlie  same.  Do  you  mean  to  say,  that  one  of  these 
men  who  acts  on  what  you  call  Christian  principle,  does  really  a 
good  moral  act,  and  that  the  same  act  performed  by  some  man, 
who  does  not  act  on  what  you  call  Christian  principle,  is  not  a 
good  act? 

I  mean  to  say  exactly  so. 

The  acts  considered  in  themselves,  or  considered  in  their  bene- 
ficial effects  to  the  poor,  are  both  the  same ;  but  considered  in  ref- 
erence to  the  individuals  who  perform  them,  the  one  is  an  act  of 
duty  to  God  and  to  man — the  act  of  a  Christian,  and  accepted 
before  God — the  other  is  the  act  of  an  unconverted  sinner,  and 
the  wrath  of  God,  which  abides  on  him  by  nature  and  practice,  is 
not  lessened  in  its  weight  or  certainty  a  single  iota,  by  that,  or  a 
thousand  acts  of  the  same  kind.  The  motive  of  his  act  is  false, 
it  is  an  offering  of  ignorance  and  pride,  and  never  can  be  accepted 
before  God.  Is  that  salvation  which  is  the  gift  of  God,  which 
could  be  purchased  from  eternal  justice,  only  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
to  be  bought  with  money  to  build  hospitals  or  churches  ?  A  man's 
person  (remember  this)  must  be  accepted,  before  his  works  can  be 
accepted.  His  person  must  be  accepted  before  God — his  sins  must 
be  pardoned — he  must  be  justified  from  his  iniquity,  by  the  right- 
eousness and  blood  of  Jesus — he  must  be  in  a  state  of  peace  and 
reconciliation  with  his  God,  before  any  act  that  he  does  can  ever 
be  received  or  accepted  by  Him.  It  is  the  acceptance  of  a  sinner's 
person,  through  Christ,  by  faith  in  His  salvation,  that  makes  his 
works  acceptable — and  it  is  not  his  works  being  accepted  through 
Christ,  that  leads  to  the  acceptance  of  his  person.  This  is  a  point 
of  the  very  vital  essence  of  Christianity.     This  is  a  fundamental 

28 


434  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

principle  of  truth,  if  you  do  not  understand  this,  you  do  not  know 
the  foundation  of  the  Christian  rehgion ;  and  therefore,  those 
principles  on  the  subject  of  religion  now  so  prevalent  in  the  world, 
called  liberal  principles,  which  decry  as  bigotry,  the  assertion  and 
maintenance  of  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  as  if  all 
those  doctrines  were  mere  speculative  opinions,  are  all  founded  on 
falsehood — they  strike  a  direct  blow  at  the  root  of  the  Christian 
faith — they  are  propagated  by  the  Prince  of  darkness,  and  their 
direct  immediate  tendency  is  to  subvert  the  truth  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  living  God.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  Christian  mo- 
rality, but  that  which  springs  from  Christian  principle ;  it  does 
not  rise  above  the  level  of  mere  Pagan  ethics ;  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  one  moral  action  accepted  before  God  that  proceeds  from 
an  unconverted  sinner. 

Does  he  bring  forth  no  fruit  ?  He  does ;  but  he  brings  forth 
fruit  unto  himself  So  saith  the  Lord  by  the  Prophet,  "  Israel  is 
a?i  empty  vine,  he  br  in  geth  forth  fruit  tinto  himself.''^  Hosea  x.  1 ; 
every  unconverted  man  brings  forth  fruit  unto  himself,  not  to 
God.  Our  blessed  Lord  is  distinct  and  express  on  the  point,  ^'-  As 
the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine, 
no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  m  tneP  No,  "  ye  were  some- 
times (or  once)  darkness,"'  saith  the  Apostle.  But  every  un- 
converted man  is  here  called  "darkness."  Why? — If  a  man 
cannot  see  where  he  is  going,  he  must  be  in  darkness,  so  saith 
our  liOrd,  ^'  He  that  walketh  in  darkness,  knoweth  not  whither  he 
goeth  ;"  John  xii.  35.  Either  he  is  l)lind,  or  else,  there  is  no  light 
around  him  ;  if  he  cannot  see  where  he  is  about  to  place  his  feet, 
he  is  in  darkness.  Now,  every  unconverted  man  is  exactly  so,  he 
cannot  see  where  he  is  going,  death  is  before  him — eternity  is 
before  him — the  bar  of  God  is  before  him — eternal  judgment  is 
before  him — liell  is  before  him — the  wrath  of  God  is  upon  him— 
the  gulf  of  perdition  yawns  perhaps  at  his  feet — his  next  step  may 
be  into  it — but  he  cannot  see  it — he  knoweth  not  whither  he 
goeth ;  and  if  you  tell  him  of  it,  if  you  warn  him,  he  scoffs  at 
your  admonition — he  does  not  see  any  spiritual  truth — he  does 
not  know  his  own  character  in  the  sight  of  God — he  does  not  see 
himself  a  sinner — God's  law  is  not  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  nor  the 
standard  of  his  judgment — he  in  wholly  ignorant  of  its  spiritual 
character — he  does  not  know  the  iniquity  that  defiles  his  best 
deeds — he  is  ignorant  of  the  sins  of  his  tongue — he  never  dreams 
of  the  deceit  and  desperate  wickedness  of  his  heart — on  the  con- 
trary, you  will  see  almost  all  unconverted  men,  console  themselves 
for  the  sins  of  which  they  confess  they  are  more  or  less  practically 
guilty,  on  the  principle  of  the  goodness  of  their  hearts.  They 
mean  thereby,  that  they  have  a  certain  intention  of  reforming  and 
amending  their  lives  at  some  future  time,  and  they  hope  and 
intend  that  they  will  yet  do  right,  and  weighing  these  good  inten- 
tions against  their  practical  sins,  they  console  themselves  for  their 
sins  by  the  self-complacent  conviction,  that  their  heart  is  so  good. 
Now  a  man  in  his  natural  state  cannot  see  the  evil  of  his  heart ; 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  435 

he  cannot  believe  that  so  far  from  being  good,  it  is  indeed  the 
source  of  all  his  course  of  sin  ;  he  cannot  see  the  natural  corrup- 
tion of  his  heart,  life,  and  conduct ;  he  knows  nothing  of  the  char- 
acter of  God ;  he  has,  as  he  thinks  a  confident  hope  in  God's 
mercy ;  but  tell  him  of  his  justice,  holiness,  and  his  certain  deter- 
mination to  punish  sin,  he  neither  knows,  nor  believes,  one  tittle 
on  the  subject.  "  He  Jiattereth  himseljf  in  his  own  eyes^''  as 
David  saith  Ps.  xxxvi.  27.  He  thinks  himself  so  superior  to  mul- 
titudes around,  that  he  secures  himself  by  asking,  "  What  will 
become  of  the  world  if  he  were  to  be  cast  away  ?"  He  infers,  that 
this  book  which  reveals  his  own  character  and  God's  character  to 
him,  is  a  dark,  enigmatical,  unintelhgible  book  ;  and  the  reason 
why  he  finds  such  difficulties  in  the  Bible  is  this— that  the  plain 
statements  contained  in  that  Word  are  in  such  flat  contradiction 
to  the  natural  opinions  of  the  human  mind,  that,  because  man 
cannot  reconcile  tlie  truth  of  the  Bible  with  his  own  principles,  he 
thinks  there  are  enormous  difficulties  in  the  Bible.  This  is  the  fact. 
Whereas,  although  it  is  true,  that  the  Bible  contains  depths  of 
Divine  Wisdom,  wonders  and  mysteries,  both  of  glories  that  are 
past,  and  of  those  that  are  to  come,  which  the  human  intellect  can- 
not now  fathom — although  the  Bible  is  a  book  of  such  infinite 
wisdom,  such  infinite  glory,  that  the  more  a  man  advances  in  the 
knowledge  of  it,  the  more  does  he  feel  that  it  is  the  book  of  God 
in  the  hands  of  a  child — although  this  is  the  character  of  the 
Bible  in  many  respects,  yet  the  Bible  is  in  many  other  things,  the 
plainest  Book  on  earth ;  in  all  things,  I  may  say,  that  concern 
man's  salvation  and  his  conduct  in  this  world.  There  is  not  in 
all  Theology  a  single  book  written  which  contains  in  itself  clearer, 
plainer,  principles  of  truth,  than  those  written  in  this  blessed  Word 
of  God.  But  the  difficulty  of  the  Book  consists,  to  the  unregene- 
rated  man,  not  in  its  abstruse  passages,  but  in  its  plain  and  ob- 
vious truths  ;  because  those  truths  come  with  such  direct,  explicit 
contradiction  to  the  natural  opinions— the  natural  corruptions  and 
pride  of  the  human  heart ;  therefore,  man  in  all  things  connected 
with  his  spiritual  state — his  present  condition — his  future  pros- 
pects— his  own  character,  and  the  character  and  attributes  of  God, 
in  all  these  he  is  in  darkness,  he  knows  nothing  of  them  ;  and 
until  the  grace  of  God  shall  have  visited  him,  and  until  the  hght 
of  God's  eternal  truth  shall  have  shined  into  his  heart,  or  as  the 
Apostle  says,  until  "  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out 
of  darkness  shines  into  his  hearty  to  give  him  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ'^ — he 
continued  in  that  darkness.  And  then  observe,  there  is  the  very 
process  by  which  he  is  brought  out  of  it,  consider  that  text,  2  Cor. 
iv.  6  ;  observe  the  same  Almighty  power  that  said  when  the 
world  was  in  darkness,  "  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light,'' 
must  say  to  every  individual  sinner's  heart,  '•  Let  there  he  lighf 
in  that  sinner's  heart,  and  there  shall  be  light.  What  is  the  light 
which  God  commanded  to  shine  on  the  darkness  of  a  created 
world?     The  Sun.     What  is  the  light  that  God  commands  to 


436  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

shine  out  of  the  moral  darkness  to  hghten  the  shiner's  heart  1 
"  The  jSun  of  Righteousness.'''  Unto  "  you  that  fear  my  name 
shall  the  Su7i  of  Righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  ivings  ;" 
Mai.  iv.  2.  So,  when  ^'■God  who  conunanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,^''  shines  into  the  sinner's  heart,  He  gives  "  The 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ,^''  he  enables  the  sinner  to  see  the  glory  of  God  in  that 
blessed  face — the  glory  of  God's  justice  in  punishing  sin — the 
glory  of  God's  mercy  in  pardoning  sin,  yea,  the  chief  of  sinners — ■ 
the  glory  of  God's  faithfulness  in  fulfilling  all  His  promises,  which 
are  all  "  yea  and  amen  in  Christ  Jes7is."  When  "  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Chrisf  shines  into  the  sinner's  heart, 
then  he  is  "light  in  the  Lord." — So  the  Apostle  saith,  "ye 

WERE  SOMETIMES  DARKNESS,  BUT   NOW  YE  ARE    LIGHT    IN  THE 

Lord,"  this  is  ordinarily  produced  under  the  Divine  blessing  by 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  the  light  shines  into  the 
sinner's  heart,  through  the  belief  of  the  testimony  of  the  Gospel 
of  Jesus,  I  trust  it  may  shine  into  the  hearts  of  some  of  my  dear 
hearers  to-day. 

Yes — perhaps  there  may  be  some  of  you  into  whose  hearts  the 
light  of  this  knowlege  of  Christ  has  not  shined  as  yet,  and  I  trust, 
that  God  may  make  use  of  His  Word  in  my  unworthy  lips  to-day, 
to  shed  that  hght  into  your  hearts,  even  at  this  time. 

Some  of  you  may  be  saying  within  yourselves — "It  is  very  true, 
I  am  going  to  death — I  am  going  to  judgment — to  eternity — but 
know  not  whither  I  am  going  ! — It  is  all  uncertainty  with  me,  like 
a  man  walking  in  darkness  and  not  knowing  where  his  foot  is 
next  to  fall,  so  it  is  all  uncertainty  with  my  soul.  I  know  not,  if 
I  were  to  die  to-day  where  my  foot  is  to  rest,  whether  I  sliould 
plant  it  on  the  Rock  and  enter  into  life,  or  whether  I  should  step 
on  the  quicksands  and  sink  into  eternal  death  !" 

Perhaps  there  are  some  of  you  here,  who  must  come  to  this  sad 
conclusion,  of  your  own  state.  Alas !  then,  if  so,  you  are  in  dark- 
ness ;  but  now,  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus — by  the 
proclamation  of  pardon  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb — of  salva- 
tion through  him  who  died  for  sinners — of  the  riches  of  God's  par- 
doning grace  in  sending  His  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  guilty 
— and  the  glory  of  Christ's  grace  in  coming  to  die  and  "  bear  our 
■nns  in  his  own  body  on  the  t7'ee"  1st  Pet.  ii.  24.  Perhaps,  I  say, 
through  the  preaching  of  this  blessed  truth,  the  light  may  break 
into  your  heart,  and  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  say,  "  Oh  then,  I 
see  Christ  is  a  Refuge  for  a  sinner  hke  me.  If  this  be  true,  I  may 
lean  on  Jesus,  here  is  salvation  for  my  soul  in  Christ — here  is  sal- 
vation for  me  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Well  then,  if  this  be  so, 
if  God  shall  teach  you  thus,  then,  though  "you  were  sometimes 
DARKNESS,"  eveu  this  morning — when  you  know  and  trust  in 
Jesus,  then  you  shall  be  "  light  in  the  Lord,"  even  this  very 
day. 

There  is  no  light — no  salvation  in  any  other.  "  la^n  the  light 
of  the  world"  saith  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  He  that  folloiveth  me  f>hall 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  437 

not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life"  John  viii.  12. 
Thus  saith  the  Psahiiist,  looking  to  this  light,  ^'■The  Lord  is  my 
light  and  my  salvation,  whom,  shall  I  fear,  the  Lord  is  the 
strength  of  my  life,  of  whom  shall  I  be  afraidP  Ps.  xxvii.  1. 
This  is  what  St.  Peter  says,  speaking  of  the  state  of  man  by 
nature,  and  by  grace,  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,  that  ye  should  show 
forth  the  praises  of  hitnwho  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into 
his  m,arvellous  light. ''^  1st  Pet.  ii.  9.  You  see  the  result  of  calling 
men  into  light  is,  that  they  should  "  walk  as  children  of 
LIGHT,"  and  manifest  that  they  are  of  the  light,  so  you  observe 
what  our  Lord  says  to  His  disciples,  when  he  tells  them,  "  Ye  are 
the  light  of  the  world,"  He  adds,  '•'•Let  your  light  so  shine  before 
m,en,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Mat.  v.  14 — 16. 

Whose  servant  are  you  ?  What  an  important — what  a  mo- 
mentous question  !  We  cannot  serve  God  and  Mammon,  and  we 
must  be  servants  of  one  or  the  other — of  the  '■^Father  of  lights" — 
or  of  the  ''■Prince  of  darkness." 

One  great  use  and  blessing  of  light  is  that  we  should  walk  in 
the  light ;  if  you  are  a  child  of  light,  what  is  it  for  but  that  you 
should  walk  in  the  light.     This  is  what  the  Apostle  says,  "  Ye 

WERE    SOMETIMES   DARKNESS,   BUT    NOW  ARE   YE  LIGHT   IN  THE 

Lord,  walk  as  children  op  light."  This  is  an  image  re- 
peatedly used  in  the  Scriptures,  as  in  1st  Thes.  v.  We  have  it 
there  also  practically  applied,  both  to  the  present  walk,  and  the 
future  prospects  of  the  Church  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Let  us 
refer  to  the  passage — ^^But  of  the  times  and  the  seasons,  brethren, 
ye  have  no  need  that  I  write  unto  you  ;  for  yourselves  know  per- 
fectly, that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  ?iight." 
Look  now  at  the  state  of  those  in  darkness — "jPor  when  they  shall 
say  peace  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon  them, 
as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child,  and  they  shall  not  escape." 
"  When  they  shall  say,  peace  and  safety,"  when  the  world  is 
laughing  at  religion,  mocking  at  those  who  are  speaking  of  it,  and 
calling  their  principles  mere  '•  religious  opinions,"  "  theoretical 
opinions,"  scoffing  at  them,  ^'■Scoffers,  walking  after  their  own 
lusts,  and  saying,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  comitig,"  2nd  Pet. 
iii.  3,  4.  When  they  are  saying  this,  and  as  our  Lord  describes 
those  of  old,  "  They  icere  eatitig  and  drinking,  marrying  and 
giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noe  entered  into  the  ark. 
and  knew  not  until  the  flood  came  and  took  them  all  away ;  so 
shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  Mat.  xxiv.  38,  39. 

"  J.5  it  was  hi  the  days  of  Noe,  so  shall  it  be  in  the  days  of  the 
Son  of  man,"  Luke  xvii.  26,  "  when  they  shall  say  peace  and 
safety,  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon  them,  as  travail 
upo7i  a  woman  with  child,  and  they  shall  not  escape."  1st  Thes. 
V.  3.  Then  shall  their  eyes  be  opened,  and  when  their  eyes  are 
opened,  what  a  fearful  sight  shall  they  behold  !  "  The  Son  of  m,an 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory." 


438  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Mat.  xxiv.  30.  Then  comes  that  dreadful  hour,  when  "  Tlie  kings 
of  the  earth,  and  the  great  tnen,  and  the  rich  men.,  and  the  chief 
captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bondman,  and  every 
freeman,  shall  hide  themselves  in  the  dens,  and,  in  the  rocks  of 
the  mountains,  and  shall  say  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall 
on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
and  from  the  wrath  of  the  LambP  Rev.  vi.  15,  16.  For  these 
are  they  on  whom  "  When  they  shall  say  peace  and  safety,  then 
sudden  destruction  cometK' — these  are  they  that  are  in  darkness. 

'■^ But  ye  brethren,^''  adds  the  Apostle,  "are  not  in  darkness,  that 
that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief  ye  are  all  the  children 
of  light,  and  the  children  of  the  day,  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor 
of  darkness.''''  Light  consists  in  the  knowledge  of  Him.  through 
whom  we  are  prepared  for  that  time,  so,  in  being  prepared — ready 
for  that  day — in  knowing  that  sin  is  blotted  out — in  knowing  how, 
and  through  whom  it  is  blotted  out — in  knowing  that  the  very 
God  who  shall  come  in  His  glory  to  judge  a  guilty  world,  is  the 
God  of  our  salvation — our  Refuge — our  Hope — our  Peace — that 
Saviour  whom  we  have  known  so  long  as  our  only  comfort,  and 
to  whom  our  heart  has  continually  turned  as  all  our  Hope  and  all 
our  Salvation. 

These  are  they  of  whom  the  Prophet  speaketh,  when  he  saith, 
"//  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo  this  is  onr  God,  we  have  waited 
for  him,,  and  he  null  save  tis :  this  is  the  Lord ;  we  have  tvaited 
for  him,  ive  ivill  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation."  Is.  xxv.  9. 

To  these  saith  the  Apostle,  "  Ye  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that 
day  should  overtake  you  as  a.  thief  ye  are  all  tJie  children  of 
light,  and  the  children  of  the  day  ;  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor 
of  darkness.''''  1st  Thes.  v.  4,  5. 

But  now  mark  the  practical  application  of  it — ^'■Therefore,  let 
us  not  sleep  as  do  others,  but  let  us  ivatch  and  be  sober,"  verse  6 ; 
let  us  not  give  ourselv^es  up  to  spiritual  indolence,  to  sleep — to 
sloth — to  apathy — to  negligence,  But  let  us  watch  and  be  sober ; 
for  they  that  sleep,  sleep  in  the  night  ;  and  they  that  be  drunken, 
are  drunken  in  the  nightP  These  are  the  people  that  are  in 
ignorance — in  bhndness — in  darkness,  '•'•But  let  iis  who  are  of  the 
day  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love,  and 
for  an  helmet  the  hope  of  salvation'^  We  are  engaged  in  a  war- 
fare, but  it  is  in  daylight — let  us  avail  ourselves  of  the  light  to 
fight.  We  are  in  an  enemy's  country — surrounded  with  foes, — we 
have  a  constant  battle  to  wage — but  it  is  under  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation.  Our  enemies  are  without  and  within,  the  world, 
the  flesh,  and  the  devil — therefore,  '•'■Lei  us  who  are  of  the  day  be 
sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love,  and  for  an 
helmet  the  hope  of  salvation^  Why '?  '•'■For  God  hath  not  ap- 
pointed us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Chj'ist."  If  we  be  believers,  if  we  are  looking  to  Christ,  if 
Christ  is  our  Refuge,  let  us  remember  that  this  is  tlie  testimony  of 
God,  '■'■For  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  ivrath,  but  to  obtain 
salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us,  that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  439 

whether  ive  wake  or  sleep,  we  should  live  together  with  him, 
wherefore  comfort  yoiirselves  together,  and  edify  one  another,  even 
as  also  ye  do.^^  1  Thes.  v.  9,  10.  We  see  here  the  state  of  those 
who  believe  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  we  see  what  blessed  privileges 
belong  to  them  and  their  consequent  duties ;  and  you  may  per- 
ceive, that  this  is  merely  an  expansion  of  the  principle  laid  down 
here  in  this  passage  before  us,  where  the  Apostle  tells  them  not  to 
be  partakers  with  the  "  children  of  disobedience.'"  The  reason 
you  see  is,  "for  ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but  now  are 

YE    light    in  the  LoRD,   WALK  AS   CHILDREN  OF  LIGHT  ;    (fOR 

the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness  and  right- 
eousness AND  truth.") 

The  fruit  which  the  Spirit  produces  in  the  believer  is  "in  all 

GOODNESS  AND  RIGHTEOUSNESS   AND  TRUTH."       The  fiuits  of  the 

Spirit,  like  those  of  the  garden  are  produced  and  ripened  in  the 
light  of  day.  This  fruit  is  directly  contrasted  in  Galatians  v.  16, 
17,  with  the  works  of  the  flesh,  "  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall 
jiot  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesJt ;  for  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh,  and  these  are  contrary 
the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  tvonld." 
That  is — your  natural  disposition,  your  natural  corrupt  wicked 
heart  is  always  lusting  against  the  Spirit  of  God ;  "  The  flesh 
lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh" 
The  Spirit  of  God  is  always  in  opposition  to  the  natural  inclina- 
tions and  corruptions  of  man  ;  "  And  these  are  contrary  the  one  to 
the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  woiild."  The 
believer  "  Delights  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man,"  Rom. 
vii.  22  ;  the  law  is  written  on  his  heart  by  the  Spirit.  He  would 
fulfil  that  law  according  to  the  dictates  of  that  blessed  Spirit,  if  his 
natural  corruption  allowed  him,  but  he  cannot.  Let  him  do  what 
he  may,  he  feels  that  he  never  can  do  what  he  would — he  never 
can  pray,  as  he  would — read  the  Word  of  God,  as  he  would — medi- 
tate on  it,  as  he  would — believe,  as  he  would — or  do  a  single  ordi- 
nary action,  much  less  perform  his  best  spiritual  duties,  as  he 
vvould.  So  that  the  Apostle  not  only  records  the  dictates  of  in- 
spired truth,  but  the  responsive  experience  of  every  servant  of 
God,*  when  he  says,  "  Ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would," 
ye  know — ye  feel  that  ye  cannot.  But  he  adds,  "  If  ye  be  led  by 
the  Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  laiv,"  ye  are  not  condemned  for 
these  things ;  ye  are  under  the  covenant  of  grace  and  peace  in 
Jesus.  "  There  is  no  conde7nnation  to  them,  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  Rom.  viii.  1 ;  "  Ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace r 

*  The  experience  of  Bishop  Beveridge  furnishes  a  remarkable  commentary  on  this 
in  his  "  Private  Thoughts,"  Art.  IV.,  in  which  he  says,  "  I  do  not  only  betray  the  in- 
bred venom  of  my  heart,  by  poisoning  my  common  actions,  but  even  my  most  religious 
performances  also  with  sin.  I  cannot  pray  but  I  sin.  I  cannot  hear  or  preach  a  ser- 
mon but  I  sin.  I  cannot  give  an  alms  or  receive  the  Sacrament  but  I  sin.  Nay,  I 
cannot  so  much  as  confess  my  sins,  but  my  very  confessions  are  still  aggravations  of 
them — my  repentance  needs  to  be  repented  of— my  tears  want  washing,  and  the  very 
washing  of  my  tears  needs  still  to  be  washed  over  again  with  the  blood  of  my  Re- 
deemer." 


440  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Rom.  vi.  14.  ''  Now  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest  which 
are  these,  adultery.,  fornication.,  uncleanness.,  lasclviousness,  idol- 
atry^ witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife, 
seditions,  heresies,  envyings,  murdecs,  drunkenness,  revellings, 
and  such  like,  of  the  which  I  tell  you  before,  as  I  have  also  told 
you  in  tiiiies  past,  that  they  ivhich  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God.^^  Gal.  v.  19-21.  They  are  manifestly  walk- 
ing after  the  flesh,  and  therefore  are  servants  not  of  God,  but  of 
Satan. 

Now  observe,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love ;"  that  is  the 
first,  mark  then  the  precept  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  "  Be 
ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,  and  walk  inlove.''^ 
When  we  know  what  Christ  has  done  for  us,  Christ  must  be  pre- 
cious to  our  souls.  It  is  the  chief  office  of  the  Spirit  to  testify  of 
Christ  to  the  soul,  therefore  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  is  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  nieekness, 
temperance  :  against  such  tJiere  is  no  law.  And  they  that  are 
Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh  tvith  the  affections  and  lusts.^^ 
Gal.  V.  22,  23.  Therefore,  we  are  walking  at  liberty,  whenever 
we  are  brought  truly  to  seek  God's  precepts,  "  /  tcill  walk  at 
liberty,^'  saith  the  Psalmist,  "/or  /  seek  thy  precepts,^'  Ps.  cxix. 
45.  Whenever  the  sinner  is  made  willing  to  do  the  law  of  God, 
then  he  is  not  walking  under  constraint,  against  his  inclinations, 
but  walking  at  liberty,  to  do  what  he  desires.  A  man  is  always 
at  liberty  when  he  can  do  what  he  likes,  and  when  man  likes  to 
do  what  he  ought  to  do,  he  is  walking  at  liberty — he  is  no  longer 
a  slave — he  is  a  freeman — he  is  set  at  liberty,  why  ?  because 
his  heart  is  brought  to  know  and  love  his  Lord.  He  is  not  as  a 
slave  striving  against  his  will  to  keep  a  law  that  he  hates,  and  to 
obey  the  God  whom  he  detests  ;  laboring  reluctantly  to  do  what 
he  does  not  wish  to  do,  and  abstaining  as  reluctantly  from  what 
he  would  desire  to  do.  The  best  religion  of  the  unconverted  man 
is,  labor  to  be  religious  ;  striving  to  deny  himself  what  he  would 
like  to  do,  and  laboring  to  do  what  he  would  wish  to  avoid.  But 
the  liberty  of  the  believer,  consists  in  tliis.  He  has  been  taught 
to  love  his  Lord.  He  desires  to  serve  his  Heavenly  Master.  His 
lusts — his  sins — these  are  the  tyrants  that  he  detests — he  groans 
under  their  yoke.  The  service  of  his  God  is  the  liberty  he  loves 
— and  he  desires  to  walk  in  that  liberty — he  desires  to  walk  in 
love.  The  natural  corruptions  of  his  heart,  are,  as  it  were  fetters 
that  bind  his  liberty  ;  and  he  wishes  if  he  could,  to  escape  from 
these  chains  into  the  light  and  freedom  of  perfect  holiness  to  the 
Lord.  Therefore  the  walk  of  the  children  of  light  is  a  walk  of 
love,  and  so  the  Apostle  shows  by  the  next  words  which  are  in  a 
parenthesis,  in  which  he  intends,  as  it  were,  to  remind  them  of' 
what  he  means  by  walking  as  children  of  light,  "  Walk  as  chil- 
dren OF  LIGHT,  (For  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all 

GOODNESS,   AND   RIGHTEOUSNESS,   AND    TRUTh),"    aS   DlUCh    as   tO 

say,  "  you  know  what  I  mean  by  this.     You  know  how  the  chil- 
dren of  light — those  who  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  called  unto 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  441 

the  glorious  light  of  the  Gospel — ought  to  walk."  As  he  saith  in 
another  place,  "  If  we  live  in  the  S'pii'it,  let  us  also  walk  in  the 
Spirit,"  Gal.  v.  25,  and  if  ye  "walk  as  children  of  light" — 
that  is,  if  you  "  walk  in  the  Spirit,"  ye  know  that  "  the  fruit  op 
THE  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness  and  righteousness  and 
truth.'"'  Let  your  walk  be  one  of  universal  obedience,  not  par- 
tial in  some  things,  and  careless  or  criminal  in  others — not  like  a 
tree  witii  fruit  on  one  bough  and  all  the  rest  barren — but  "  in  all 
GOODNESS,"  in  all  "  righteousness,"  and  in  all  "  truth," — the 
power  of  the  Spirit  pervading  your  heart,  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit 
manifested  in  your  life — thus  "walk  as  children  of  light," — 
"  proving  what  is  acceptable  unto  the  Lord."  "  Prov- 
ing," that  is,  manifesting — demonstrating  it  to  others — to  your- 
selves— to  the  Lord. 

To  others — so  saith  our  blessed  Master,  "  Let  your  light  so  shine 
before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Matt.  v.  16.  So  saith  the  Apostle 
James,  "  Shoio  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show 
thee  my  faith  by  my  icorksP  James  ii.  18.  So  the  Apostle  Peter, 
"  So  is  the  will  of  God,  that  with  ivell-doing  ye  put  to  silence  the 
ignorance  of  foolish  men."     1  Peter,  ii.  15. 

Proving  it  to  yourselves — as  saith  the  Apostle  to  the  Romans, 
^'Knoio  ye  not,  that  to  lohom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey, 
his  servants  ye  are  to  lohom  ye  obey  ;  whether  of  sin  unto  death, 
or  of  obedience  unto  righteousness  7"  Rom.  vi.  16.  So  saith  the 
Apostle  John,  ^^ Hereby  v)e  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and 
shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him.  For  if  our  hearts  condemn 
us,  God  is  greater  than  our  hearts,  and  knoweth  all  things. 
Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence 
toxoard  God."     1  John  iii.  19,  20,  21. 

Proving  it  to  the  Lord  as  Peter,  ^^  Lord,  thou  knov^est  all  things  ; 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee."  John  xxi.  17.  This  is  to  "  ivalk 
in  the  spirit" — to  ^'-walk  in  love" — to  "walk  as  children  of 
light." 

But  it  is  not  only  necessary  in  this  world  of  sin  and  temptation 
to  know  what  we  ought  to  pursue,  but  what  we  ought  to  avoid. 
The  children  of  light  are  surrounded  by  the  children  of  darkness — 
the  servants  of  Christ  by  the  servants  of  the  prince  of  darkness — 
therefore  the  Apostle  instructs  them  in  this  too. 

"And  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works 
of  darkness,  but  rather  reprove  them,  for  it  is  a  shame 
even  to  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them 
in  secret." 

We  have  here  a  double  exhortation,  and  then  a  reason  for  it. — 
First  to  "have  no  fellowship  with  them."  He  does  not  say 
do  not  practice  them — but  "  have  no  fellowship  with  them." 
It  is  a  vulgar  but  an  infallible  adage,  "  Tell  me  your  company  and 
I'll  tell  you  what  you  are."  It  is  universally  true  that  men  love 
associates  like  themselves.  The  Apostle  when  he  describes  the 
various  iniquities  that  defile  the  world — Rom.  i.  29 — 31 — giving 


442  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

a  condensed  catalogue  of  the  vices,  corruptions,  and  profligacies  of 
mankind — adds  this,  as  an  universal  characteristic  of  the  human 
race,  "  W/io^  kiiowing  the  judgment  of  God,  that  they  which  do 
such  things  are  toorthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  hut  have 
pleasure  in  them  that  do  them.''''  v.  32.  There  is  a  hlessing,  not 
only  in  avoiding  evil  conduct,  but  evil  company.  So  the  Psalmist, 
"  Blessed  is  the  m,an  that  walkMh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  un- 
godly, nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in  the  seat 
of  the  5cor»//f/."  Psalm  i.  1.  So,  too,  his  son  Solomon,  "  ^w/er 
not  into  the  path  of  the  wicked,  and  go  7iot  in  the  way  of  evil 
men.  Avoid  it,  pass  not  hy  it,  turn  from  it,  and  pass  away.''^ 
Prov.  iv.  14,  15. 

So  the  Apostle  here  exhorts: — First,  to  "have  no  fellowship 
WITH  them" — but  secondly,  "  rather  reprove  them."  To 
reprove  an  offender  is  not  only  a  sure  way  of  avoiding  his  com- 
pany, but  the  best  way  of  insuring  that  he  will  be  anxious  to  avoid 
yours.  This  exhortation,  however,  is  more  conditional  than  posi- 
tive, there  may  be  persons  and  circumstances  where  reproof  to  an 
offender  could  not  be  well  administered  by  a  servant  of  God.  So 
the  Apostle  saith,  but  "rather  reprove  them" — "rather," 
than  accept  their  invitation  to  do  what  is  evil  or  follow  their  exam- 
ple, show  your  disapprobation  by  reproof,  "  For," — the  reason  is — 
that  "it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  those  things  that 
are  done  of  them  in  secret."  And  if  a  shame  even  to  speak 
of  them,  how  much  more  to  do  them — to  join  in  them — or  to  have 
fellowship  with  them.  Wliy  should  those  who  are  enlisted  in  the 
service  of  the  Lord  of  Glory — who  have  taken  the  name  and  pro- 
fess to  fight  under  the  banners  of  the  Great  Captain  of  their  Sal- 
vation— why  should  they  give  that  which  ought  to  be  consecrated 
to  Him,  whose  they  are,  and  whom  they  ought  to  serve,  to  the 
servants  or  to  the  service  of  the  Prince  of  darkness  ? 

In  the  rebellion  of  1798,  the  rebels  took  prisoner  a  little  drum- 
mer of  the  king's  troops,  and  they  desired  him  to  beat  the  drum 
for  them.  The  little  boy  laid  his  drum  on  the  ground  and  leaped 
into  it,  smashing  the  parchment  into  atoms — "God  forbid,"  said 
he,  "  that  the  king's  drum  should  ever  be  beat  for  rebels."  The 
ruffians  piked  the  little  hero,  but  they  could  not  obliterate  the  re- 
membrance of  a  deed,  worthy  of  a  place  in  the  noblest  records  of 
courage,  loyalty,  and  fidelity — an  example  which,  if  it  were  imi- 
tated in  a  spiritual  sense  by  the  Christian,  would  best  illustrate  the 
fulfilment  of  the  Apostle's  exhortation  here. 

But  now,  my  dear  friends,  the  application  of  this  to  ourselves  is 
the  grand  subject  for  consideration,  and  so  the  great  question 
arises — to  which  class  do  you  really  belong  ? 

Are  you  in  darkness,  or  are  you  in  the  light  ?  If  you  are  in  the 
light,  you  will  perceive,  that  certainly  a  great  change  has  taken 
place  in  your  sentiments — views — opinions — feelings — and  desires. 
If  you  really  are  brought  out  of  your  natural  darkness,  into  the  mar- 
vellous light  of  God's  truth  ;  it  is  not — it  cannot  be  concealed  from 
you.     You   must  know  that  you  are  totally  different,  in  many 


LECTURES    ON"    THE    EPHESIANS.  443 

respects,  from  what  you  once  were — though  you  feel  you  are 
very  far  from  what  you  would  aim  at,  and  desire  to  be.  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christy  he  is  a  new  creature.'^  2nd  Cor.  v.  17.  I  know 
that  the  corruption  and  wickedness  of  their  heart  is  a  constant 
source  of  pain  to  beUevers.  1  know  they  often  think  and  reason 
thus : — 

"  Alas  !  I  cannot  believe  that  I  can  be  a  child  of  God.  I  feel 
myself  so  vile,  so  guilt}^  how  can  I  be  called  His  child,  or  His  ser- 
vant?" 

Well,  that  is  a  great  change  !  For  the  time  was,  that  you  did 
not  feel  or  reason  thus — that  you  saw  no  sin,  or  but  little,  com- 
paratively, in  yourself — rather,  probably,  that  you  thought  you 
were  very  good.  This,  tiien,  is  a  great  change.  This  appears  to 
be  a  great  symptom  that  the  Lord  has  taught  you  to  see  yourselves 
in  the  light  of  His  Holy  Law.  For,  as  the  Apostle  says,  in  the 
very  next  verse,  "  Whatsoever  doth  tnake  manifest  is  light."  That 
whicli  manifests  your  own  sin  and  wickedness  to  yourselves,  must 
be  the  light  of  God's  Holy  Law  which  hath  shined  into  your  heart. 
That  is  a  great  change  !  So  it  was  exactly  with  the  Apostle,  as  he 
tells  us,  in  his  own  experience,  ^^For  I  was  alive  without  the  law 
once;  hut  ivhen  the  commandment  ca.me^  sin  revived.,  and  I  died P 
Rom.  vii.  9. 

Again,  believers  are  not  always  conscious  to  themselves  of  being 
in  a  state  of  acceptance  with  God — they  are  often  walking  in 
darkness,  and  mourning  over  their  sins  and  their  unbelief.  There- 
fore, althougli  the  knowledge  and  assurance  of  their  acceptance 
with  God,  and  the  happy  confidence  of  faith  is  their  blessed  priv- 
ilege, and  one,  vvhich  they  ought  to  aim  continually  to  enjoy ; 
yet  it  is  not  their  privilege  always  to  enjoy  it.  But  whether  you 
enjoy  it  or  not,  a  great  change  has  taken  place,  and  you  must  be 
conscious  of  this  in  some  particulars.  You  are  perhaps,  sad, 
afflicted,  unhappy  under  a  sense  of  your  own  sin ;  well,  that  is  a 
great  change.  You  may  say,  I  do  not  enjoy  the  light  of  God's 
countenance,  if  it  was  so,  if  I  was  able  to  rejoice  in  Christ,  I 
should  be  happy. — that  is  a  great  change  too.  Christ  was  of  no 
value  to  you  once — you  did  not  regard  the  light  of  God's  counte- 
nance, it  was  no  regret — it  was  nothing  to  you  whether  He  smiled 
or  frowned,  "  God  was  not  in  all  your  thoughts,"  Ps.  x.  4.  Your 
soul  desires  now  to  enjoy  the  light  of  your  Redeemer's  counte- 
nance. That  is  a  great  change!  Christ  is  precious  to  your  soul. 
We  prize  what  we  long  for,  as  much  as  what  we  enjoy.  The 
Apostle  Peter  gives  this  as  the  mark  of  a  believer,  "  To  you  that 
believe  he  is  precious."  1st  Pet.  ii.  7.  Who  showed  you  that 
Christ  was  such  a  blessed  object  ?  Who  showed  you  that  the 
light  of  God's  countenance  was  the  light  of  life  in  which  your 
soul  desired  to  bask?  None  could  shovv^  this  to  you,  but  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Therefore,  though  you  may  be  often  downcast  and 
oppressed,  take  courage!  It  may  be  the  ^^day  of  small  things'^ 
with  you,  in  comparison  of  the  advanced  experience  of  other  be- 
lievers.    But  if  we  speak  of  that  experience,  let  it  not  be  a  subject 


444  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

of  distress  to  any  person  who  is  "  asking  his  way  to  Zion,  with 
his  face  thitherward."  God  will  not  despise  ^'■the  day  of  small 
things.''''  If  there  is  one  faint  and  feeble,  but  sincere  desire  in 
your  heart  to  come  to  God — it  must  be  by  the  power  of  His  Spirit 
— there  can  be  no  such  desire  in  the  sinner's  natural  heart. 
Therefore,  I  say,  take  courage  ;  and  remember,  the  Lord  says, 
"  Who  hath  despised  the  day  of  small  things?^''  Zech.  iv.  10  ;  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  Certainly,  I  have  not  despised  it ;" — and,  if  the 
Lord  does  not  despise  it,  then  do  not  you  despise  it.  Take  cour- 
age— pray  to  the  Lord  —  search  His  Word — ^^  Enter  into  thy 
closet ;  and,  lohen  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father 
which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth  in  secret,  shall 
reivard  thee  opetdy."  Mat.  vi.  6.  Oh  !  think  what  a  privilege  it 
is,  to  have  a  God  who  sees  and  knows  the  weakest  desire — who 
hears  the  faintest  cry,  from  the  poor  sinner's  heart !  "  Because  ye 
are  so7is,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your 
hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  Gal.  iv.  6. 

It  may  bebut  a  faint  and  feeble  cry — but  however  weak — as 
the  mother's  ear  is  very  quick,  and  she  hears  the  cry  of  her  little 
babe  that  does  not  see  her,  though  she  is  watching  over  it — her 
eye — her  ear  are  all  alive  to  watch  the  slightest  movement — and 
catch  the  feeblest  cry ; — yet  not  a  thousandth  part  so  quick,  as  the 
ear  of  the  Lord  to  hear  the  cry  of  his  poor  children,  how  weak 
or  faint  soever  it  may  be.  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the 
rigJiteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers."  1st  Pet.  iii. 
12.  The  song  of  the  redeemed  around  the  throne  in  glory — 
"  The  voice  of  ?nany  angels  round  about  the  thro7ie"— and  of  the 
"/fen  thousand  times  ten  thousand,"  Rev.  v.  11,  cannot  intercept 
the  feeblest  cry  that  comes  from  the  lips  of  him  who  calleth, 
''Abba,  Father." 

We  have  a  tender — gracious — compassionate  Father !  Let  us 
come  to  Him  ;  yea,  and  come  boldly,  for  "  We  have  a  great  High 
Priest,  who  is  passed  into  the  heavens;  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God." 
And.  though  we  may  have  many  doubts — fears — distractions — 
difficulties — many  hard  conflicts — and,  though  we  may  feel,  that 
our  prayer  does  not  deserve  the  name  of  prayer,  and  that  we  are 
often  unable  to  pray, — yet,  if  there  is  the  least  cry  of  sincerity 
in  the  heart,  to  God — that  cry  must  have  come  from  God,  and 
that  cry  returns  to  Him.  Think  of  this  !  And  therefore  let  us 
pray  to  have  all  His  truth  engraven  on  our  hearts.  May  the 
Lord  write  it  there  by  His  Spirit,  for  His  name's  sake  !     Amen  ! 


THIRTY-EIGHTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 13,  14,  15,  16,  17. 


"  But  all  things  that  are  reproved  are  made  manifest  by  the  light :  for  whatsoever 
doth  make  manifest  is  light.  Wherefore  he  saith,  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise 
from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.  See  then  that  ye  walk  circumspectly, 
not  as  fools,  but  as  wdse,  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are  evil." 

The  Apostle  was  speaking,  in  the  passage  of  Scripture  which 
we  considered  on  the  last  day,  of  the  difference  between  man  in  a 
state  of  spiritual  darkness,  and  man  in  a  state  of  spiritual  light, 
and  of  the  duties  of  those  who  are  in  the  light,  "  Ye  were  some- 
times darkness  hut  now  are  ye  light  iti  the  Lord,  walk  as  children 
of  light:' 

He  had  been  warning  his  brethren  against  the  works  of  dark- 
ness, ^'■Have  no  felloivship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness, 
hut  rather  reprove  them.''' 

He  had  been  contrasting  these  with  the  works  of  light ;  "  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness  and  righteousness  and 
truth''  and  he  exhorted  his  believing  brethren,  instead  of  having 
fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness  to  reprove  them ; 
that  so  far  from  being  associated  with  them  practically,  they  should 
remember  that  even  the  very  mention  of  them  was  a  shame,  "/if  is 
a  shame  even  to  speak  of  those  things  ivhich  are  done  of  them,  in 
secret." 

He  now  shows  what  that  is,  which  tests  the  works  of  darkness, 
and  the  works  of  light ;  and  he  says,  that  which  reproves,  and 
thereby  brings  them  forth  as  it  were  into  light,  this  makes  them 
manifest,  and  it  is  this  that  tests  them.    "All  things  that  are 

REPROVED  ARE  MADE  MANIFEST  BY  THE  LIGHT  :  FOR  WHAT- 
EVER    DOTH     MAKE     MANIFEST     IS      LIGHT.         WhEREFORE     HE 

SAITH,  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the 

DEAD,   AND    ChRIST  SHLL    GIVE  THEE  LIGHT."       ThoSC  wllO  had 

been  in  darkness,  had  been  brought  out  of  darkness  into  light — 
their  darkness  had  been  made  manifest  by  the  light ;  "For  what- 
ever DOTH  make  manifest  'is  LIGHT."  The  change  that  takes 
place  in  the  sinner's  mind,  when  the  light  of  divine  truth  shines 
into  his  heart,  is  like  the  change  that  takes  place  to  the  eye  of  a 
person  when  he  has  been  in  a  dark  room,  where  he  has  not  seen 
anything  within  it — until  the  window  is  opened,  and  the  light 
allowed  to  enter,  and  all  its  contents  are  exhibited  to  his  view. 
And  if,  when  the  light  broke  into  that  dark  and  unseen  chamber, 


446 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 


he  saw  that  he  was  surrounded  with  objects  disgusting  and  appall- 
ing to  his  sight — how  horrible  would  the  scene  appear ! — how  he 
would  loathe  ! — how  he  would  desire  to  fly  from  it !  When  the 
light  of  divine  truth  breaks  in  upon  the  sinner's  heart,  and  shows 
him  the  corruptions  and  abominations  that  are  there — not  more 
horrible  would  the  most  disgusting  natural  objects  appear  to  his 
eye,  than  the  spectacle  presented  to  his  moral  sense,  when  God 
gives  him  power  to  see  it — when  God  sheds  light  upon  it.  We 
see  ourselves  full  of  sin  and  corruption — we  see  ovu-  hearts  as 
He  describes  them,  '■'■  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked"  Jer.  xvii.  9.  We  see  we  must  be  as  loathsome  in  the 
eyes  of  a  pure  and  holy  God,  as  a  corrupting  carcase  would  be  in 
our  own.  We  are  brought  down  to  the  dust  under  a  sense  of  our 
own  iniquity — we  say  with  Job,  "/  have  heard  of  thee  by  the 
hearing  of  the  ear  ;  but  noiv  mine  eye  seeth  thee :  Wherefore  I 
abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  Job,  xlii.  5,  6.  The 
light  of  God's  truth  shining  into  our  hearts  and  consciences  gives 
us  to  see  the  meaning  of  this  text  applied  to  ourselves  as  well  as 
to  others,  "a/^  things  that  are  reproved  are  ?nade  manifest  by  the 
light,  for  whatsoever  doth  make  manifest  is  light."  Now,  God's 
Word  and  God's  Spirit  make  manifest,  to  the  enlightened  con- 
science, that  which  God's  judgment  shall  make  manifest,  when  he 
shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment.  Yet  sinners  read  and  hear 
that  word  continually,  without  even  deriving  any  light  or  knowl- 
edge of  their  own  state  from  it.  Persons  will  read  over  and  over 
again,  for  example,  God's  testimony  concerning  their  own  hearts, 
that  ^'■the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  laiv  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be"  Rom.  viii.  7. 
After  having  read  that  statement,  and  heard  it  frequently,  they 
have  not  the  least  light  shed  into  their  own  hearts,  concerning  its 
truth  as  applied  to  their  own  state — ^they  do  not  believe  that  their 
^^  heart  is  enm,ity  against  God." 

I  have  frequently  quoted  that  text,  and  read  it  from  the  Script- 
ures, and  asked  persons,  "  Do  you  believe  this  is  the  state  of  your 
heart?"  And  they  have  answered,  "  No,  I  do  not  feel  any^  enmity 
against  God,  I  do  not  think  that  is  the  state  of  my  heart."  Now, 
the  reason  is,  that  those  persons,  when  they  hear  the  Word  of 
God,  have  no  light  from  the  Spirit  of  God  shed  on  their  own  heart 
or  understanding,  to  make  manifest,  by  the  light  of  the  Word, 
their  own  guilt  and  sin.  They  do  not  understand  the  nature  of 
God's  Holy  Law,  to  which  their  heart  is  not  subject ;  for  when  its 
full  requirements  are  set  before  them,  then  they  evince  their  en- 
mity against  its  strictness  and  spirituality. 

If  a  blind  man  were  brought  into  a  dark  room,  or  into  a  light 
room,  darkness  and  light  would  be  the  same  to  him,  he  wants  the 
sense  to  see.  Thousands,  and  tens  of  thousands,  yea,  multitudes 
of  most  learned  men,  in  the  midst  of  the  light  of  Revelation,  are 
as  blind  to  the  moral  character  of  God  and  their  own  spiritual 
state,  as  any  Pagan  in  the  darkest  regions  of  Heathen  ignorance 
can  be.     The  blind  sinner,  brought  into  the  light  of  God's  truth,  sees 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  447 

nothing — his  eyes  must  be  opened — God's  Word,  when  his  eyes 
are  opened,  then  makes  manifest  to  him  the  truth,  he  sees  it  in  the 
sacred  pages  as  a  person  who  had  received  sight  sees  objects 
clearly.  A  man  in  a  dark  room,  with  his  eyes  open,  cannot  see 
anything.  The  eyes  are  as  necessary  for  the  use  of  light,  as  light 
is  for  the  use  of  the  eyes.  So  man  requires,  not  merely  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  to  give  him  sight,  but  the  light  of  the  Word,  that  he 
may  see — not  merely  the  sense  to  see — but  the  light  to  enable  him 
to  use  that  sense.  The  illumination  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  light 
of  God's  Word,  are  both  alike  indispensable.  The  Spirit  is  first 
given  and  enables  him  to  attend — to  think — to  understand — to 
believe — to  see — and  derive  from  the  Word,  the  knowledge  of  the 
corruption  of  his  own  heart.  The  Word  of  God  makes  manifest, 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  makes  manifest,  truth  concerning  the  sin- 
ner ;  and  whenever  the  sinner  is  brought  to  see  the  corruption  and 
evil  in  his  own  heart — he  knows,  and  he  understands,  that  God 
sees  it  too.  The  ungodly,  as  we  read  in  Scripture,  '•'■hath  said  in 
his  heart,  God  hath  forgotten :  he  hideth  his  face ;  he  will  never 
see  it.^'  Psalm,  x.  11.  The  behever  says,  '•'•Thou  hast  set  our 
iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
nance,^^ Psahn,  xc.  8 ;  or  with  the  Apostle,  "  All  things  are  naked 
and  opened,  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with  7vho7n  we  have  to  doP  Heb. 
iv.  13.  When  the  sinner  sees  himself,  and  his  sins  in  the  light  of 
God's  countenance — and  knows  that  God's  bright  face  is  shining 
upon  him— and  that  the  eye  of  God  is  looking  upon  all  his  guilt 
and  sin — he  sees  that  his  sins  must  be  blotted  out  by  the  "  Foun- 
tain opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness,^^  Zech.  xiii.  1,  that  his 
nakedness  must  be  covered  with  "  ivhite  raimetit,"  that  will  bear 
the  light  of  God's  countenance — or  else,  that  he  must  be  lost  for- 
ever. This  is  what  makes  the  righteousness  of  Christ  precious  to 
the  sinner.  This  is  the  reason,  why  Christ  saith  to  the  Church 
in  Laodicea,  ^'I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
that  thou  tnayest  be  rich ;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest 
be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear  ; 
and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayest  seeP  Rev. 
iii.  18. 

"  That  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear.''^  How 
ashamed  we  should  be,  if  our  hearts  were  laid  bare  in  the  sight 
of  man  !  You  see  men  very  anxious  to  avoid  the  inspection  of 
their  fellow-creatures — to  conceal  from  their  fellow-worms,  what 
they  really  are.  How  carefully  we  conceal  the  thoughts  of  our 
hearts — the  workings  of  our  minds — our  evil  desires,  propensities, 
and  passions,  from  our  fellow-creatures.  But  the  moment  the 
sinner  is  brought  to  see,  and  to  feel,  that  though  he  may  conceal 
these  things  from  his  fellow-creatures,  they  are  naked  and  open 
to  the  eyes  of  God  ; — Oh  !  then  he  sees  the  blessedness  of  having 
a  refuge  to  flee  to— of  having  such  a  Saviour,  who  receives  the 
poor  and  wretched — those  whose  consciences  are  taught  to  know 
that  they  are  wliolly  lost,  convicted  and  condemned — who  receives 
those  whose  only  fitness  is,  that  they  are  sick  and  need  a  Physi- 


448  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

cian — are  lost,  and  have  need  of  Him  who  "  came  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost^''  Luke  xix.  10 — he  sees  the  blessedness  of 
having  such  a  Saviour  as  this  to  fly  to. 

The  judgment  of  God  shall  make  manifest  at  last,  to  all, 
that  truth  which  His  Word  makes  manifest  to  His  people  now. 
So,  the  Apostle  saith,  '■'■Judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the 
Lord  come,  ivho  both  ivill  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of 
darkness,  and  will  tnake  'manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts ;  and 
then  shall  every  man  have  pj'aise  of  GodP  1st  Cor.  iv.  5.  So  our 
blessed  Lord  saith,  "  Whatsoever  ye  have  spoken  in  darkness  shall 
be  heard  in  the  light ;  and  that  ivhich  ye  have  spoken  in  the  ear 
in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the  house-tops,"  Luke  xii.  3. 
Therefore,  when  the  sinner  is  brought  really  to  know  this — when 
he  is  brought  to  look  for  the  judgment  that  shall  reveal  and  make 
manifest  his  actions — his  words,  however  secret — yea,  the  very 
thoughts  of  his  heart — he  knows,  that  there  is  nothing  that  can 
give  him  hope  or  rest,  but  to  fly  to  that  Saviour — in  whom  there 
is  salvation — full  and  free  salvation,  for  all.     "Wherefore,  he 

SAITH,  awake  thou  THAT  SLEEPEST,  AND  ARISE  FROM  THE 
DEAD,  AND  ChRIST  SHALL  GIVE  THEE   LIGHT." 

The  light  that  makes  manifest  our  danger  would  be  a  melan- 
choly light  indeed,  unless  it  were  to  shine  upon  the  refuge  too. 
It  would  have  been  a  melancholy  thing,  for  a  poor  manslayer 
among  the  Jews,  when  the  morning  was  beginning  to  rise,  to  be- 
hold the  avenger  of  blood  at  his  heels,  with  a  weapon  to  slay  him, 
unless  the  same  blessed  sun  that  revealed  his  pursuer  to  his  eye, 
should  have  also  showed  him  at  the  same  time  the  way  to  the 
city  of  refuge.  Therefore,  the  light  that  makes  known  to  a  sin- 
ner his  spiritual  state,  were  a  melancholy  light,  if  it  did  not  make 
manifest  to  him  the  Refuge  for  his  soul,  and  show  him  the  way 
to  the  City,  where  he  can  find  pardon  for  his  iniquity,  even  in 
Christ — in  Him,  who  is  "^  refuge  for  the  oppressed,  a  refuge  in 
times  of  trouble,'^  Ps.  ix.  9;  then  he  is  enabled  to  say,  ^'■God  is 
my  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble,  therefore 
will  I  not  fear,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  thongh  the 
tnountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  though  the  waters 
thereof  roar  and  be  troubled,  and  though  tlie  mountains  shake 
with  the  swelling  thereof^  Ps.  xlvi.  2.  Wherefore,  O  !  thou 
guilty  sinner,  that  art  insensible  on  the  brink  of  ruin,  "  awake 

THOU  THAT  SLEEPEST.  AND  ARISE  FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  ChRIST 
SHALL  GIVE  THEE  LIGHT."  • 

Christ  Himself  is  the  light,  because  he  gives  life,  "  In  him,  was 
life  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  menP  John  i.  4 ;  it  is  the  par- 
don— ^the  salvation — the  life — that  is  in  Christ,  that  gives  light  to 
the  sinner's  soul.  So  saith  the  Prophet,  "  The  peoiple  that  walked 
in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light,  they  that  dwell  in  the  land 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  tipon  them  hath  the  light  shined."  Isa, 
ix.  2 :  and  so  saith  the  Prophet  Malachi,  iv.  2,  "  Unto  you  that 
fear  my  name,  shall  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arise  with  heal- 
ing in  his  wings."     Jesus  is  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  and  his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  449 

rising  on  the  soul  is  said  to  bring  healing  and  salvation  ;  "Where- 
fore," he  saith,  "awake   thou   that   sleepest,  and   arise 

FROM   THE   DEAD,   AND  ChRIST  SHALL  GIVE  THEE  LIGHT." 

Now,  if  that  which  I  am  saying  is  not  inteUigible  to  you,  as 
applied  to  your  own  case,  and  to  your  own  circumstances,  you  are 
of  those  who  are  yet  in  darkness.  If  you  do  not  see  your  own 
sin  and  misery,  and  if  you  do  not  see  Christ  as  your  Refuge,  you 
are  yet  in  darii;ness  and  in  death,  therefore,  "Awake  thou  that 

SLEEPEST  AND  ARISE   FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  ChRIST  SHALL  GIVE 

thee  light."  It  is  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  and 
in  the  command  the  Gospel  gives  to  come  to  Christ,  when  accom- 
panied by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  we  have  life ;  it  is  in  the  com- 
mand, the  power  is  conveyed.  We  know,  that  the  sinner  has  no 
power  in  himself  to  awake — that  a  dead  man  has  no  power  in 
himself  to  arise  from  the  dead.  Notwithstanding,  Jesus  said  to 
the  man  with  the  withered  hand,  "  Stretch  forth  thine  hand,  and 
he  stretched  it  forth,  and  it  was  restored  lohole  as  the  other. ''^ 
Mat.  xii.  13.  Jesus  said  to  tlie  man  who  had  been  lying  four  days 
in  his  grave,  "  Lazarus  come  forth.  And  he  that  was  dead 
ca?tie  forth.'''  John  xi.  43,  44.  The  man  with  the  withered  arm 
had  no  power  to  stretch  it  out ;  and  Lazarus  had  no  power  to  get 
up  from  his  grave,  but,  in  the  command  of  God,  power  was  con- 
veyed to  the  withered  hand,  and  life  to  the  dead  body.  There  is 
no  power  in  man  to  do  good  or  to  awaken  himself,  but  in  the  com- 
mand from  God  to  the  sinner's  heart,  "Awake  thou  that  sleep- 
est," in  that  command,  when  accompanied  by  God's  power,  there 
is  power  to  the  weak,  and  life  to  the  dead.  The  Lord's  command 
to  the  Prophet  is.  ^^ Prophecy  upon  their  hones  and  say  unto  them., 
O  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  ivord  of  the  hordP  Ezek.  xxxvii.  4. 
Wherefore,  we  say,  "Awake  thou  that  sleepest  and  arise 

FROM     THE     DEAD,     AND     ChRIST     SHALL     GIVE     THEE     LIGHT." 

Awake  to  the  sense  of  your  own  guilt  and  wretchedness,  your  own 
lost  condition,  and  your  misery,  and  arise  from  the  dead.  You 
are  in  the  world,  that  is,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins — surrounded 
by  those,  your  fellow-creatures,  who  are  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins — ^and  if  you  are  ignorant  of  Christ,  you  are  dead,  as  the  rest, 
yourselves.  Come  out  then,  with  Lazarus — come  forth  from  the 
grave,  "Awake  thou  that  sleepest  and  arise  from  the 

DEAD,  AND  ChRIST  SHALL  GIVE  THEE   LIGHT." 

The  pardon  that  is  proclaimed  to  the  sinner,  in  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
conveys  life  to  the  soul.  Again,  remember  the  text,  "/«  him  was 
life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  menP  John  i.  4.  It  is  the  life 
that  comes  from  Jesus,  that  gives  light  to  the  soul.  Just  as  when 
Lazarus  came  forth — ^when  he  received  life  from  the  Word  of  the 
Lord — his  eye  met  his  Redeemer— and  he  beheld  once  more  the 
light  of  day — and  he  saw  all  those  who  stood  around  his  grave. 
So  when  God  grants  to  the  sinner  "  repentance  to  the  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  truth,^' — when  the  sinner  is  taught  by  the  Spirit 
to  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel,  the  sinner  receives  life  with  light, 
and  light  with  life — and  he  beholds  and  flies  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  as 

29 


450  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

a  refuge  for  his  soul,  "Wherefore  he  saith,  awake  thou 

THAT  SLEEPEST,  AND  ARISE  FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  ChRIST 
SHALL  GIVE  THEE   LIGHT." 

Oh!  my  dear  friends,  what  a  blessing  from  God  it  is,  for  a  sin- 
ner to  be  given  the  light  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  !  Alas  !  if  any  of 
you  are  walking  in  darkness,  as  "  he  that  walketh  in  darkness, 
knowefh  not  ichither  lie  goeih^'' — so  the  sinner  that  is  walking 
without  light  in  Christ,  knows  not,  as  we  remarked  the  last  day, 
whether  the  next  step  may  not  be  over  the  precipice  of  eternal 
death  !     Oh,  consider  !  then — reflect  on  this  ! 

Then,  what  is  the  practical  use  of  awaking  from  the  dead,  and 
receiving  light  from  Christ  ? 

What  is  the  practical  use  of  the  sun,  and  of  eyes  to  behold  its 
light  ? — Is  not  one  use, — that  man  may  see  where  he  is  going — 
that  he  may  direct  his  course  by  the  light  ?  So,  this  is  the  very 
use  to  which  the  Apostle  applies  it — this  is  the  Spirit's  practical 
application, — "See    then,    that    ye    walk    circumspectly, 

NOT    as    fools    but    AS    WISE,   REDEEMING    THE    TIME  BECAUSE 

THE  DAYS  ARE  EVIL."  The  usc  of  the  light  of  day  is  to  guide 
you  in  your  course — the  course  wherein  you  ought  to  walk  in  all 
your  daily  occupations.  So  the  use  of  the  light  of  "  The  Sun  of 
RiffhteoKsness^'  shining  upon  your  soul,  is  to  ^^  guide  your  foot- 
steps into  the  icay  of  peace. ''^  This  is  the  very  expression  used  in 
that  beautiful  passage,  the  Song  of  Zacharias  ;  in  which,  address- 
ing his  son,  .Tohn  the  Baptist,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  saith,  '•'Thou, 
vhild,  shalt  he  called  the  Prophet  of  the  Highest:  for  thou  shall 
go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  prepare  his  ways  ;  To  give 
knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people  by  the  remission  of  their 
sins,  Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God  ;  whereby  the  day- 
spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  ns,  To  give  light  to  them  that 
sit  iti  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into 
the  way  of  peaces  Luke,  i.  76 — 79. 

And  so,  "  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people  by 
the  remission  of  their  sins^^ — that  is  the  means,  you  perceive,  by 
which  '•  the  day-spring  from  on  high^'  visits  the  soul. 

What  a  Ijeautiful  image  of  Christ !  "  The  day-spring  from  on 
high."  A  glorious  light  arising  on  a  dark  world.  And  recollect, 
that  as  the  sun  arises  in  the  firmament  of  heaven  upon  this  dark 
earth,  the  whole  light  of  that  orb  arises  on  the  sinner's  eye  that 
beholds  him;  so  as  the  fulness  of  the  glory  of  Jesus,  rises  in  the 
firjuament  of  revelati^on  on  a  guilty  world,  to  the  sinner  who  is 
given  eyes  to  see  Him,  the  glorious  "  Day-spring  from  on  higK'' 
rises  on  his  sight  and  liis  soul  too ;  he  sees  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  just  as  if  there  was  no  other  eye  in  the  whole  world  to  be- 
hold Him  ;  just  as  the  sinner  who  beholds  the  natural  sun  arising 
from  the  ocean,  sees  the  fulness  of  his  glory  as  much  as  if  no 
other  eye  saw  him.  All  the  sun  is  his  own,  when  he  beholds  him 
emerging  from  the  waves — all  Christ  is  his  own,  when  he  beholds 
Him  rising  on  his  dark  soul.  What  a  blessed  truth  !  that  all  the 
fulness  of  Christ  belongs  to  every  individual  sinnner,  as  if  there 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  451 

was  no  other  sinner  in  the  world ;  He  is  a  full  complete  Saviour — 
an  all-sufficient  Saviour  for  the  soul. 

The  Psalmist  uses  a  somewhat  similar  expression,  "  The  en- 
trance of  thy  word  giveth  light,'''  Ps.  cxix.  130.  And  so  he  says 
in  that  beautiful  Psalm,  in  which  he  is  comparing  the  hght  of  the 
sun  to  the  moral  light  of  God's  word,  ''  In  them^''  (the  heavens) 
'■'■hath  he  set  a  tahernacle  for  the  sun,  which  is  as  a  bridegroom 
coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run 
a  race  ;  his-  going  forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his 
circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it,  and  there  is  nothing  Mdfrom  the  heat 
thereof P  Then  he  applies  the  image  to  the  word  of  God,  "  The 
law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul,  the  testimony  of 
the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple  ;  the  statutes  of  the 
Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart ;  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the  eyesP  As  the  sun  giveth  light  to 
the  world,  so  do  the  beams  of  God's  truth  give  light  to  the  sinner's 
soul ;  and  as  the  sun  is  to  guide  the  feet  of  man,  by  the  natural 
light  that  beams  on  his  eye,  so  the  "  Sun  of  Righteousness"'  is  to 
guide  the  feet  into  the  way  of  peace  by  His  heavenly  light,  that 
beams  upon  the  soul. 

So,  if  ye  be  "  Children  of  light,'''  "See  then,  that  ye  walk 

CIRCUMSPECTLY,   NOT    AS  FOOLS   BUT   AS  WISE,   REDEEMING    THE 

TIME,  BECAUSE  THE  DAYS  ARE  EVIL."  WliCH  you  are  Walking  in 
the  light  of  the  sun,  you  will  not  step  into  any  place  where  you 
are  likely  to  fall — you  will  not  stand  on  ground  that  is  likely  to 
sink  from  under  you — you  will  not  stumble  down  a  precipice — you 
will  not  run  into  any  danger — you  will  avoid  or  fly  from  it.  So, 
if  you  are  walking  in  the  hght  of  God's  countenance — in  the  light 
and  life  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  what  must  be  the  effect  of  it  ?  to 
hinder  you  from  walking  into  temptation — to  turn  you  away  from 
the  fatal  precipices  of  passion,  and  of  every  evil  lust — to  warn  you 
from  the  destructive  paths  of  sin — from  the  snares  of  ambition, 
covetousness,  pride,  vanity,  and  folly — and  to  guide  your  feet  into 
the  way  of  peace  ;  to  teach  you  to  walk  with  God — to  walk  in  the 
fellowship  of  your  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  in  the  true  communion 
of  His  Spiritual  flock.  "  This  then,'"'  saith  the  Apostle  John,  "  is 
the  message  ichich  we  have  heard  of  him  and  declare  unto  you, 
that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If  we  say 
that  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  tvalk  in  darkness,  we  lie 
and  do  not  the  truth.  But  if  we  walk  in  the  light  as  he 
is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sinJ''  1st  John 
}.  5,  6,  7. 

To  walk  in  the  light  as  "  children  of  light,''  is  to  walk  in  life 
and  love — to  walk  in  the  ways  of  holiness,  and  happiness,  and 
true  wisdom,  for  ^^Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her 
paths  are  peace,'''  Prov.  iii.  17. 

"See   THEN    THAT  YE  WALK    CIRCUMSPECTLY,   NOT   AS  FOOLS, 

BUT  AS  WISE."  How  do  fools  Walk  ?  how  do  those  who  are  igno- 
rant of  God  walk  ?     In  the  ways  of  sin  and  ignorance  with  the 


452  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ungodly  world — on  the  "  broad  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction.^'' 
Mat.  vii.  13.  The  eianer  that  is  brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
is  brought,  that  he  may  not  walk  as  they  do — that  he  may  turn 
from  the  world — that  he  may  walk  in  "  the  narrow  way  that  lead- 
eth to  eternal  life." 

What  an  awful  thought  it  is,  that  sinners  should  console 
themselves,  as  they  constantly  do,  with  the  safety — the  secu- 
rity of  their  spiritual  state,  because  they  are  walking  as  other  peo- 
ple are  ! 

"If  we  are  lost,  what  is  to  become  of  the  rest  of  the  world? — 
we  are  not  worse  than  our  neighbors,  and  better  than  a  great 
number,"  &.c. 

The  very  ground  of  their  hope,  our  Lord  marks  as  the  pledge 
of  their  condemnation,  for  "  Wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the 
way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in 
thereat :  Because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  tvay, 
which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it.'^  Matt, 
vii.  13,  14. 

If  you  are  walking  with  the  multitude,  you  are  walking  to  de- 
struction. If  you  are  walking  with  those  with  whom  you  have 
all  your  life  been  walking  in  your  natural  state,  you  are  walking 
to  destruction.  There  must  be  a  difference  between  the  walk  of 
the  ungodly,  and  the  walk  of  tlie  godly,  because  they  are  going 
in  opposite  directions.  Those  persons  that  are  going  together, 
you  know  must  reach  the  same  place ; — if  we  go  with  the  world, 
we  must  reach  the  place  to  which  the  world  is  tending.  "  We 
know  that  7ve  are  of  God,''  saith  the  Apostle  John,  "  and  the  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness. ''^  Isl  John  v.  19. 

If  we  go  to  the  place  to  which  the  world  is  not  tending,  we 
must  walk  of  course  in  the  opposite  direction.  The  world  is  in 
darkness,  and  knoweth  not  whither  it  goeth,  "  Ye  were  sometimes 
darkness,  but  7iow  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord,  walk  as  children  of 
light:' 

"See  THEN,  THAT   YE    WALK  CIRCUMSPECTLY,  NOT  AS  FOOLS, 

BUT  AS  WISE."  Scriptural  wisdom  and  folly,  and  worldly  wisdom 
and  folly,  are  very  distinct  from  each  other.  A  man  may  be,  in 
the  estimation  of  the  world,  one  of  the  wisest  of  its  sons — and,  in 
the  estimation  of  God,  he  may  be  a  fool.  A  man,  ii\  the  estima- 
tion of  the  world  may  be  a  fool — but,  in  the  sight  of  God,  he  may 
be  wiser  than  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Wherefore  He  sakh,  "  If 
any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  vnse  in  this  world,  let  him, 
become  a  fool,  tliat  he  may  be  wise.''''  1st  Cor.  iii.  18. 

But  alas  !  my  dear  fiiends,  what  a  melancholy  thought  it  is, 
how  continually  persons  seek  for  all  other  wisdom,  but  "  the  wis- 
dom that  is  from  aboiw.''  James  iii.  17.  How  anxious  do  you 
see  parents  to  educate  their  children  in  all  kinds  of  learning — in 
languages — sciences — literature — accomplishments,  &c.,  and  how 
careless  they  are  about  the  things  that  belong  to  their  everlasting 
peace.  And  if  their  children  make  a  proficiency  in  these  things — 
if  they  are  improved  and  accomplished  in  the  learning  of  the  world 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  453 

— they  are  quite  pleased  and  satisfied  ; — forgetting',  that  if  they  are 
ignorant  of  Jesus,  '■'•It  were  better  for  them,  that  a  rnillstone  were 
hanged  about  their  neck,  and  they  ivere  cast  into  the  depths  of  the 
sea"  Mat.  xvhi.  o.  And  so  it  is,  alas  !  with  those  who  are  young 
themselves.  Some  are  indolent  and  idle,  and  only  think  of  in- 
dulging in  amusement  or  sensuality.  Some  are  very  anxious  to 
cultivate  their  minds — to  improve  themselves  in  all  things,  except 
in  those  that  belong  to  their  everlasting  peace.  But  Oh  !  my  dear 
young  friends,  remember  that  jnighty  question — apply  all  the 
powers  of  arithmetic  to  calculate  that  stupendous  sum,  "  What 
shall  it  projit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  iti  exchange  for  his  soul  ?' 
Mark  viii.  36.  Oh  !  remember  that  it  is  written  of  man,  ^^His 
breath  goeth  forth,  he  returneth  to  his  earth,  in  that  very  day  his 
thoughts  perish."  Psalm  cxlvi.  4. 

The  head  of  the  ablest — the  head  of  the  most  learned  man — of 
the  mightiest  statesman — of  the  most  powerful  orator,  who  had 
guided  the  counsels  of  a  nation — that  head,  whose 

"  Tongue  had  set  the  table  in  a  roar," 

or  commanded  "  the  applause  of  listening  senates,"  when  its  breath 
goeth  forth,  it  is  as  mute — as  empty — and  as  waste  as  the  skull 
of  a  driveUing  idiot.  What  then  is  genius  ?  What  is  talent  1  What 
is  all  the  wisdom  that  man  can  gain  /  What  is  all  the  learning 
that  man  can  acquire,  if  he  is  not  "  Wise  unto  salvation,  through 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ?"     Oh  !    think  of  this,  and  "See  then 

THAT   YE  WALK    CIRCUMSPECTLY,   NOT   AS  FOOLS,   BUT   AS  WISE." 

If  you  walk  as  wise,  in  this  sense,  it  must  be  as  being  "  ivise  unto 
salvation."  You  must  have  this  wisdom — or  you  must  walk  as 
a  fool !  And  where  are  you  to  find  it?  "jFVom  a  child,"  sa.iih. 
Paul  to  Timothy,  "  thou  hast  knoivn  the  holy  Scriptures,  which 
are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus."  2nd  Tim.  iii.  15. 

And  here  we  may  observe  the  awful  system  of  ignorance  that 
is  set  up  amongst  us  now,*  on  high  authority,  by  way  of  education 
for  immortal  beings,  in  our  country.  You  hear  men  of  high  rank 
— men  of  great  aljility — men  of  great  learning,  and  great  power, 
who  occupy  a  large  space  in  the  public  eye — you  hear  these  men 
standing  up,  and  talking  of  the  advantages  of  instruction  for  the 
nation.  They  will  expatiate  on  the  improvement  of  the  people — 
the  progress  of  knowledge — the  "  march  of  intellect" — "  the  spirit 
of  the  age,"  as  they  call  it.  We  hear  them  talking  of  these  things 
— setting  up  schools  for  national  education ;  we  hear,  too,  of  different 
institutions  for  science,  such  as  Mechanics'  Institutes — of  numer- 
ous publications — cheap  magazines — cheap  newspapers,  to  convey 
knowledge  to  the  people  !  We  hear  long  speeches,  which  some 
persons  will  say  are  full  of  learning,  and  wisdom,  and  talent — we 
see  large  sums  of  money  voted  in  our  senate,  for  the  education  of 

*  Irish  National  Board  of  Education,  established  1832. 


454  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  country  !  But  the  Word  of  the  eternal  God — which  alone  can 
make  an  hnmortal  being  anything  in  the  sight  of  God,  beyond  a 
fool — alone  can  deliver  him  from  folly,  sin,  misery,  death,  and  hell 
— that  Blessed  Word  is  dishonored,  and  forbidden  to  be  made  the 
standard  of  education  for  this  unhappy  nation.  Yet  man  educated 
without  the  knowledge  of  God's  Word — trained  up  without  relig- 
ion— must  be  trained  up  in  tlie  service  of  Satan.  Men  are  always 
trained  up  in  the  service  of  Satan,  when  they  are  not  trained  up 
in  the  truth  of  God.  It  must  be  so !  Every  course — however 
specious  and  harmless  it  may  seem — in  which  man  can  be  trained 
on  earth,  is  the  way  of  Satan  ;  when  God's  Word  is  excluded  from 
his  education.  For  if  he  is  not  trained  up  in  the  knowledge  of 
that  Book,  all  the  sciences,  and  all  the  arts,  and  all  the  literature 
that  could  be  conveyed  into  the  human  mind,  cannot  deliver  man 
from  the  power  of  Satan  !  Nothing  can  deliver  him  from  this,  but 
the  truth  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  revealed  in  that  Book.  There- 
fore, when  the  Scriptures  are  not  made  a  part  of  the  education  of 
men,  they  cannot  but  be  educated  in  the  worst  ignorance.  Men 
would  say,  a  child  could  not  be  educated  without  Grammar,  Arith- 
metic, History,  or  Geography — but  count  it  no  deficiency,  to  be 
educated  without  the  Bible  ! ! ! 

Take  the  wisest — the  most  learned  man  on  earth — give  hin\ 
all  the  genius,  all  the  talents,  with  which  man  was  ever  gifted — 
cultivate  those  with  all  the  learning  that  ever  was  accumulated  in 
one  individual — and  just  ask  one  question  : — 

Is  he  "  wise  imto  salvation,  throuffJi  faith,  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  r  2nd  Tim.  iii.  13. 

If  he  is  not — all  his  genius — all  his  talents — all  his  gifts — all 
his  acquisitions, — the  higher  they  exalt  him,  the  deeper  the 
plunge  with  which  they  precipitate  him  into  perdition ;  because, 
the  more  he  knows,  the  more  he  ought  to  have  learned,  that  the 
God  who  gave  him  genius  and  talent — and  the  God  who  was  the 
God  of  nature  and  science — and  the  God  of  all  that  can  be  worth 
knowing  on  earth,  was  the  God  whom  he  ought  to  have  known 
and  served — the  God  whom  he  ought  to  have  worsliipped — the 
God  to  whom  he  ought  to  be  reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  a  guilty 
sinner !  Therefore,  there  is  not  a  principle  that  comes  more  di- 
rectly from  the  Prince  of  darkness,  than  this : — that  men  can  be 
improved  by  education,  without  the  Bible.  And  all  men  who  have 
any  religion  themselves,  ought  "  to  set  their  face,  like  a  flint," 
against  such  an  infidel  principle,  as  they  fear  their  God,  or  love 
their  fellow-creatures.  Every  man,  every  woman,  in  their  depart- 
ment in  life,  minister  and  layman — master  and  mistress,  father, 
mother,  and  children,  ought  to  set  their  faces  against  it.  And  it 
proves  awfully,  the  state  of  miserable  apostacy  from  divine  truth 
— from  the  standard  of  our  pure  and  holy  religion,  into  which  the 
nation  has  fallen, — since  such  a  principle  can  be  entertained  for  a 
moment,  much  less  carried  into  operation,  in  the  country  ! — since 
it  is  not  scouted  out  of  the  land,  from  north  to  south,  from  east  to 
west ! — that  the  nation  is  to  be  instructed,  without  the  Word  of 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  455 

the  eternal  God  !  Men  are  fools ;  and  they  must  walk  as  fools, 
whatever  be  their  rank  or  station — no  matter  who  or  what  they 
are — they  must  be  walking  in  ignorance  and  folly,  if  they  are  not 
walking  in  the  wisdom  of  God's  sacred  truth  !  There  is  no  wis- 
dom on  earth,  that  deserves  the  name,  but  that  which  comes  from 
the  God  of  truth.  Oh,  think  of  this — consider  it  for  your  own  souls. 
If  you  are  not  walking  with  God — if  you  are  not  walking  wisely 
in  the  truth  of  God's  Word — you  cannot  be  walking  happily  in 
the  light  of  God's  countenance.  If  you  are  not,  you  have  no  wis- 
dom— you  are  in  darkness — you  are  a  fool,  if  you  were  the  Head 
of  a  University,  or  Prime  Minister  of  the  Empire.  Then  I  say 
solemnly,  consider  this ;  because  it  is  a  matter  of  personal,  practi- 
cal religion,  with  every  human  being.  We  ought  to  consider, 
daily,  hourly,  momentarily,  how  we  are  to  walk.     "See  then 

THAT    YE    WALK    CIRCUMSPECTLY."       If  SO,  We    mUSt    look  wllCrC 

we  are  going.     Let  us  remember,  wheresoever  we  are  walking  in 
this  world,  that  we  are  walking  on  the  road  to  eternity. 

If  a  friend  met  you  in  the  street,  or  on  the  road,  and  asked  you, 
"  Where  are  you  going  ?" — and  that  you  replied,  "  Indeed,  I  do  not 
know."  Would  not  that  be  the  answer  of  a  fool  ?  But  when 
asked,  as  you  hasten  to  eternity,  "  Where  are  you  going  ?"  and 
that  you  must  answer,  "  I  do  not  know," — is  that  walking  like  a 
wise  person,  or  like  a  fool  ?  Are  you  walking  without  God — not 
in  a  state  of  peace  with  God^ — but  at  enmity  with  God  ?  Alas, 
what  a  fool  you  must  be  !  What  a  fool  that  man  is,  who  is  walk- 
ing aU  enmity  with  God  !  Is  he  not  the  worst  of  fools?  And 
every  man  is  walking  at  enmity  with  God,  who  is  not  reconciled 
through  Christ.  Therefore,  if  you  "  walk  circumspectly,"  you 
must  both  know  where  you  are  going,  and  look  well  how  you  are 
walking  to  your  destination.  And  to  see  this,  you  must  have  the 
light  of  God's  truth  shining  on  your  path — you  must  have  "  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness'''  arisen  on  your  eyes,  even  Christ  Jesus, 
the  Lord  ! — or  otherwise,  you  are  walking  in  darkness  ;  and  walk- 
ing not  wisely,  but  as  a  fool.  "See  then,  that  ye  walk  cir- 
cumspectly, NOT  as  fools,  but  AS  WISE,  REDEEMING  THE 
TIME,  BECAUSE    THE    DAYS    ARE    EVIL." 

"Redeeming  the  time."  Dear  friends,  how  little  we  think 
of  the  importance  of  time  !  How  criminally  we  waste  our  precious, 
irrevocable  hours  !  We  would  think  it  a  sin  to  throw  away  our 
gold — to  squander  our  silver — we  should  say,  that  a  man  who  did 
so,  must  be  a  fool.  But  let  us  remember,  that  all  the  gold  in  the 
world  cannot  buy  back  one  moment  of  mis-spent  time.  It  cannot 
recall — ^it  cannot  purchase  back  one  moment  you  have  given  to 
Satan,  or  one  moment  you  have  taken  from  God.  Remember, 
that  all  your  time  is  due  to  Him,  who  gives  it  to  you.  You  receive 
your  hours,  as  if  they  Avere  taken  by  the  hand  of  God,  and  given 
to  you — as  if  He  said,  "  Here  is  another  day  bestowed  on  you, 
here  is  another  hour  granted  to  you."  And  will  you  take  these 
hours  and  days  from  God,  and  spend  them  in  the  service  of  the 
Prince  of  darkness  ?     Is  it  too  much  to  sav.  that  the  time  which 


456  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

we  receive  from  God,  should  be  redeemed  for  God?  I  do  not  know 
anything,  in  which  a  Christian  has  more  cause  to  be  ashamed  of 
himself,  and  to  feel  more  his  sinfulness — his  criminal  forgetfulness 
of  God — than  in  that  one  evil ! — how  little  he  values,  how  little  he 
redeems  his  time.  Alas  !  if  the  precious  time  that  Ave  have  given 
to  sin,  to  vanity,  and  folly,  had  been  devoted  to  the  service  of  God 
— to  the  study  of  His  Word — to  the  practical  discharge  of  the  du- 
ties that  He  has  enjoined  on  us — to  the  happiness  of  our  fellow- 
sinners, — how  different  were  the  state  of  every  one  in  this  room, 
at  this  moment !  What  spiritual  treasures  had  we  gained  !  What 
spiritual  advancement  had  we  made !  What  spiritual  comforts 
had  we  enjoyed  !  Alas  !  how  we  have  squandered  time  !  precious 
time ! ! 

The  wretched  dying  Infidel  is  reported  to  have  said  to  his  phy- 
sician, "I  will  give  you  half  my  property,  if  you  can  give  me 
another  day."  But  all  the  world  could  not  buy  a  moment.  King- 
doms can  be  bought  and  sold,  but  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
cannot  buy  one  moment  of  time.  Think  of  that — how  precious 
it  is  !  While  time  is  yours,  you  have  what  kingdoms  cannot  buy 
— time  squandered  is  throwing  away  what  kingdoms  could  not 
purchase.     "See  then,    that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not 

AS  FOOLS,  BUT  AS  WISE,  REDEEMING  THE  TIME,  BECAUSE  THE 
DAYS  ARE  EVIL." 

Recollect,  then  on  the  wliole,  first,  what  it  is  that  gives  light — 
the  Word  of  God. 

Recollect,  that  the  command  of  God  goes  forth  to  those  who  are 
asleep — to  those  who  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins''' — "  awake 

THOU  THAT  SLEEPEST  AND  ARISE  FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  ClIRIST 
SHALL  GIVE  THEE  LIGHT." 

What  a  blessed  mercy  it  is,  that  while  the  command  of  God 
might  be  justly  addressed  to  you  and  to  me,  "  depart  into  ever- 
lasting darkness,^^  God  says  to  us  this  day,  "  awake  thou  that 

SLEEPEST,  AND  ARISE  FROM  THE  DEAD,  AND  ChRIST  SHALL 
GIVE  THEE  LIGHT." 

Then  again  consider,  what  is  the  use  of  light?  That  you  may 
learn  to  "walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise, 

REDEEMING  THE  TIME,   BECAUSE  THE  DAYS  ARE  EVIL." 

Remember,  that  all  wisdom  without  the  Bible  is  folly  and  mad- 
ness—all that  the  world  calls  wisdom,  is  comparatively  ignorance 
and  folly.  How  wisely  some  men  walk  to  hell !  how  learnedly — 
how  pompously  they  strut  into  perdition  !  Thus  saith  the  Prophet, 
"  Therefore  hell  hath  enlarged  herself,  and  opened  her  ??ioiith 
without  measure  :  and  their  glory,  and  their  multitude,  and  their 
pomp,  and  he  that  rejoiceth  shall  ascefid  into  ity  Is.  v.  14 — and 
what  is  the  use  of  their  wisdom  when  they  get  there  !  Every 
man  that  is  ignorant  of  the  Bible — of  the  way  of  peace  and 
reconciliation  with  his  God,  with  all  his  wisdom,  he  is  going 
straight  to  everlasting  death.     Therefore  consider — "  See  then, 

THAT    ye  WALK  CIRCUMSPECTLY,  NOT  AS  FOOLS,  BUT  AS  WISE." 

Look  before  you — look  around  you — watch  and  walk  in  the  light 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  457 

of  God's  truth,  "redeeming  the  time  because  the  days  are 
EVIL."  The  Apostle  might  say  so  in  his  day,  and  surely  we  may 
say  so  in  ours.  Every  servant  of  God  may  say  so  in  all  ages  of 
the  world,  "the  days  are  evil."  But  surely  if  ever  there  were 
days  of  evil — of  sin — of  wickedness,  and  of  departure  from  God, 
they  must  be  the  days  of  a  nation,  bearing  the  name  of  Christian, 
yet  refusing  to  have  the  Word  of  Christ  as  the  standard  of  Educa- 
tion for  their  children. 

May  God,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  not  deal  with  this  guilty  Em- 
pire after  its  iniquities  ! 

May  the  Lord  give  to  us  the  light  of  His  countenance  !  May 
He  cause  His  face  to  shine  upon  us,  and  bring  His  blessed  Word 
with  power  to  our  souls,  that  we  may  not  walk  in  darkness,  but 
in  the  smile  of  His  favor  and  His  love,  through  time  to  eternity. 
Amen ! 


THIRTY-NINTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 17,  18,  19,  20,  21. 


"  Wherefore  be  yet  not  unwise,  but  understanding  what  the  will  of  the  Lord  is.  And 
be  not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein  is  excess  ;  but  be  filled  with  the  Spirit:  speaking  to 
yourselves  in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making  melody  in 
your  heart  to  the  Lord ;  giving  thanks  always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the  Father 
in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  submitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear 
of  God." 

A  DIFFICULT  and  a  dangerous  way,  in  an  enemy's  land,  re- 
quires vigilant  attention  and  careful  circumspection,  in  the  soldier 
on  his  march,  or  the  traveller  on  his  journey.  Therefore  the 
Apostle,  as  we  have  seen,  exhorts  his  brethren  to  "  ivalk  circum- 
spectly^ not  as  fools  ^  hut  as  loise,  redeeming  the  time^  because  the 
days  arc  evil." 

Evil  days — evil  circumstances — an  evil  world— an  evil  foe — 
evils  within — evils  without,  are  like  the  dangers — the  difficulties — 
the  ambuscades  of  a  journey  or  march  through  an.  enemy's 
country.  Therefore,  the  Christian  must  ever  be  on  his  guard — 
ever  on  the  watch — must  ever  walk  circumspectly.  The  days  of 
his  pilgrimage  are  few,  and  evil — therefore  he  must  redeem  the 
time,  because  those  days  are  evil.  'J  Wherefore,"  adds  the 
Apostle,  "be  ye  not  unwise,  but  understanding  what  the 
WILL  OF  THE  LoRD  IS."  In  a  strange  country,  a  man  gets  a  map, 
to  direct  his  steps — in  an  unknown  sea,  a  chart,  to  direct  his  voy- 
age. God's  Word  is  the  chart  and  compass,  whereby  the  believer 
is  to  steer  his   course — the  map,  by  which  he  is   to  direct  his 


458  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

journey,  "  Wherewithal  shall  a  young  7nan  cleanse  his  way  7 
by  taking  heed  thereto,  according  to  thy  ivordP  Ps.  cxix.  9. 

This  keeps  from  sinning  against  God,  "  Thy  word  have  I  hid 
in  my  heart,  that  I  might  not  sin  against  theeP  v.  11. 

The  study  of  this  guides  in  the  ways  of  God,  '■'■  I  will  meditate 
in  thy  precepts,  and  have  respect  unto  thy  loaysP  v.  15. 

Tiiis  gives  happiness  and  soUd  counsel  to  the  soul,  "  Thy  testi- 
monies also  are  my  delight  and  my  counsellors^  v.  24. 

This  strengthens  and  comforts  the  heart  in  distress,  "  My  soul 
m,elteth  for  heaviness :  strengthen  thou  me  according  unto  thy 
u-ord.''^  V.  28.  '■^This  is  my  comfort  in  my  affliction,  for  thy  tvord 
hath  quickened  me^''  v.  50.  ^'- 1  remembered  thy  judgments  of  old, 
O  Lord ;  and  have  comforted  myself, ^^  v.  52.  "  Thy  testimonies 
have  I  taken  as  an  heritage  forever :  for  they  are  the  rejoicing 
of  iny  hearts  v.  111. 

This  gives  true  wisdom,  and  gives  us  really  to  understand,  and 
be  guided  by  the  will  of  the  Lord,  "  Through  thy  precepts  I  get 
understanding:  therefore  I  hate  every  false  way  P  ^^  Thy  word 
is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  pathP 

"  The  entrance  of  thy  ivord  giveth  light :  it  giveth  under- 
standing unto  the  simple.  Thy  ivord  is  true  from  the  beginning: 
and  every  one  of  thy  righteous  judg?nents  endureth  forever," 
verses  104,  105,  130,  160. 

"Wherefore,  be  ye  not  unwise,  but  understanding 
WHAT  the  will  OF  THE  LoRD  IS."  It  is  by  the  Lord's  Word, 
alone,  that  we  can  understand  the  Lord's  will ;  and  by  the  under- 
standing of  His  will,  alone,  that  we  are  to  direct  our  steps.  There- 
fore, we  must  ever  consult  and  study  tiie  Word  of  God,  if  we  would 
not  be  unwise,  but  understand  His  will. 

We  have  this  sentiment  expressed  in  different  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture ;  as  for  example,  where  the  Apostle  is  exhorting  his  brethren 
in  Thessalonica,  in  the  same  way,  respecting  their  walk,  he  says, 
"  We  beseech  you,  bretJiren,  and  exhort  you  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
that  as  ye  have  received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  loalk  and  to  please 
God,  so  ye  tvould  abound  more  and  more."  Observe,  he  saith, 
*'  ye  received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  loalk  and  to  please  God." 
that  is,  we  taught  you  true  wisdom — we  taught  you  His  will. 

•'  For  ye  know  what  commandments  ice  gave  you  by  the  Lord 
Jesus.  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification." 
1st  Thess.  iv.  1,  2,  3.  The  sanctification  of  His  people — that  is 
His  will.  If  they  understand  "what  the  will  of  the  Lord 
IS,"  they  will  vinderstand  this.  Here  the  term,  "  sanctification," 
is  used  in  its  secondary  sense ;  that  is,  with  respect  to  its  practical 
application  to  the  believer's  life  and  conversation.  It  is  here  taken 
for  the  sanctifying  power  and  influences  of  the  Spirit ;  and  this  is 
what  persons  mean,  if  they  speak  scripturally,  by  progressive 
sanctification.  Just  exactly,  as  a  man  would  seek  to  make  progress 
in  his  journey,  when  he  was  going  to  his  home.  So  we  should 
make  progress  in  our  spiritual  journey,  on  our  way  to  that  "  rest 
that  remaijieth  for  the  people  of  God."  Heb.  iv.  9.     So  we  should 


LECTURES    OX    THE     EPHESIAKS.  459 

seek  to  make  progress  in  the  sanctifying  power  and  influences  of 
the  Spirit  of  God.  But  you  must  ever  hear  in  mind,  that  this  is 
quite  a  distinct  thing  from  that  sanctification,  of  which  we  spoke 
at  the  beginning  of  this  Epistle,  when  we  considered  the  character 
of  the  saints  of  Christ ;  for  all  believers,  as  you  recollect,  I  ex- 
plained to  you,  arc  completely,  in  that  sense,  sanctified,  and  all 
alike  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus.  All  who  believe  in  Christ,  are 
sanctified  in  Christ — set  apart  in  Jesus — and  evermore  consecrated 
to  Giod — members  of  His  body — brandies  of  the  Vine.  Such  as 
the  Head  is,  such  are  the  members  ;  such  as  the  Tree  is,  such  are 
the  branches — all  sanctified  in  Christ.  Therefore,  I  again  repeat, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  said  to  '■'■sanctify  the  people  roith  his  own 
bloody  Heb.  xiii.  12.  Therefore,  it  is  said  of  the  will  of  God,  "  by 
the  rchich  will  we  are  sanctified,  throiigh  the  offering  of  the  body 
of  Jesifs  Christ,  once  for  all.'''  Heb.  x.  10.  In  that  sense,  all  be- 
lievers are  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  :  that  is,  all  are  sanctified  per- 
sons. Then  to  all  such,  their  sanctification  in  life  and  conversa- 
tion is  the  will  of  God.  The  will  of  their  Heavenly  Father  is, 
that  as  they  are  saints,  they  should  walk  as  saints,  '■•Be  ye  there- 
fore followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,  and  wcdk  in  love,^^ 
verse  1.  Therefore  the  will  of  God  is,  that  they  should  be  sancti- 
fied in  their  walk.  So  again,  the  Apostle  tells  the  same  church, 
'•'//i  everything  give  thanks :  for  this  is  the  iv ill  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus  concerning  yoii^  1  Thess.  v.  18,  and  this  appears  to  be  the 
idea  which  the  Apostle  expresses  in  this  passage  before  us. 

"Wherefore    be    ye  not   unwise,   but    understanding 

WHAT  the  will  OF  THE  LoRD  IS,  AND  BE  NOT  DRUNK  WITH 
WINE,  WHEREIN  IS  EXCESS,  BUT   BE  FILLED  WITH  THE  SPIRIT." 

They  had  been  necessarily  taught  by  the  Spirit,  they  must  have 
been  so  taught,  or  they  could  not  have  been  brought  to  Jesus  ; 
"  For  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  1st  Cor.  xii.  3 ;  and  "  Whosoever  belie veth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  is  born  of  God,'"  1st  John  v.  1.  But  then  the  Apostle 
is  speaking  here  of  the  sanctifying  power  and  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  contra-distinguishing,  as  it  were,  the  effects  produced 
by  drinking  the  intoxicating  poison  of  wine,  from  those  produced 
by  drinking  from  the  "  vwlls  of  salvation,"  Is.  xii.  3. 

As  we  had  before,  "  They  that  sleep,  sleep  in  the  night ;  and 
they  that  be  dru7iken,  are  drunken  in  the  night ;  but  let  us  who 
are  of  the  day  be  sober,"  1st  Thes.  v.  7,  8.  So  here,  ye  who  are 
^^ children  of  light,"  "be  not  drunk  with  wine  wherein  is 

EXCESS,   but   be  FILLED  WITH  THE  SpIRIT." 

The  office  of  that  blessed  Spirit  is  to  testify  of  Him,  who  saith, 
"7/*  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink,"  John 
vii.  37. 

"  He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth 
on  me  shall  never  thirst." 

"  Whoso  cateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal 
life,  and  1  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day,  for  my  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed"  John  vi.  35,  54,  55.    Where- 


460  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESfANS. 

fore  it  is  He  who  saith,  ^^Eat,  O  friends ;  drink,  yea,  drink  abun- 
dantly, O  beloved^  Cant.  v.  1. 

Wherefore  then  ye  children  of  hght,  "Be  not  drunk  with 

WINE  wherein   is  EXCESS,  BUT  BE  FILLED  WITH  THE  SPIRIT," 

and  so  instead  of  the  "  So7ig  of  the  Drunkards,^''  Ps.  Ixix.  12,  ye 
shall  be  "  speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and  hymns, 

AND  spiritual  SONGS,  SINGING  AND  MAKING  MELODY  IN  YOUR 
HEART  TO  THE  LoRD  ;  GIVING  THANKS  ALWAYS,  FOR  ALL  THINGS 

UNTO  God  and  the  Father,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  submitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the 
FEAR  of  God."  So  again,  "  Rejoice  evermore.  Pray  icithoiit 
ceasing:  For  this  is  the  will  of  God  in  Christ  Jesns  co?icej'?iing 
you"  1st  Thes.  v.  16,  17,  18.  It  is  his  will  that  His  people  shall 
be  sanctified,  that  they  should  rejoice  evermore  in  Him,  "  Rejoice 
in  the  Lord  alway,  and  again,  I  say,  rejoiceJ^  Phil.  iv.  4  ;  It  is  his 
will,  that  they  should  "make  melody  in  their  heart  to  the 
Lord,"  and  "m  everything  give  thanks,"  1st  Thes.  v.  18.  "Giv- 
ing thanks  always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the 
Father,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

We  need  not  dwell  in  any  detail  on  the  exhortation  that  is  clear 
and  explicit,  and  can  require  no  commentary.  "  Be  not  drunk 
with  wine  wherein  is  excess."  We  may  observe  briefly  on 
this,  that  it  is  very  important  that  all  Christian  practice  should  be 
regulated  on  Christian  principles.  We  hear  now  much  of  Temper- 
ance Societies,  and  I  dare  say  they  may  have  done  some  good,  in 
reclaiming  men  outwardly  from  drunkenness,  and  may  still  do  some 
good,  in  their  way ;  but  it  seems  a  gross  delusion,  among  those  who 
call  themselves  Christians,  that  they  are  not  founded  on  Christian 
principles.  They  ought  to  be  so ;  and  they  ought  to  be  so  con- 
ducted, that  people  never  could  deceive  themselves,  by  thinking 
that  temperance,  sobriety,  or  good  conduct,  is  in  any  way  the  means 
of  bringing  a  sinner  to  eternal  life.  If  the  sinner's  soul  is  brought 
to  Christ — sobriety,  temperance,  and  all  the  fruits  of  a  Christian 
life,  are  to  be  enforced  as  here  by  the  Apostle,  on  Christian  prin- 
ciple ;  but  it  is  a  very  great  mistake,  if  these  things  are  ever  sub- 
stituted for  the  principles  that  ought  to  produce  them,  or  for 
Christian  hohness. 

We  see,  there  is  no  part  of  Christian  conduct  that  is  not  marked 
out  in  God's  eternal  Word,  "Be  not  drunk  with  wine  where- 
in is  excess."  Persons  indulge  in  intemperance  frequently  for 
the  very  purpose  of  exhilarating  their  spirits,  trying,  as  they  call 
it,  to  drown  care.  But  Oh  !  how  different  are  all  the  means  that 
the  unhappy  sinner  makes  use  of  to  banish  care  from  his  heart, 
from  those  prescribed  in  the  Word  of  Life !  All  the  expedients 
indeed  to  which  the  votaries  of  the  world  resort  to  amuse  them- 
selves, and  to  drown  care  in  dissipation,  are  only  another  species 
of  intoxication,  another  mode  of  trying  to  exhilarate  their  miserable 
spirits  by  the  stimulants  distilled  from  the  alembic  of  this  wretched 
world.  But  they  awake  as  the  inebriated  man  wakens  from  his 
drunken  reverie  to  shame — to  sorrow — to  poverty — and  to  remorse. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  461 

^^As  the  crackling-  of  thorns  under  a  j)ot,  so  is  the  laughter  of  the 
fool."  Eccles.  vii.  6.  It  is  a  bright  blaze,  but  very  soon  extin- 
guished, and  so,  "  Even  iri  laughter  the  heart  is  sorrowful  and 
the  end,  of  that  mirth  is  heaviiiessP  Prov.  xiv.  13.  Ther^.  are 
many  persons  who  would  pride  themselves  on  their  sobriety,  and 
who  are  indeed,  in  one  sense,  in  reference  to  wine,  perfectly  sober  ; 
but  who  live  nevertheless  in  a  state  of  as  continual  intoxication — 
as  perpetual,  as  constant  excitement,  by  the  use  of  false  stimulants 
to  the  intellect — to  the  imagination — to  the  feelings— and  by  a 
prostration  of  their  intellectual  and  moral  powers,  with  reference 
to  all  things  that  are  really  worth  understanding — worth  loving — 
and  worth  living  for,  as  the  man  who  is  sunk  in  a  habitual  state 
of  inebriety,  and  who  drags  on  his  existence,  degraded  to  a  level 
with  the  beast.  The  intoxication  of  pleasure — folly — vanity — 
dissipation — is  in  a  spiritual  sense,  in  no  degree  removed  from 
the  intoxication  of  the  wretched  drunkard  that  rolls  or  staggers 
through  the  streets.  Consider,  then,  the  means  which  the  poor 
sinner  takes  of  exhilarating  his  spirits ;  alas  !  how  different  they  are 
from  those  prescribed  in  the  Word  of  God.     "Be  filled  with 

THE  SPIRIT,  SPEAKING  TO  YOURSELVES  IN  PSALMS  AND  HYMNS 
AND  SPIRITUAL   SONGS,   SINGING  AND  MAKING  MELODY   IN   YOUR 

HEART  TO  THE  LoRD."  The  siiiging  of  psalms  and  hymns — -the 
praises  of  God — prayer  and  supplication  to  the  Lord — these  are 
counted  by  the  worldling  among  the  most  gloomy  occupations  of 
man.  "  Psalms  and  hymns"  are  sad,  depressing  subjects  to  the 
natural  heart  of  the  sinner.  The  feast — the  song — the  dance — 
in  these  he  expects  to  find  exhilaration  of  his  spirits.  But 
"psalms  and  hymns"  he  considers  sombre,  mournful,  melan- 
choly, to  the  last  degree.  He  never  voluntarily  listens  to  such 
themes,  unless  it  should  be  on  Sunday,  when  perhaps  he  goes  to 
Church,  and  endures  to  hear  the  praises  of  God,  tlunking  that  the 
good  work,  if  not  the  penance  and  mortification  of  giving  so  much 
time  to  religion,  must  be  doing  something  for  the  benefit  of  his 
soul.  He  may  perhaps  submit  to  listen  to  them,  yea,  enjoy  them, 
if  indeed  the  music  is  so  sweet  and  harmonious,  that  it  diverts  him 
from  the  melancholy  consideration  of  the  words ;  on  such  occasions, 
at  an  oratorio,  he  may  sit  perhaps. 


"  Content  to  hear, 

(O  !  wonderful  effect  of  music's  power !) 
Messiah's  eulogy for  Hantkl's  sake." 

Otherwise,  the  natural  heart  of  the  unhappy  sinner  cannot  endure 
the  praises  of  God,  gloomy  and  melancholy  is  all  their  sound  for 
him.  How  different  it  is  in  God's  word  as  contradistinguished  from 
the  exhilaration  of  drunkenness.  "Be  not  drunk  with  wine 
WHERiN  is  excess,"  "  BUT,"  if  you  Want  to  be  cheered — to  be 
comforted  — to  be  exhilarated  —  to  rejoice — ^"Be  filled  with 

THE  SPIRIT,  speaking  TO  YOURSELVES  IN  PSALMS  AND  HYMNS 
AND  SPIRITUAL  SONGS,  SINGING  AND  MAKING  MELODY  IN  YOUR 
HEART  TO  THE  LoRD." 


462  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Ah  !  my  dear  friends,  the  poor  creature  that  seeks  for  the  ex- 
hilaration of  his  spirits  in  the  world,  feels  that  he  must  fly  from 
himself  The  drunkard  must  sit  down  with  his  companions,  his 
heatJ  must  reel  amidst  the  jests  that  fly  around,  and  he  must  try 
to  forget  his  miseries  and  himself.  The  votary  of  pleasure  that 
runs  into  the  giddy  crowd  of  company,  folly,  dissipation,  does  so, 
because  he  feels  he  must  make  an  effort  to  fly  from  himself  The 
worst  companion  in  the  world,  is  a  refuge  from  the  misery  of  his 
own  reflections.  There  are  some  men  who  at  all  times,  and  all 
unconverted  men  at  some  times,  must  fly  from  themselves,  and 
from  their  thoughts,  and  forget  them  in  the  follies,  the  vanities, 
the  masquerade  of  the  world's  amusements,  in  the  hollow  mockery 
of  compliment  of  those  that  surround  them,  ^^  deceiving  and  being 
deceived^  But  the  happiness  the  Word  of  God  bestows  on  the 
sinner,  is  a  happiness  enjoyed  in  his  own  soul — a  peace  that  the 
world  cannot  give — a  joy  that  no  man  taketh  from  him.  When 
you  have  embraced  that  blessed  hope,  which  gives  you  to  enjoy 
this    pleasure,    "  Speaking    to    yourselves    in    psalms    and 

HYMNS    AND  SPIRITUAL    SONGS,  SINGING  AND    MAKING    MELODY 

IN  YOUR  HEART  TO  THE  LoRD  j"  you  have  uot  to  fly  from  your 
own  thoughts — nay — it  is  in  your  own  thoughts  of  your  Lord, 
derived  from  His  Word  that  you  are  enabled  to  find  peace.  If 
you  know  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  it  is  your  privilege  to  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  "  In  the  multitude  of  my  thoughts  within  vie  thy  com- 
forts delight  my  sord."  Psalm  xciv.  19.  "  Speaking  to  your- 
selves IN  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  SONGS,  SINGING 
AND  MAKING    MELODY  IN    YOUR    HEART    TO    THE    LoRD."       Mail 

flies  from  himself  in  his  unconverted  state,  from  thought,  and  from 
reflection,  because  he  must  fly  from  God.  His  spirit,  when  it  re- 
flects, is  fearful  of  the  presence  of  the  Omniscient,  Omnipresent 
Being,  and  that  is  a  thought  that  he  is  unable  to  endure ;  there- 
fore the  reflections  of  his  own  spirit  and  his  own  heart  are  sad  and 
melancholy,  for  God  will  intrude  into  them.  Though  we  were 
walking  through  an  earthly  paradise  in  a  fallen  state,  his  con- 
science will  hear  the  voice  of  God  in  the  garden,  in  the  cool  of  the 
day.  It  will  say,  "  TFAere  art  thou?''''  Man  like  his  fallen  fore- 
father must  fly  to  hide  himself  This  is  the  true  secret,  v>^hy  he 
cannot  bear  reflection — why  he  flies  from  himself  and  his  own 
thoughts.  It  is,  because,  God  will  break  in  upon  his  heart. 
Eternity  will  force  itself  an  unwelcome  intruder  on  his  thoughts, 
and  therefore,  he  can  only  have  peace  in  flying,  from  what  he 
cannot  otherwise  escape,  and  what  he  is  unable  to  endure. 

But  Oh !  how  different  when  the  sinner  is  enabled  to  come 
to  God  as  a  reconciled  God  in  Christ  Jesus — when  he  is  able 
to  look  up  to  Him  as  a  God  with  w^hom  he  is  at  peace — a  God 
who  loves — who  pardons  him — a  Saviour  who  w^ashes  him  from 
all  his  offences — who  has  given  Himself  for  him — his  Blessed 
Saviour— his  Heavenly  Father.  Then  he  is  enabled  "  to  have 
rejoicing  in  himself  and  not  in  another,^''  he  is  enabled,  in  his 
own  heart  and  conscience,  to  turn  to  God,  and  find  peace  with  his 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  463 

God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Then  he  understands  this  exhortation. 
"Speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spir- 
itual SONGS,  singing    AND    MAKING    MELODY  IN    YOUR    HEART 

TO  THE  Lord."  He  can  have  God  for  his  companion,  instead  of 
sitting  down  to  be  "  drunk  with  wine,"  and  to  drown  care  and 
thought  over  a  bottle,  with  wretched  companions  in  sin  and  folly 
like  himself:  forgetting  himself,  or  it  may  be,  and  often  is,  vainly 
trying  to  do  so.  O  !  what  it  is  to  be  able  to  sit  with  your  God  ! 
to  retire  with  your  God — to  "  Commune  roith  your  oioii  heart  in 
your  chamber,  and  be  stilV — to  "  Offer  the  sacrifices  of  righteous- 
ness, and  put  your  trust  in  the  LordP  Ps.  iv.  4,  .5.  You  recol- 
lect, David  had  the  very  same  idea,  in  the  next  verse  of  that 
Psalm,  "There  be  many  who  say,  who  will  sltow  us  any  goodP 
It  is  the  inquiry  of  every  poor  sinner's  heart,  "  Who  will  show  us 
any  goodP^  How  shall  I  enjoy  myself?  Where  shall  I  have 
profit,  pleasure  or  amusement?  How  can  I  best  indulge  my  own 
desires  and  propensities  ? — This  is  every  man's  natural  inquiry. 
But  do  you  remember  what  David  adds,  "  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the 
light  of  thy  countenance  7ipon  us."  Psalm  iv.  5.  Be  Thou  my 
happiness  ! — Thou  my  enjoyment ! — Thou  my  good  ! — Thou  my 
glory  !— These  are  the  ideas  that  Doddridge  combines  in  his  cele- 
brated Epigram : — 

•'  Live  while  you  live,  the  epicure  will  say, 
And  take  the  pleasures  of  the  passing  day. 
Live  while  you  live,  the  sacred  preacher  cries, 
And  give  to  God  each  moment  as  it  flies. — 
Lord,  in  my  view  let  both  united  be. 
I  live  in  pleasure  when  I  Hve  to  thee." 

"  Lord  lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.'^  That 
is  the  real  goal  of  happiness ; — when  you  are  able  to  say  this 
from  the  heart,  then  you  can  understand  the  exhortation  before  us, 
"Speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spir- 
itual SONGS,  SINGING    AND    MAKING    MELODY    IN    YOUR  HEART 

TO  THE  Lord,"  not  flying  from  Him — not  trembhng  at  the  thought 
of  Him,  but  praising  Him,  rejoicing  in  Him,  as  this  Apostle  saith 
to  the  Philippians  iv.  4,  ^^Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway  and  again 
I  say  rejoice."  For,  saith  he  also  to  them,  "  TFe  are  the  circum- 
cision which  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh."  Phil.  iii.  3.  Oh  ! 
dear  friends,  how  different  this  is  from  the  ignorant  imagination 
of  unconverted  sinners,  that  religion  is  a  gloomy  subject !  It  is 
the  only  happiness  in  the  world.  There  is  no  happiness  what- 
ever except  in  true  religion.  It  is  only  false  religion  that  makes 
men  gloomy,  true  religion  cannot  but  make  all  happy  who  under- 
stand and  believe  it.  If  you  are  not  happy  in  religion,  then  the 
reason  must  be,  that  there  is  some  ignorance  or  error  in  your 
mind,  concerning  the  truth.  You  may  rest  satisfied,  that  there  is 
some  point  of  truth,  which  you  do  not  understand  or  believe. 
You  do  not  know  the  hope  of  the  Gospel — the  good  tidings  of 
great  joy. 


464  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Perhaps  you  may  say,  "  Alas  !  if  this  be  so,  I  am  afraid  I  am 
not  a  behever  at  all,  for  I  am  so  unhappy.  I  often  doubt,  whether 
I  can  be  a  child  of  God,  I  feel  so  miserable." 

Well — various  may  be  the  causes  of  spiritual  unhappiness  and 
dejection :  for  example,  indulging  in  any  known  sin — allowing 
ourselves  in  the  violation  or  neglect  of  known  duty ;  these  are 
incompatible  with  peace ;  for  they  are  testimonies  to  the  con- 
science, that  we  are  not  truly  and  sincerely  trusting  in  our  Father's 
love  and  mercy  in  Jesus.  But,  if  you  are  indeed,  sincerely  look- 
ing for  peace,  and  find  it  not ;  then  you  may  rest  satisfied  though 
you  may  be  a  child  of  God  ;  it  is  because  you  are  not  looking 
simply  and  believingly  to  the  truth ;  there  is  some  point  of  igno- 
rance in  your  mind,  you  are  looking  into  yourself  for  comfort, 
into  your  ow^n  heart — expecting  to  find  it  improved,  and  good ; 
and  disappointed,  and  unhappy,  because  you  feel  it  is  not  so.  If 
you  are  looking  there  for  peace,  you  will  never  find  it — never — as 
long  as  you  live.  The  more  you  look  to  yourselves,  the  more 
cause  you  will  have  for  sorrow,  and  not  for  joy— for  humiliation, 
and  not  for  comfort.  You  may  rest  satisfied,  there  is  something 
wrong  in  your  view,  or  belief  of  the  truth,  when  you  are  not  re- 
joicing in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  eitlier  you  are  not  looking  really 
and  simply  to  the  object  of  faith,  or  your  faith  is  very  weak ; 
therefore,  you  are  not  living  up  to  your  privileges  and  rejoicing  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  you  ought  to  do.  Consider  it  well. 
It  is  your  privilege,  your  duty  to  rejoice  in  your  Lord  and  Saviour, 
to  )nake  melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord,  ^'Tliis  is  the  ivill  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus,  concerning  you,'''  1st  Thes.  v.  18  ;  "  Re- 
joice in  the  Lord  alway,  again  I  say,  rejoice,^^  Phil.  iv.  4 ;  it  is 
His  will  you  should  do  so,  "singing  and  making  melody  in 
YOUR  HEART  TO  THE  LoRD."  But  oh  !  how  different  this  is 
from  the  joy  of  the  world ! — the  deceitful  countenance  of  the 
worldling— how  often  it  w^ears  a  sunny  look,  while  the  heart  is 
sad  !  How  often  there  is  a  delusive  smile  upon  the  cheek,  while 
there  is  a  pang  of  agon}^  and  anguish  writhing  in  the  bosom  !  In 
the  words  of  the  song — (even  the  writer  of  a  song  is  sometimes 
constrained  to  express  a  solemn  truth) : — 

"  As  a  beam  o'er  the  face  of  the  waters  may  glow, 
While  the  tide  runs  in  darkness  and  coldness  below — 
So  the  cheek  may  be  tinged  with  a  warm  sunny  smile, 
While  the  cold  heart  to  ruin  runs  darkly  the  while." 

It  is  so  continually.  The  world  smiles.  Go  into  company,  all  is 
smile — all  grace — all  affability — all  good  humor  and  happiness. 
But  if  you  could  look  into  the  hearts  of  those  who  compose  that 
seemingly  happy  circle,  Ah  !  there  you  would  see  sadness — sorrow 
—discontent — coveteousness — ambition — consuming  passions — 
envy — jealousy,  all  the  evils  that  are  enumerated  in  Scripture,  as 
belonging  to  the  natural  heart  of  the  unconverted  sinner. 

But  it  is  not  in  making  melody  with  a  smile  on  your  cheek,  in  out- 
ward show — it  is  not  sitting  down  to  sing  for  others,  while  your 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  465 

own   dark  ml:>erable  heart  is  full  of  sorrow,  but  "  singing  and 

MAKING  MELODY   IN  YOUR  HEART,  TO  THE  LoRD."       Oh  !    that  is 

the  thing,  "J.  merry  heart  7naketh  a  cheerful  countenance  ;"  It 
is  not  the  hypocritical  semblance  of  a  cheerful  countenance,  when 
there  is  within  a  sad  and  heavy  heart.  There  ought  to  be  a 
merry  heart,  if  you  are  looking  to  the  Lord  as  you  ought  to  look 
to  Him.  If  you  are  going  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  rejoicing  in 
your  God  and  Saviour,  you  ought  to  be  "singing  and  making 

MELODY  IN  YOUR  HEART,  TO  THE  LoRD." 

It  is  there  we  ought  to  make  melody — there  we  ought  to  be  at 
peace  with  God — resting  on  our  dear  Redeemer,  and  loving  Him 
"  Who  loved  us,  and  gave  himself  up  for  us^ 

Well — but  a  believer  may  say,  "  It  is  easy  to  talk  thus,  still, 
there  are  so  many  things  calculated  to  make  us  sad  and  gloomy 
here^ — so  many  things  both  within  and  without  continually  press- 
ing on  us  that  make  us  sorrowful — that  afflict— that  cast  us  down 
— distress — oppress — overwhelm  us,  that  we  may  say,  ^'■How  can 
we  sing-  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land  ?"  How  can  you  de- 
sire us  to  be  cheerful  and  happy  at  all  times,  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances?— Well,  Does  not  the  Lord  know  all  this?  Certainly 
he  does,  yet  you  see.  He  has  provided  for  it  too.  Mark  what  he 
saith  by  the  Apostle,  not  only  "singing  and  making  melody 
IN  YOUR  HEART,  TO  THE  LoRD,"  but  uioreover,  "giving  thanks 

always,  FOR  all  THINGS  UNTO  GoD  AND  THE  FaTHER,  IN 
THE  NAME  OF  THE  LoRD  JeSUS  ChRIST." 

What!  "giving  thanks  always?" 

Yes,  always  ! 

What!  "for  all  things?" 

Yes  !  for  all  things  ! 

Does  not  the  Lord  know  what  He  means,  when  He  says, 
"giving  thanks  always  for  all  things?"  When  He  says 
"all  things,"  does  He  not  mean  "all  things?" 

How  can  that  be  ?  Because  it  is  your  privilege  to  do  so,  if  you 
are  looking  to  the  Lord  as  you  ought  to  do,  because  " J./Z  things 
are  yours,^^  1st  Cor.  iii.  21.  ^^All  things  are  working  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  that  are  the  called,  ac- 
cording to  his  purpose,^''  Rom.  viii.  28. 

When  a  wayward  child  is  ill,  and  requires  to  have  some  medi- 
cine, perhaps  very  unpalatable,  administered  to  it — when  it  re- 
ceives the  cup  from  the  physician,  you  will  see  it  very  unwilling 
to  take  it,  putting  it  away  from  its  lips,  crying,  angry,  rebellious  at 
the  idea  of  having  to  take  such  an  unpleasant  draught. 

But  you  will  see  a  person  grown  up,  if  he  is  a  person  of  com- 
mon understanding,  knowing  that  he  is  ill,  and  requiring  the  aid 
of  medical  skill — when  the  physician  comes — if  he  is  one  in 
whom  he  has  perfect  confidence — one  who  has  come  to  him  often, 
and  who  has  as  often  administered  medicine  that  was  blessed  to 
relieve  him  of  his  pain — when  this  Physician  puts  a  cup  into  his 
hand,  instead  of  putting  it  away  from  him,  and  acting  like  the 
child,  he  takes  the  cup,  however  unpalatable  the  medicine — he 

30 


466  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

thanks  the  physician  for  it— and  not  only  wilhngly,  but  gratefully 
takes  it,  and  blesses  God  for  it — and  esteems  it  as  a  good — and  as 
a  mercy  from  His  hand.  So  you  may  see  many  a  silly  child  of 
God,  (many  of  His  children  are  babes  and  silly  inexperienced 
creatures),  not  considering — not  thinking  of  the  skill  of  the  Physi- 
cian— the  tenderness  of  the  Father — the  inveteracy  of  the  disease 
— the  necessity,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  medicine — when  their  Lord 
gives  them  a  cup  to  drink,  put  it  away  from  them — repine — mur- 
mur against  the  dispensation — and  rebel  when  they  are  forced  to 
drink  it.  But  the  believer,  who  is  trained  to  maturity  in  the 
school  of  Christ — who  is  taught  of  God — who  knows,  as  lie  ought 
to  know,  the  skill — the  power  of  the  Physician — the  love  of  his 
tender  Father — the  sure  and  certain  blessing  that  is,  and  must  be 
contained  in  the  cup  that  is  given  to  him  by  such  Wisdom,  and 
such  Love — he  receives  it — he  takes  it — he  finds  balm  and  health 
in  the  prescription — and  so,  see  what  the  Apostle  says,  ''■And  not 
only  so,  but  we  glory  in  tribulations  also.''''  Why?  Is  it  because 
they  are  pleasant?  No  such  thing,  they  are  not,  but  mark  the 
reason,  '^  Knoiving  that  tribulation  worketh  'patience,  and  j)a- 
tience  experience,  and  experience  hope,  and  hope  maketh  not 
ashamed,  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts, 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  unto  ns,'"  Rom.  v.  5. 

The  Holy  Ghost  teaches  the  sinner  the  love  of  God,  that  love 
— that  rich,  sovereign,  and  everlasting  love,  the  Holy  Spirit  testi- 
fies of  that  to  the  believer's  heart ;  and  knowing  that  love,  the 
knowledge  of  that  love  enables  him  to  rejoice  in  tribulation  ;  and 
although  it  is  true,  that  "  no  chastening  for  the  present  seenieth 
to  be  joyous,  but  grievous,^''  Heb.  xii.  11 ;  yet  there  is  no  time, 
when  the  believer  who  is  experienced  in  the  School  of  Christ,  sees 
more  cause  to  bless  his  Father's  hand,  and  to  give  thanks,  than 
when  that  Father's  hand  is  graciously  pleased  to  chasten  him  in 
any  way,  by  any  trial,  or  any  dispensation.  Therefore,  it  is  his 
privilege  to  "  give  thanks  always,  for  all  things,  unto  God 
AND  THE  Father,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Chrlst," 

Hannah  More  tells  a  story,  in  one  of  her  Tracts,  of  a  poor  col- 
lier, who  was  a  faithful  servant  of  God,  and  who  had  a  habit  of 
saying,  ^'■Thank  God,"  an  all  occasions.  He  used  it  as  a  kind  of 
common  expression,  and  was  frequently  laughed  at  by  his  profane 
companions,  for  this  expression  of  thankfulness.  One  day,  the 
men  were  sitting  on  the  edge  of  a  coal-pit.  eating  their  dinner, 
which  had  been  brought  to  them,  and  this  poor  man  had  laid  his 
dinner  beside  him,  and  a  dog  ran  away  with  it ;  his  companions 
all  laughed  at  him,  and  cried  out,  "  Will  you  thank  God  for  that?" 
He  got  up  to  pursue  after  the  dog ;  before  he  returned,  the  time 
came  when  they  were  to  go  down  into  the  coal-pit ;  when  they 
did  so,  the  chain  gave  way,  and  they  were  every  one  precipitated 
into  eternity.  By  this  circumstance,  this  poor  man  had  his  life 
saved.  The  writer  relates  the  story  to  illustrate  the  Providence 
of  God,  watching  over  the  poor  soul  who  was  enabled,  in  every 
thing  to  thank  Him. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  467 

I  think,  I  may  appeal  to  the  conscience  and  the  recollection  of 
any  whom  I  address,  and  who  know  the  Lord  as  their  Refuge — I 
may  appeal  to  them,  for  the  truth  of  this,  that  in  looking  back  on 
their  lives  they  will  admit,  that  the  circumstances  which  they 
have  thought  most  painful,  disastrous,  or  bitter  at  the  time — they 
have  been  afterwards  taught  to  see  as  blessings,  that  they  could 
not  have  anticipated,  blessings  that  they  had  cause  to  be  thankful 
for,  and  to  praise  the  Lord  for  to  this  day.  I  am  sure,  if  I  were 
asked,  "For  what  I  think  I  have  most  reason  to  be  thankful  in  all 
my  life"  ?  I  should  say,  bitter  trials,  severe  afflictions,  visitations 
that  have  weighed  .heavily  on  my  heart  and  soul.  Therefore,  we 
ought  to  know,  that  it  is  our  privilege,  "//i  every  thing  to  give 
tha7iks,'^  or,  as  here,  to  "  give  thanks  always  for  all  things 
UNTO  God  and  the  Father,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 

How  often  is  sickness  a  blessing  to  the  children  of  God  ! 

How  often  are  they  taught  sober  reflection,  patient  submission, 
and  deep  experience  of  their  Father's  love  !  How  often  faith,  and 
confidence,  and  hope,  that  they  could  never  have  otherwise  expe- 
rienced or  enjoyed,  had  they  not  been  laid  on  beds  of  sickness  ! 

How  often  have  privation  and  poverty  been  made  the  means  of 
turning  the  sinner's  heart  to  seek  for,  and  to  find  "  the  iinsearch- 
able  riches  of  Christ .'" 

How  often  have  bereavements  been  blessed  to  the  sinner's  soul, 
by  the  taking  away  of  earthly  props  and  idols,  and  teaching  him 
to  return  and  lean  on  the  bosom  of  his  God  ! 

How  often  have  many  of  the  visitations,  which  the  Lord  has 
been  pleased  to  send  on  us  for  our  sins  and  follies — how  often 
have  they  been  made  the  means  in  His  hand,  of  bringing  us  again 
to  our  right  mind — healing  our  backslidings — lifting  us  up  from 
our  falls — and  leading  us  again  to  sit,  in  faith,  repentance,  and 
humility — in  grateful  thankfulness  and  love,  at  our  Master's  feet! 
Therefore  it  is  our  privilege  to  "give  thanks  always  for  all 
things  unto  God  and  the  Father  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

You  see,  it  is  "  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ," 
we  are  called  on  to  give  thanks.  All  our  blessings  come  to  us 
through  Jesus.  All  our  covenant  mercies  are  given  to  us  through 
Christ.  He  is  the  channel  of  every  good  to  the  sinner.  He  is 
himself  the  Great  Dispenser  of  every  blessing.  "  All  poicer  is- 
given  to  Him  in  Jieaven  and  in  earth^^  and  "  He  is  head  over  all 
things  to  His  church ;"  as  we  had  chap.  i.  22,  '•  He  is  the  head 
over  all  things"  that  are  good,  to  give  them  their  portion  of  bless- 
ings and  mercies — "  He  is  the  head  over  all  things"  that  seem  to 
be  evil,  to  cause  them  to  work  for  good  to  His  people,  because  it  is 
in  His  covenant,  "  All  things  are  working  together  for  good  to 
them."  Rom.  viii.  28.  It  was  this  that  supported  Him  Himself 
through  all  His  trials.  Do  you  not  remember  His  words,  when 
the  cup  of  trembling  was  put  into  His  blessed  hands,  do  you  not 
remember  His  expression  upon  that  occasion  ?     "  The  cup  which 


468 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 


my  Father  hath  given  tne,  shall  1  not  drink  it  ?"  Oh  !  what  a 
privilege,  if  the  believer  is  able  to  say,  '■'The  cup  which  my  Fathei- 
hath  given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it'' — how  bitter  soever  it  may  bo 
to  the  taste,  when  we  remember  it  comes  from  the  hand  of  a 
Father,  it  is  sweet  to  the  spiritual  soul — to  the  enlightened  con- 
science— to  the  subdued  will.  It  is  sweet  to  the  sanctified  affec- 
tions of  the  heart,  "  The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  mc, 
shall  I  not  drink  it  /'  that  sweet  spirit  of  submission  and  thank- 
fulness— not  only  the  spirit  of  submission  to  God,  but  to  one  an- 
other— So  the  Apostle  adds — 

"Submitting  yourselves,  one  to  another,  in  the  fear 
OF  God."  This  is  the  reverse  of  the  natural  mind.  The  natural 
mind  is — not  submitting  itself  to  another  in  the  fear  of  God — but 
setting  itself  up  above  another,  without  either  fear  of  God,  or  re- 
gard of  man.  The  natural  mind  is,  what  we  call — "  holding  our 
own,"  and  we  pride  ourselves  on  that  sort  of  disposition,  that  will 
hold  its  own.  That  is  the  principle  on  which  the  natural  heart 
plumes  itself.  In  other  words,  the  natural  pride,  corruption,  and 
wickedness  of  the  heart,  is  completely  opposed  to  the  Spirit  and 
will  of  God.     This  is  his  command,  "submitting  yourselves, 

ONE  TO  another,   IN  THE  FEAR  OF  GoD." 

"  My  dear  friends,  if  we  do  not  think  ourselves  inferior  to  any 
other  fellow-sinner,  we  know  there  can  be  but  one  reason,  and 
that  is,  because  we  do  not  know  ourselves ;  for  every  individual, 
that  knows  himself,  feels  himself  really  more  vile  than  any  other. 
Paul  saith,  speaking  of  sinners,  '■^  Of  whom  I  am  chief, ^^  1st  Tim. 
i.  15,  the  chief  of  sinners  !  Every  believer  who  knows  himself, 
knows  himself  to  be  the  same  thing ;  and  the  reason  is  clear. — It 
is  this — because  he  sees  in  himself,  what  he  cannot  see  in  anybody 
else — that  is,  the  working  of  a  corrupt  heart.  He  sees,  in  himself, 
more  sin  than  he  can  see  in  all  the  world  beside — he  can  only  see 
the  actions  of  others,  or  hear  their  words,  but  he  can  see  the 
corruptions  of  his  own  vile  heart,  and  therefore,  he  feels,  from 
this  knowledge  of  himself,  and  sees  himself  to  be  the  chief  of 
sinners. 

This  beats  down  the  natural  pride  of  the  heart — where  it  is  ex- 
perimentally taught  to  us,  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  gives  us  an 
humble  spirit ;  and  therefore,  as  Christians  grow  in  grace,  they 
grow  in   humility — that  is  the  exhortation  here,  "submitting 

YOURSELVES,  ONE  TO  ANOTHER,   IN  THE  FEAR  OF  GoD." 

Luther  illustrates  this,  by  a  story  of  two  goats,  that  he  saw 
meeting  together  upon  a  narrow  stick,  placed  like  a  bridge  across 
a  deep  ravine,  or  chasm.  The  two  goats  were  going  in  different 
directions  along  this  stick,  they  met  one  another  ;  they  could  not 
turn  about,  and  they  could  not  go  down,  for  to  fall  was  death,  and 
he  saw  one  of  them  lie  down,  to  let  the  other  go  over  him,  and  so 
they  passed  safely  their  respective  ways  along  the  stick.  This 
story  may  illustrate  this  very  text,  "submitting  yourselves 
ONE  TO  ANOTHER  IN  THE  FEAR  OF  GoD."  If  we  have  the  spirit 
of  one  of  these  goats,  we  v^^ill  lie  down  to  let  our  fellow  go  by.    If 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  469 

two  men  had  been  there,  one  probably  would  have  endeavored  to 
knock  the  other  down.  The  goat  lay  down.  "Submit  your- 
selves   ONE    to    another     IN    THE    FEAR    OF    GoD."        Oh  !     the 

spirit  of  submission,  of  lowliness,  is  a  rich  blessing,  "  In  lowliness 
of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  himself.''^  Phil.  ii.  3. 
And  see  what  peace  that  gives,  instead  of  the  spirit  of  contention 
and  jarring  with  each  other,  yielding  submission,  lowliness  of  mind, 
see  how  immediately  it  produces  peace. 

This  is  not  meant,  of  course,  to  affect  or  interfere  with  the  just 
exercise  of  authority  and  rule  in  those,  in  all  relations  of  life,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  command  others,  and  to  whom  they  are  bound  to  sub- 
mit. On  the  contrary,  to  all  in  subjection,  this  rule  enjoins  con- 
scientious and  religious  submission,  in  the  fear  of  God.  And  the 
Apostle  proceeds  from  this  general  admonition,  to  the  details  of 
subjection,  in  the  varied  relations  of  life.  But,  I  think,  it  is  intended 
to  enforce  also,  that  lowliness  and  humility  which  may  exhibit  a 
Christian  spirit  in  the  highest  station,  which  makes  authority 
gentle,  and  obedience  affectionate,  and  gives  the  spirit  of  the  law 
of  love,  that  is  of  the  Law  of  God  to  both. 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  dear  friend  of  mine,  a  minister  in  Lon- 
don. Mr.  Howells ;  that  he  went  once  to  visit  two  of  his  flock, 
husband  and  wife,  they  were  contending  in  a  bitter  spirit,  and  they 
both  complained  to  him.  "  Well,"  said  he,  '•  I  advise  you,  let  the 
innocent  forgive  the  guilty,  whoever  is  conscious,  to  themselves 
that  they  are  innocent,  let  them  pardon  the  other."  It  silenced 
both,  of  course. 

Cultivate  that  spirit  of  forbearance  ;  if  we  be  in  the  right,  instead 
of  holding  ourselves  up,  let  us  give  way.  If  you  think  you  are  in 
the  right,  then,  be  humble — ^you  will  be  still  more  in  the  right,  if 
you  give  way,  if  you  yield,  if  you  submit.  A  spirit  of  tenderness 
— yielding— submission  to  each  other — love  to  each  other — Oh  ! 
with  what  a  charm  it  allays  all  the  contentions  that  disorder  soci- 
ety, not  to  say  domestic  life. 

Think  of  this — "submitting  yourselves,  one  to  another 
IN  THE  FEAR  OF  GoD."  But  then,  that  never  can  be,  as  long  as 
your  eye  is  fixed  on  each  other's  faults.  "  This  person  wronged 
me,  and  that  person  wronged  me,  and  I  must  do  so  to  them."  The 
only  power  that  can  subdue  this  is  "  the  fear  of  God."  When 
the  Lord  Jesus  comes  into  the  stormy  heart — when  He  lifts  up  His 
head  in  the  storm — when  He  says,  ^^Peace,  be  still"  then,  there  is 
a  great  calm.  Oh  !  how  often  the  sinner  has  to  say,  when  he  sees 
and  feels,  what  storms  that  raged  within  and  without  are  allayed 
— how  often  he  has  to  say,  "  What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that 
even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  Him  'P  Oh !  then,  consider  these 
things,  and  may  the  Lord  give  you  understanding  in  all  things  ! 
May  the  Lord  apply  His  Word  to  our  hearts,  and  bring  it  home 
practically  to  each  of  us,  according  to  our  manifold  necessities,  for 
His  Name's  sake.     Amen. 


FORTIETH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 22,  23,  24. 


"  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord.  For  the 
husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  chureh ;  and  He  is 
the  Saviour  of  the  body.  Thereibre,  as  the  church  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let  the 
wives  be  to  their  own  husbands  in  everything." 

The  Gospel  of  Christ  places  all  those  who  believe  it,  quite 
in  a  new  position,  both  with  respect  to  God  and  their  fellow- 
creatures. 

It  places  the  believer  in  a  new  position  with  respect  to  God. 
From  being  an  enemy — a  condemned  criminal,  he  becomes  a 
child,  a  dear  child  ;  as  the  Apostle  saith  here,  "J5e  ye  followers  of 
God,  as  dear  children,^' — delivered  from  all  condemnation — his 
soul  acquitted  from  all  iniquity — washed  in  the  precious  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  and  presented,  as  we  see  in  this  portion  of  Scripture,  a 
member  oif  His  Church,  "^  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thingJ^  A  church  being  composed  of  indi- 
viduals, a  spotted  individual  would  make  a  spotted  church,  and 
therefore,  when  the  Church  is  without  "spot  or  wrinkle,  or 
ANY  SUCH  THING,"  cvciy  individual  in  the  church  must  be  so: 
therefore,  every  believer  is  placed  in  this  condition,  with  respect  to 
his  God,  he  is  presented  to  Him  spotless  and  perfect,  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

"  Whom  we  preach,'^  as  the  Apostle  saith  in  another  place, 
''•  wartiing  every  man,  and  teaching  every  man  iii  all  wisdom,  ; 
that  we  may  present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Col.  ii.  28.  Therefore,  the  Gospel  places  the  believer  in  a  new  and 
glorious  position,  with  respect  to  his  God ;  he  is  a  spotless  child 
of  God — an  heir  of  glory  through  his  precious  Lord  and  Redeemer, 
"  Who  hath  loved  him  and  washed  him  from  his  sins  in  his  oivn 
bloody  Rev.  i.  4. 

So  it  places  the  believer  also  in  a  new  position,  with  respect  to 
all  his  fellow-creatures.  Whenever  the  Gospel  enters  truly  into 
the  sinner's  heart,  it  enters  in  its  power  into  all  the  ramifications 
of  his  existence — into  every  relation  of  his  life.  The  Gospel,  like 
the  mainspring  of  a  watch,  is  to  be  the  moving  power  that  regu- 
lates and  governs  the  Christian's  heart,  in  every  relation,  whether 
as  parent,  child,  husband,  wife,  brother,  sister,  relative  in  any  de- 
gree— master,  servant,  friend,  neighbor,  sovereign  or  subject — gov- 
ernor or  governed — high  or  low — rich  or  poor — in  every  imaginable 
position  in  which  an  individual  can  be  placed — in  every  possible 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  471 

relation,  in  whicli  he  can  stand  to  his  fellow-creature,  the  Gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ought  to  carry  its  influence — its  power — 
and  its  motive  into  his  heart,  for  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  in  that 
position,  whatever  that  duty  be.    Therefore,  the  objections  that  the 
ungodly  are  continually  raising  against  the  Gospel,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ,  opens  a  door  to  licentiousness 
of  conduct,  arises,  we  reiterate  again  and  again,  from  the  ignorance 
of  the  individual  who  makes  the  objection.     A  person  who  speaks 
thus,  can  know  no  more  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  than  the  beast 
that  perisheth.     "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  hut  in 
'power^''  1  Cor.  iv.  20.     Whenever  the  Gospel  of  Christ  comes,  it 
must  come  with  power.     That  power,  is  indeed,  greater  or  less  in 
different  individuals,  and  in  the  same  individual  at  different  times; 
yet  it  always  comes  with  power — with  constraining  power — and  that 
power  is  "  TJie  love  of  Ckristj'^  so  saith  the  Apostle,  "  The  love 
of  Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judg-e."  (Now,  observe, 
how  the  Apostle  brings  motive  into  operation.)  "  The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us,  because  tee  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all, 
then  were  all  dead,  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live,'" 
(that  is — they  who  derive  life  from  Him — who  believe  the  Gospel 
— to  whom  the  Gospel  comes  with  power)  "  should  not  henceforth 
live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  who  died  for  them,  and  rose 
again,^''  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15.     Therefore,  it  is  very  important,  that  you 
should  always  recollect,  that  which  I  must  continually  impress  on 
you,  that  throughout  the  Apostolical  epistles,  you  should  ever  view 
the  individuals  that  are  addressed  in  them,  as  believers.     If  you 
do  not  look  at  them  so,  you  cannot  understand  the  Scriptures  at 
all.     That  is  one  of  the  many  modes  by  which  men  deceive  them- 
selves.    They  will  read  religious  books,  the  religion  of  which,  is 
not  the  religion  of  Christ— books  that  teem  with  Scripture,  and 
bring  forward  a  great  variety  of  passages  out  of  the  Apostolical 
Epistles.     And  they   say,  "This  is  the  Word  of  God,   here  the 
Apostle  desires  us  to  do  so  and  so."     The  Apostle  desires  you  to  do 
no  such  thing  ;  the  Apostle  desires  you  to  do  so,  only  on  the  ground 
of  your  being  a  believer  in  the  Gospel.     Look  at  this  chapter,  how 
it  commences,  "  Be  ye  folhnners  of  God,  as  dear  children^     All 
the  Epistles  of  Paul  are  addressed  to  saints.     This  is  addressed 
"  To  tJie  saints  wJiich  are  at  Ephesus,  and  to  the  faithful  in 
Christ  Jesus^     How  can  persons  be  saints,  if  they  do  not  believe 
the  Gospel  ?     How  can  they  be  "  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus,"  if  they 
are  not  in  Christ  at  all — if  so  far  from  being  in  Christ,  they  do  not 
depend  on  the  Lord  Jesus  as  the  Refuge  for  their  soul? 

"i?e  ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,'^  because 
you  are  God's  children,  and  because  you  are  delivered  from  all  your 
sins ;  follow  your  Heavenly  Father — that  is  the  language  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus.  But  what  is  the  principle  of  falsely  religious 
books,  and  falsely  religious  men?  It  is  this — "Be  ye  followers  of 
God,  that  you  may  be  made  the  children  of  Christ  Jesus." 
The  two  things  are  as  different  as.light  and  darkness. 
The  one  is — "  Because  ye  are  the  children  of  Christ,  redeemed, 


472  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

delivered  from  all  your  sins — because  ye  are  washed — because  ye 
are  presented  without  spot  to  God — Be  ye  followers  of  Him  as 
such." 

The  other  is — "Be  ye  followers  of  God,  in  order,  that  by  your 
conduct,  and  by  following  God,  ye  may  become  such."  Surely, 
two  principles  cannot  be  more  directly  opposed  to  each  otiier,  than 
these.  In  the  one,  the  moral  conduct  is  made  to  be  the  cause  of 
being  in  Christ — of  being  saved.  In  the  other  case,  the  moral 
conduct  is  made  to  be  the  effect  of  being  saved.  The  principles, 
therefore,  are  as  different  as  cause  and  effect.  Consider  it  well — • 
for,  if  you  do  not  thoroughly  know  this,  you  cannot  understand 
the  very  fundamental  principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus.  '■'■Be  ye 
followers  of  God,  as  dear  children^  Because  you  are  children — - 
because  the  Lord  has  loved  you,  and  pardoned  you — because  He 
has  washed  you  in  the  ^'Fou7itam  opened  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness,''''  therefore,  be  ye  followers  of  the  Lord.  Think  what  a 
Father  you  have  I  What  a  Redeemer  you  have !  What  love 
your  Father  has  manifested  to  you !  and  therefore,  love  Him :  let 
your  service  to  Him  be  a  service  of  love — let  your  service  be  a 
service  of  joy — of  peace — a  service  of  glorious  trust,  and  confi- 
dence, and  hope,  because  your  Lord  has  done  all  these  things  for 
you.  Receive  with  grateful  hearts,  what  He  has  done  for  you,  and 
trust  Him  still  for  more.  "  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord 
for  all  his  benefits  toicard  me  7  I  ivill  take  the  cup  of  salvation, 
and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord^  Ps.  cxvi.  12,  13.  Thus 
speaketh  the  man  who  holds  the  true  principle. 

But  what  is  the  language  of  him  who  holds  the  other  ?  Let 
your  service  be  a  service  of  hesitating  hope,  and  trembling  fear, 
and  anxious  doubt — that  is  in  truth,  the  service  of  a  slave,  who  is 
trying  to  earn  a  reward,  which  he  never  can  earn — which  he 
tremblingly  fears  that  he  shall  lose,  and  scarcely  dares  to  hope  he 
can  gain. 

Salvation  on  such  terms,  is  not  doubtful,  it  is  impossible.  It 
shuts  out  Christ  from  its  plan.  "  If  righteousness  come  by  the 
law.  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vaiti^  Gal.  ii.  21.  '•^Christ  is  be- 
come of  no  effect  unto  you,  ivhosoever  of  you  are  justified  hy  the 
law,  ye  are  fallen  from  grace  ^''  Gal.  v.  4. 

This  is  not  an  abstract  opinion,  it  is  a  principle  that  must  come 
into  every  motive  of  the  heart,  every  hope  of  the  soul ;  it  must  be 
as  intimately  blended  with  every  expectation  of  eternal  life,  and 
every  single  motive  of  the  conduct,  as  the  air  that  you  respire  is 
blended  with  your  lungs,  when  it  enters  into  and  inflates  them  ; 
it  must  be  the  moving  principle  that  actuates  the  whole  man,  or 
else  it  is  nothing  at  all. 

We  must  always  consider  thus,  all  the  practical  duties  of  the 
Gospel.  All  the  practical  duties  of  the  Christian's  conduct,  must 
be  brought  to  the  test  of  the  true  Scriptural  motive,  or  they  can- 
not be  the  genuine  fruits  of  holiness,  for,  saith  the  Lord,  "  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no 
more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  ?7ie,"  John  xv.  4. 


lectures  on  the  ephesians.  473 

"Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands  as 
UNTO  THE  Lord."  You  might  just  as  well  use  that  exhortation, 
in  the  Scriptural  sense  in  which  it  is  here  applied,  to  an  ungodly 
woman,  as  you  might  to  a  dead  woman  !  You  might  as  well  go 
into  a  church-yard,  and  speak  to  a  dead  woman  in  her  grave,  as 
speak  to  an  ungodly  woman  according  to  the  motive  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ.  iShe  cannot  understand  you.  The  wife  may  see 
that  it  is  her  duly  to  submit  herself  to  her  husband,  and  there  are 
many  wives  that  do  so  from  a  sense  of  duty,  a  mere  moral  sense 
of  duty.  Strict  education — self-denying  habits — proper  disciphne, 
without  any  true  leligion,  may  do  much  in  the  training  of  the 
female  mind,  as  well  as  in  the  training  of  a  man's  mind ;  and  I 
have  known  many  individuals,  in  this  sense,  excellent  wives,  kind, 
amiable,  benevolent,  and  indeed,  fulfilling  to  all  outward  appear- 
ance, the  letter  of  the  Scripture  precept  on  this  subject — I  have 
known  them  to  do  so,  from  what  we  may  and  do  consider  a  natur- 
ally amiable  disposition,  and  from  being  well-trained,  and  well 
brought  up.  If  a  mother  brings  up  her  daughter  as  she  ought  to 
do,  she  will,  generally  speaking,  be  more  or  less  capable  of  dis- 
charging the  duties  of  a  faithful  wife,  but  I  have  known  them  to 
do  so  without  a  particle  of  religion.  One  of  the  most  naturally 
amiable  women  I  ever  knew,  was  one  of  the  greatest  opponents 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  In  such  characters  the  motive  of  love  to 
the  Lord,  has  no  more  to  do  in  the  regulation  of  their  conduct, 
than  it  has  in  the  guidance  of  the  horse  that  is  driven  in  their 
carriage.  They  have  no  principle  of  the  Gospel,  to  inspire  them 
with  a  motive.  How  is  it  possible  they  can,  when  they  do  not 
believe  the  Gospel?  And  you  might  address  any  unconverted 
woman — no  matter  if  the  wickedest  woman  in  the  world — you 
might  as  well  address  her  on  Gospel  motives — -as  the  most  amia- 
ble woman  in  the  world,  if  she  does  not  believe  the  Gospel.  She 
could  not  understand  you.  She  might  know  and  feel,  that  it  was 
her  duty  to  submit  herself  to  her  husband,  and  she  might  do  so. 
But  as  to  the  sense  in  which  it  is  here  impressed  on  the  Christian 
wife,  and  the  argument  drawn  from  Christ  and  His  Church  to  en- 
force it — of  that  she  has  not  the  slightest  notion.  There  is  a 
certain  sense,  no  doubt,  of  her  duty  to  God,  mingling  with  her 
duty  to  her  husband,  but  it  is  as  far  from  the  principle  laid  down 
in  Scripture,  to  a  Christian  female,  as  darkness  is  from  light. 

"  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands  as 
unto  the  Lord;  for  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the 
wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  and  he 
is  the  Saviour  of  the  body."  Now,  where  a  female  is  well 
educated,  even  in  an  ordinarily  moral  sense,  and  her  mind  well 
disciplined,  and  when  she  is  naturally  of  an  amiable  temper,  this 
may  be,  humanly  speaking,  an  easy  task.  But  if,  as  is  generally 
the  case  with  all  of  us,  and  certainly  so  with  the  vast  majority, 
who  are  not  under  the  direct  influence  of  sound  Gospel  principles, 
if  they  be  not  well  discipHned,  and  their  tempers  and  wills  not 
brought  into  proper  subjection ;  if  that  be  the  case,  then  if  tliis 


474  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

motive  does  not  enter  into  the  mind  of  the  female,  and  regulate 
her  deportment  to  her  husband,  she  cannot,  and  will  not  pursue 
the  line  of  conduct  laid  down,  even  outwardly — putting  the  prin- 
ciple out  of  the  question — she  will  have  no  spirit  of  submission — 
she  will  have  a  will  of  her  own ;  and  if  that  will  cross  the  will 
of  her  husband,  it  must  be  a  source  of  trial,  and  grief,  of  pain  and 
misery  to  both  of  them. 

Therefore,  recollect,  this  is  addressed  to  a  godly  woman — to  a 
converted  woman — to  a  woman,  who  brings  her  duty  to  her  hus- 
band, always  into  direct  connection  with  her  duty  to  the  Lord  her 
God.  Her  own  will  may  be  crossed — her  own  temper  may  be 
tried — she  may  be,  as  no  doubt  will  be  the  case  with  all  conditions 
of  humanity,  where  we  have  to  do  with  one  another,  vile,  selfish 
sinners  as  we  are — she  may  be  tried  in  several  ways  ;  but  she  has 
her  Lord  to  Come  to — she  has  her  Redeemer  to  fly  to — she  has  her 
Saviour  as  her  "  strong  hold  whereunto  she  may  continually  re- 
sort,^^  she  has  her  Lord  always  to  direct — to  guide — and  to  enable 
her,  according  to  His  blessed  Word,  thus  to  regulate  her  conduct. 

Now  a  female  must  be  placed  in  one  of  these  two  positions,  as 
a  Christian  wife — either  married  to  an  ungodly  or  to  a  pious  hus- 
band. If  she  be  married  to  a  pious  man,  and  that  they  both  have 
the  Lord's  Word,  as  the  guide  and  rule  of  their  conduct,  then,  that 
is  indeed,  a  happy  and  blessed  union;  for  it  is  God  that  maketh 
persons  to  be  of  one  mind  in  an  house  ;  there  is  no  union  of  spirit, 
of  heart,  so  firm,  so  strong,  so  blessed,  so  indissoluble,  as  where 
hearts  are  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  Then  both  will  keep  their  places 
to  each  other,  in  duty,  and  in  love.  The  husband  will  keep  his 
place,  with  the  Lord's  Word  to  regulate  and  govern  him — the  wife 
will  also  keep  her  place,  the}^  will  walk  together  hand  in  hand  to 
eternal  life.  This,  is  indeed,  a  blessed  state  for  husbands  and 
wives ;  and  if  there  be  any  of  you  here,  who  are  married.  Oh  ! 
consider,  what  happiness — what  peace — what  comfort  can  you 
have  in  this  poor  world,  if  you  love  one  another,  and  if  the  pros- 
pect at  the  end  of  it  is,  that  you  must  be  severed  forever.  Oh  ! 
think,  the  true  happiness  of  the  wife  consists  in  this,  with  respect 
to  her  husband,  that  he  is  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and 
going  on  the  path  to  eternal  life.  And  the  happiness  of  the  hus- 
band must  consist  in  the  same,  in  reference  to  his  wife ;  thus  they 
ought  to  dwell  with  each  other  "  According  to  knowledge,  as 
being  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life,^'  1st  Pet.  iii.  7. 

But  then,  there  is  a  very  different  position  in  which  a  female 
may  be  placed,  she  may  be  married  to  an  ungodly  husband.  I 
have  known  many  a  pious  woman  married  to  an  ungodly  man. 
If  a.  religious  woman  marries,  from  any  motive,  a  man  that  is  ig- 
norant of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  she  runs  into  a  fatal  snare ! 
"  What  commiinion  hath  light  with  darkness  ?"  2  Cor.  vi.  14. 
There  is  nothing  more  awful,  than  for  a  young  person,  man  or 
woman,  who  knows  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  marry 
a  person  that  is  ignorant  of  that  Gospel.  It  is,  indeed,  a  fearful 
pitfall !  that  a  man  or  woman,  servants  of  God,  should  unite  them- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  475 

selves  with  one  who  must  be,  as  not  being  a  servant  of  God,  a  ser- 
vant of  Satan  ! — what  prospect  of  happiness  can  there- be?  It  is 
often  the  case  that  one  or  the  other  is  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  after  they  are  married ;  one  is  taken,  and 
another  left.  The  Lord  sometimes  calls  the  wife,  and  leaves  the 
husband,  sometimes  calls  the  husband  and  leaves  the  wife,  ^'  It  is 
not  of  hifji  that  willeth,  or  of  Jmn  that  runneth,  but  of  God  thai 
shoiceth  mercy."  Rom.  ix.  16.  But  suppose,  from  any  circum- 
stances, a  pious  wife  is  married  to  an  ungodly  husband,  her  duty 
is  clear,  "Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  hus- 
bands AS  unto  the  Lord."  I  have  known  some  wives,  making 
a  profession  of  religion  and  married  to  ungodly  men,  and  I  have 
known  them  to  make  religion  odious  to  their  husbands,  by  the 
manner  in  which  they  conducted  themselves  towards  him  ;  think- 
ing, that  because  they  were  religious,  and  their  husbands  not  so, 
therefore,  they  should  regulate,  and  govern  and  order  everything 
in  their  own  way.  I  have  seen  persons  making  a  profession  of 
religion,  and  acting  thus,  render  it  hateful,  by  such  conduct.  Let 
a  woman  remember  that  her  husband's  character,  as  being  a  be- 
liever or  unbeliever,  does  not  change  her  relation,  nor  consequently 
her  duty  to  him.  She  should,  if  possible,  be  only  the  more  scru- 
pulous and  careful  in  tlie  discharge  of  that  duty.  It  is  a  grievous 
evil,  when  the  effect  of  religion  is  to  lead  persons  who  profess  it, 
to  exhibit  neglect  of  duty,  or  unamiability  of  temper.  I  have 
known,  on  the  contrary,  a  pious  woman  married  to  an  irreligious 
man,  so  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  that  she  made  religion 
sweet,  even  to  those  who  knew  it  not — made  them  respect  and  honor 
the  influence  of  true  religion  in  her,  though  they  did  not  honor  it 
for  its  own  sake.  Such  is  the  command  of  the  Apostle,  1st  Pet.  iii. 
1,  2,  "  Likennse,  ye  7iHves,  be  in  subjection  to  your  own  husbands  ; 
that  if  any  obey  not  the  word,  they  also  may  i without  titc  word,  be 
n-on  by  the  conversation  of  the  wives,  while  they  behold  your  chaste 
conversation  coupled  with  fear."  You  see  what  a  blessing  is 
promised  to  a  godly  wife,  even  though  she  may  be  married  to  an 
irreligious  husband,  when  even  without  the  word,  the  husband 
may  be  won  by  her  chaste  and  gentle  deportment. 

But  nothing  can  carry  her  through  this  but  the  Lord.  So  you 
see  she  is  referred  here  to  her  God,  "  Be  subject  unto  your 
OWN  HUSBANDS,  AS  UNTO  THE  LoRD."  It  does  uot  mean  that 
the  wife  is  to  put  her  husband  upon  an  equality  with  God,  for 
there  is  one  plain  rule  to  be  observed  here,  as  in  all  other  cases  of 
subjection,  and  it  is  this — whether  wife  or  husband,  child  or 
parent,  servant  or  master,  subject  or  sovereign,  there  is  one  law  to 
regulate  obedience  in  all  things,  and  that  is  this — That  whenever 
the  authority  of  man  clashes  with  the  avithorit}^  of  God,  man's 
authority  is  to  be  postponed  to  that  of  God.  If  a  husband  should 
endeavor  to  make  his  wife  do  anything  contrary  to  the  plain  com- 
mands of  God.  she  is  to  be  subject  to  God  in  this,  and  not  to  her 
husband  ;  she  must  obey  God  rather  than  man.  Therefore,  if  her 
husband  were  to  turn  her  out  of  doors,  she  is  to  be  turned  out  of 


476  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

doors  rather  than  disobey  God.  So,  if  the  child  is  commanded  to 
do  anything  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  the  child  is  to  refuse  such 
a  command.  So,  if  the  servant  is  commanded  to  do  anything  con- 
trary to  the  will  of  God,  his  Master  in  heaven  is  to  be  prized  be- 
fore his  master  on  earth.  So,  if  the  subject  is  desired  to  do  any- 
thing contrary  to  the  will  God,  by  the  laws  of  his  country,  he  is  to 
set  his  face,  hke  a  flint  against  those  laws,  he  must  not  obey  the 
laws  of  his  country  in  such  a  case — he  is  not  to  obey  any  power, 
if  contrary  to  the  will  of  God.  Therefore,  the  Christian  is  to  hold 
up  God,  and  God's  authority ;  and  no  law  or  authority  of  man,  is 
lo  make  him  violate,  in  any  relation  of  life,  his  duty  to  his  God ; 
that  is  the  only  standard,  and  that  the  only  exception  in  all  cases 
of  subjection.  In  all  other  cases,  obedience  is  a  duty.  But, 
when  that  clashes  with  God's  authority — there,  obedience  to  any 
human  power,  is  to  be  conscientiously  refused,  and  God  alone  is  to 
be  obeyed  and  honored.  Therefore,  this  is  the  standard  by  which 
the  conscience  is  to  be  regulated — "Wives,  submit  yourselves 

UNTO  YOUR  OWN  HUSBANDS  AS  UNTO  THE  LoRD."       All  authority 

that  is  delegated  by  God,  is  to  be  honored  for  God,  and  honored  as 
God's  appointment.  God  is  the  head  of  all  authority,  all  power 
that  is  exercised  on  earth,  in  every  station  and  sphere,  ought  to  be 
exercised  as  it  is  derived — from  God  ;  and  this  is  a  great  principle 
to  be  kept  continually  in  view,  in  studying  the  practical  parts  of 
God's  Word.  This  is  a  principle,  against  which,  infidehty  and 
anarchy  are  fiercely  setting  their  faces,  all  through  the  world,  at 
this  moment.  It  is  denied  that  God  is  the  Source  of  power — that 
God  is  the  Giver  of  authority.  But  in  whatever  way  you  consider 
it,  whether  in  respect  to  the  government  of  a  country  or  a  family 
— in  respect  to  the  government  of  a  sovereign  or  a  constitution — 
whether  it  be  the  rule  of  a  father — husband — master — magistrate, 
or  any  government — Autocrat — Oligarchy,  or  Democracy — it  does 
not  signify  in  what  point  of  view  you  look  at  government,  you  are 
not  a  Christian — or  you  do  not  know  the  Word  of  Christ — or  you 
do  not  obey  the  Word  of  Christ,  if  you  do  not  look  at  that  author- 
ity as  delegated  by  God,  from  whatever  secondary  source  it  may 
be  immediately  derived.  And  therefore,  the  principle  that  is  now 
so  much  set  up,  namely — "  That  the  people  is  the  source  of 
power,"  is  a  principle  of  the  Prince  of  darkness,  a  principle  which 
the  deyil  sets  up  against  the  government  and  authority  of  Jehovah. 
For  as  God  is  the  lawful  Ruler  of  the  world,  there  is  no  source  of 
authority  but  God.  All  who  exercise  it,  shall  give  account  of 
their  rule — and  all  over  whom  it  is  exercised,  of  their  subjection. 
The  representative  of  any  body  of  electors,  is  as  directly  intrusted 
with  his  power  by  God,  and  shall  give  an  account  of  his  discharge 
of  that  solemn  trust  to  God,  just  as  much  as  an  hereditary  peer,  or 
the  heir  of  an  hereditary  throne.  "  There  is  no  j)ower  hut  of 
God  ;  the  powers  that  be,  are  ordained  of  God  ;"  Rom.  xiii.  1, 2  ; 
and  therefore,  you  see,  religion  is  despised — God's  Word  and  His 
authority  are  laid  aside,  or  trodden  under  foot,  in  proportion,  as 
men,  not  only  adopt,  but  succumb  to  such  a  principle,  or  verge  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  477 

it  in  any  way.  There  is  no  verging  to  it  without  departing  from 
God,  there  is  no  Ustening  to  it — no  compromising  with  it  at  all. 
Jehovah — God  over  all,  is  the  standard  of  all  authority.  His 
Word  ordains  its  exercise,  and  His  Word  commands  subjection  to 
it.  It  is  thus,  He  ordains  that  it  should  be  carried  into  the  heart 
of  every  servant  of  His — of  every  wife  to  her  husband,  as  here. 
She  should  remember,  that  the  authority  of  her  husband  is  the 
authority  of  God,  and  she  should  carry  her  obedience  to  him 
always,  as  a  matter  of  conscience  unto  the  Lord — she  should  dis- 
charge it  as  a  duty  to  her  God.  The  Apostle  gives  this  as  the 
reason  of  his  command.     "  For  the  husband  is  the  head  of 

THE  WIFE,  EVEN  AS  ChRIST  IS  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  CHURCH, 
AND  HE  IS  THE  SaVIOUR  OF  THE  BODY)  THEREFORE,  AS  THE 
CHURCH  IS  SUBJECT  TO  ChRIST,  SO  LET  THE  WIVES  BE  TO 
THEIR  OWN  HUSBANDS   IN  EVERYTHING." 

The  Apostle,  throughout  this  portion  of  his  Epistle,  which  we 
shall  have  another  day  to  consider,  draws  a  parallel  between  the 
relation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  His  Church,  and  that  of  the 
husband  to  his  wife — and  when  he  brings  that  principle  home  to 
the  heart  of  the  believing  wife,  see  how  beautifully  it  is  brought  to 
bear  on  her  conduct,  by  the  reason  assigned.  "  For  the  hus- 
band IS  THE  head  of  the  WIFE,  EVEN  AS  ChRIST  IS  THE 
HEAD  OF  THE  CHURCH,  AND  HE   IS  THE  SaVIOUR  OF  THE  BODY." 

Now,  since  this  relation  between  the  husband  and  wife,  is  con- 
tinually set  forth  as  emblematical  of  the  relation  between  Christ 
and  His  Church.     Let  us  consider  what  it  is — 

When  a  man  marries  a  woman,  whatever  the  station  of  that 
woman  may  have  been,  however  low,  however  mean  compared 
with  that  of  her  husband  ;  if,  for  example  a  king  chooses  to  marry 
a  beggar,  as  soon  as  the  ceremony  is  performed,  and  he  is  united 
to  her,  instantly  her  own  rank  is  totally  merged,  and  she  is  raised 
to  the  rank  of  her  husband.  If  I  say,  the  king  marries  a  beggar, 
she  is  as  completely  a  queen,  when  his  wife,  as  if  she  were  the 
daughter  of  the  greatest  monarch  in  the  world.  See  then,  what  au 
image  this  presents  with  respect  to  Christ  and  His  Church.  What 
is  the  difference  between  Christ  and  the  sinner  l  Surely,  the 
greatest  monarch  that  ever  sat  on  a  throne,  is  not  so  far  raised 
above  the  poorest  beggar,  that  ever  lived — or  the  best  human 
being  that  ever  breathed,  above  the  vilest  wretch  that  ever  wore  a 
human  form,  as  the  Lord  of  glory  is  raised  above  sinners — vile, 
guilty  sinners,  such  as  we  are.  Yet  the  moment  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  washes  a  sinner  in  His  precious  blood,  and  clothes  him 
with  His  righteousness,  making  him  thus  one  with  Himself;  that 
moment,  the  sinner  is  delivered  from  all  his  guilt — that  moment, 
the  sinner  is  made  righteous,  as  Christ  is  righteous — pure  as 
Christ  is  pure — exalted  as  Christ  is  exalted — heir  to  the  very  king- 
dom of  glory  that  Christ  himself  inherits.  As  the  Apostle  saith, 
"  WJio  hath  delivered  us  from  the  jjower  of  darkness,  and  hath 
translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son."  Col.  i.  13.  For 
saith  he  again,  "  Ye  are  the  children  of  God,  hy  faith  in  Jesus 


478  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Cfirist"  Oal.  iii.  26 ;  "  And  remember,  if  children,  then  heirs, 
heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ, ^^  Rom.  viii.  17;  "-//"a 
son,  then  an  heir  of  God,  through  Christ^  Gal.  iv.  7.  "  There  is 
neither  Jew,  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  or  free,  there  is 
neither  male  or  female,  hut  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,'"  Gal. 
iii.  28,  29. 

How  beautifully  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sets  that  forth  in  John 
xvii.  20,  in  His  prayer,  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,^^  (His  dis- 
ciples) "  hut  for  the?n  also,  which  shall  helieve  on  me  tlirough 
their  word.  That  they  all  may  he  one,  as  thou,  Pat  her,  art  in 
me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  he  one  in  us,  that  the  7corld 
may  helieve  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory  which  thou 
gavest  me,  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  he  one  even  as  we 
are  one ;  I  in  them  and  thou  in  tne  ;  that  they  may  he  perfect  in 
one,  and  that  the  world  may  knoiv  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and 
hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me."  John  xvii.  20 — 23.  As 
then  the  wife  becomes  one  with  her  husband — one,  essentially  in 
every  sense,  '•'•they  twain  shall  he  one flesh,^^  raised  to  his  station 
— enriched  with  his  fortune — ennobled  with  his  dignities — crowned 
with  his  honors — in  all  things  identified  Avith  her  husband.  So  it 
is  with  the  church  of  Christ.  And  when  a  woman  is  enabled  to 
look  to  her  Lord  and  Saviour,  as  being  one  with  Him  in  spiritual 
life  and  union,  how  sweetly  His  commands  come  to  her  heart,  to 
act  in  relation  to  her  husband  as  unto  the  Lord. 

One  point  more.  Suppose  a  woman  before  her  marriage  over- 
whelmed in  debt,  suppose  she  is  apprehensive  that  she  may  be 
taken  and  put  into  prison  for  her  debts  ;  (I  have  known  such  a  case 
as  I  mention,  an  unmarried  woman  overwhelmed  with  debt,)  the 
moment  she  is  married,  she  does  not  owe  a  farthing — all  her  debts 
are  transferred  to  her  husband — he  becomes  responsible — no  cred- 
itor can  bring  any  demand  against  her — she  cannot  be  put  into 
prison  for  anything  she  owed — her  husband  must  bear  all  the  bur- 
then— she  is  what  is  called  in  law,  a  femme  couverte,  a  woman 
covered  or  sheltered  beneath  her  husband  ;  she  is  under  the  wings 
of  her  husband,  he  is  the  debtor — she  is  quite  clear.  Oh  !  what  a 
blessed  view  is  this  of  the  Chvuxh  of  Christ !  She  is  a  femme 
couverte — she  is  under  the  shadow  of  the  Iiximanuel's  wings ! 
The  sinner,  the  moment  he  is  brought  to  Christ,  and  united  to 
Him  by  faith,  is  clear  of  all  his  debts — his  mighty  debt  is  paid — 
his  ten  thousand  talents  are  cancelled — Christ  has  become  answer- 
able for  all,  as  the  Prophet  says,  "  It  was  exacted,  and  he  an- 
swered ;"  Is.  liii.  7.  (Loivth)  so,  "  He  hare  our  sins  in  his  own  hody 
on  the  tree^''  He  paid  our  debts — He  cancelled  them  all — they  are 
all  blotted  out  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  As  the  mute  whom  Charlotte 
Elizabeth  mentions  in  her  interesting  little  Tract,  called  "The 
Happy  Mute."  This  little  deaf  and  dumb  child  was  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  little  boy,  describing  the 
pardon  of  his  sins,  says,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  drew  a  pen,  dipped  in 
His  own  blood,  across  my  debt,  and  scored  it  all  out."  Now,  when 
a  woman  is  able  to  look  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  her  Refuge 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  479 

and  Hope,  when  she  can  understand  this,  "  Thy  Maker  is  thy 
husbmid,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name  ;"  Is.  Hv.  5  ;  then,  she  is 
happy  indeed — then  she  can  understand  and  bring-  the  principle 
of  love  to  Jesus,  into  her  duties  to  her  earthly  husband.  What  a 
glorious  image  then,  is  thei^image  of  Christ,  as  one  with  His 
Church  ! 

We  must  not  forget  that  the  husband  becomes  the  protector,  the 
guardian  of  his  wife.  An  insult  offered  to  her,  is  an  insult  to  him- 
self. Is  she  in  danger,  he  will  fly  to  protect  her  with  his  life — he 
watches  over  her — he  takes  care  of  her — he  feels  she  is  dependent 
on  his  guardianship.  His  feelings — his  love — his  honor — his  char- 
acter— his  promise — his  all  are  engaged  to  protect — to  cherish — to 
maintain  and  support  her.  So  it  is  with  Christ  and  His  Church, 
"  He  that  toncheth  yoii^  toncheth  the  apple  of  Ids  eye  f'  Zee.  ii.  8. 
"  He  is  the  head  over  all  things  to  his  Chu7xh,^^  as  we  have  in  the 
1st  chap.  22.  And  in  all  her  afllictions  he  is  afflicted.  As  the 
husband  is  the  head  of  his  wife,  so  is  Christ  also  the  head  of  His 
Church — the  Protector — Defender — Guide — Guardian  of  all  His 
people.  Every  sinner  that  looks  unto  Him,  may  look  to  Him  as 
a  wife  looks  to  her  husband,  as  her  guardian,  protector,  defender, 
her  all. 

Therefore,  this  is  the  Apostle's  reason  for  the  precept  to  wives, 
and  for  enforcing  it  as  he  does  here,  "  For  the  husband  is  the 

HEAD  OF  THE  WIFE,  EVEN  AS  ChRIST  IS  THE  HEAD  OF  THE 
CHURCH,  AND  HE  IS  THE  SaVIOUR  OF  THE  BODY." 

"Therefore,  as  the  Church  is  subject  unto  Christ, 

so  LET  the  wives  BE  TO  THEIR  OWN  HUSBANDS  IN  EVERY- 
THING." 

Let  wives  remember,  that  "  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the 
church,  the  Saviour  of  the  body,"  and  as  therefore,  in  every 
point  of  view,  it  is  her  happy  privilege  to  trust  Him — to  lean  on 
Him — to  repose  in  His  faithfulness — to  rest  in  His  love — to  cast 
herself  into  His  protection — and  to  rejoice  in  His  power,  so  that 
the  Lord  adopts  the  conjugal  state,  as  an  image  and  illustration 
of  His  own  relation  to  His  Church,  and  calls  on  every  Christian 
wife,  to  remember,  that  she  ought  to  glorify  Him  as  a  wife,  in 
obeying  her  husband,  as  she  ought  to  glorify  Him  as  a  Christian, 
in  obeying  Himself. 

Consider,  now,  that  this  blessed  relationship  which  is  set  forth 
between  Christ  and  His  Church,  is  a  relationship,  into  which,  if 
you  have  not  already  entered,  you  are  invited  to  enter  this  very 
day.  Christ  sends  His  Gospel  to  call  sinners,  as  Abraham  sent 
his  servant  to  get  a  wife  for  his  son  Isaac.  That  is  a  beautiful 
history  of  a  servant,  going  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  to  discharge 
his  duty  to  his  earthly  master ;  Genesis  xxiv.  When  he  makes 
known  his  message,  he  says,  "  And  now  if  ye  will  deal  kindly 
and  truly  with  my  master^  tell  me ;  and  if  not,  tell  me^  that  I 
may  turn  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left^''  verse  49.  Now,  I  may 
say,  I  am  come  with  my  Master's  proposals,  I  invite  you,  in  His 
Name,  to  come  this  day  to  be  one  with  Christ,  and  now  I  say, 


480  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

"  If  ye  will  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  my  Master,  tell  me." 
Now,  I  say  to  you,  that  as  Abraham's  "  servant  brought  fortJi 
jeioels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold,  and  raiment,  and  gave  them 
to  Rehekah,  and  gave  also  to  her  mother,  and  to  her  brother,  pre- 
cious thi?igs,"  V.  53,  so  I  have  laid  bfefore  you  this  day,  some  shght 
sketch  of  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  as  the  husband  of  His 
Church ;  that  is,  as  the  Saviour  of  lost  and  guilty  sinners,  and  1 
come  in  my  Master's  name,  with  a  proposal  to  all  of  you.  Come, 
cast  in  your  lot  with  "  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  !"  Come  to  be 
one  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  Come  to  Him — come  to  be 
united  to  Him — to  be  a  partaker  of  His  love,  and  an  heir  of  His 
glory  !  Come  to  have  all  your  debts  cancelled !  Come  to  be 
raised  up  to  the  honor  of  your  Lord  and  Master — "  To  be  raised 
up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ  /"  chap.  ii.  6.  Come  to  be  made  partner  of  His  kingdom  ! 
Come  to  be  protected  by  Him — guided  by  Him — strengthened  by 
Him,  all  your  life  through,  that  you  may  be  one  with  Christ,  as 
Christ  is  with  the  Father.  "  And  now,  if  ye  will  deal  kindly  and 
truly  with  my  Master,  tell  meP  Will  you  come  to  Christ  ?  Oh  ! 
my  dear  fellow-sinners,  will  any  of  you  say, 

"  No,  go  away,  tell  your  Master  I  will  not  listen  to  His  pro- 
posals, I  will  not  give  an  ear  to  them — I  will  not  come  to  the 
Lord  Jesus." 

Will  any  of  you  say  so  ?  Oh  !  consider  !  The  Son  of  a  King 
sends  to  demand  your  hand  !  Yea,  the  Son  of  the  King  of  kings. 
Come  to  Him — He  holds  out  his  hand  to  you,  and  remember — the 
hand  that  Christ  holds  out  to  you,  is  the  hand  that  was  "  Wounded 
for  your  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  your  iniquities^  Oh  ! 
look  unto  Him,  come,  come  to  Jesus,  come  to  Jesus  !  May  the 
Lord  teach  you  !  May  the  Lord  grant  that  we  may  all  be  found 
united  to  the  Son  of  God,  washed  in  His  blood,  clothed  in  His 
righteousness,  and  "  Kept  by  His  power  through  faith,  unto  sal- 
vation."    Amen,  and  Amen. 


FORTY- FIRST     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 25,  26,  27. 


"  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself 
for  it ;  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word  ; 
that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without  blemish." 

We  cannot  too  frequently  remember,  and  repeat,  that  it  is  the 
object  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  that  the  principles  of  that  Gospel 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  481 

should  be  called  into  operation  in  every  act,  word,  and  thought, 
of  the  child  of  God.  It  is  oiil}^  by  this  means,  that  the  practical 
effects  of  Christianity,  can  be  seen  and  felt  in  their  influence  by 
the  world. 

For,  just  exactly,  as  in  making  the  tree  good,  the  manure  is  in- 
tended to  cherish  and  improve  the  sap  that  circulates  through  it, 
and  imparts  succulence,  verdure,  and  fruitfulness  to  tlie  plant — 
and,  as  thus  a  physical  change  and  improvement  is  produced  in 
that  sap,  that  circulates  through  every  ramification  of  the  tree — 
so  the  principle  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  which  is  to  work  effectually 
in  the  sinner's  heart,  "  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,"  ought  to  dif- 
fuse itself  throughout  the  whole  of  the  sinner's  spiritual  life, 
through  his  heart — his  atiections — ^his  understanding — ^his  will — 
his  principles — his  motives — -the  Gospel  of  Jesus  ought  to  pervade 
them  all.  Therefore,  you  observe,  that  in  all  the  relations  of  life, 
in  which  the  precepts  of  tlie  Holy  Scripture  ought  to  be  obeyed  in 
the  sinner's  conduct — the  truth  ought  to  be  brought  home  to  the 
sinner's  conscience,  to  work  and  fructify  in  his  heart.  All  the 
power  and  influence  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  ought  to  be  identified 
with  his  motives,  and  embodied  in  them  all. 

As  we  saw  this  in  our  last  Lecture,  in  the  duties  of  the  wife  to 
her  husband  ;  so  we  have  it  here,  in  the  duties  of  the  husband  to 
his  wife.  "  Husband.s,  love  your  wives."  On  what  principle  ? 
It  is  not,  that  you  may  enjoy  your  life  comfortably  and  happily. 
It  is  not,  that  all  the  blessings  which  flow  from  union  of  heart  and 
spirit  may  be  yours.  These,  indeed,  will  be  likely  to  follow ;  but 
these  are  not  the  motives.  No,  but  "  as  Christ  loved  the 
church" — that  is  the  principle  that  is  brought  into  the  heart  of 
the  husband  ;  just  exactly,  as  we  saw  in  the  last  Lecture,  the 
principle  that  was  brought  into  the  heart  of  the  wife  was,  that  she 
should  be  subject  to  her  husband,  as  the  church  is  to  Christ ;  so 
here  Ave  see,  the  husband  is  to  love  the  wife,  as  Christ  loved  the 
church.  Christ's  love  to  His  church,  is  to  be  the  exemplar  and 
the  measure  of  the  husband's  love  to  his  wife. 

I  need  not  remark  to  you,  how  utterly  inapplicable  all  these 
precepts  must  be,  to  the  mind  of  an  unconverted  sinner.  Recollect, 
that  the  moral  precepts  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  are  no  more  to  be 
applied  to  the  unconverted  sinner,  as  commands  that  he  is  sup- 
posed to  admit,  and  precepts  that  he  is  able  to  obey  in  his  own 
strength — on  his  own  motives— or  his  own  principles — no  more 
than  they  are  to  be  addressed  to  dead  men.  The  principle  must 
be  implanted  in  the  heart,  before  the  principle  can  be  called  into 
action  in  the  life.  How  absurd,  to  expect  to  find  grapes  on  a 
branch  severed  from  the  vine  !  Nor  is  it  less  so,  to  expect  Christian 
principles  and  Christian  fruits  on  those  who  are  not  in  Christ. 
There  can  be  no  use  in  pressing  a  principle,  which  has  no  place  in 
the  heart.  Our  Lord  asks,  "  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or 
jigs  of  thistles'^ — and  we  have  too,  on  the  same  Divine  authority, 
that  "  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a 
corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruits  Mat.  vii.  16 — 18. 

31 


482  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

I  cannot  go  to  a  poor  man  and  say — "  Conduct  yourself,  as  be- 
inff  heir  of  a  throne" — the  man  is  not  the  heir  of  a  throne.  I  can 
go  to  the  son  of  a  king,  and  say — "  Conduct  yourself  as  the  heir 
of  a  throne" — for  he  is  the  heir  of  a  throne.  I  cannot  say  to  an 
unconverted  sinner — "  Conduct  yourself  as  a  child  of  God" — be- 
cause he  is  not  a  child  of  God,  he  is  yet  in  his  sins;  I  must  first 
endeavor  to  show  him  his  guilt  and  misery,  and  to  lead  him  to  the 
salvation  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  and  then,  if  the  Lord  leads  him 
to  himself,  apply  to  such  persons  precepts  like  these — "  Walk  as 
children  of  light^' — "  Be  ye  followers  of  God  as  dear  children.''^ 
Now  recollect  this — carry  this  principle  into  your  consciences,  or 
rather,  pray,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  carry  it  into  your  con- 
sciences— so  that  you  must,  in  all  things,  come  dnectly  to  Christ, 
to  test  your  motives,  and  to  prove  your  principles ;  you  must  look 
directly  to  Jesus,  in  the  discharge  of  all  your  duties. 

Remember,  these  are  considerations  that  must  devolve  on  us 
every  day,  through  all  our  lives  —through  all  the  details  of  our 
existence.  The  duties  of  our  several  stations  and  relations,  neces- 
sarily devolve  on  us;  and  therefore,  the  true  principles,  and 
approved  motives  of  these  duties,  on  which  alone  they  can  be 
acceptable  to  God,  should  always  be  present  in  our  hearts.  The 
true  motive  of  love  to  Jesus,  springing  from  faith  in  Him,  sanctifies 
duty — yea,  it  makes  duty  a  pleasure,  even  though  it  might  be 
painful  in  itself.  Duty  is  always  pleasant  when  it  is  done  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  when  the  affections  of  the  heart  are 
lifted  up  to  Him.  The  service  of  the  Lord  is  always  light,  when 
the  heart  is  warmed  with  grateful  love  to  its  Lord  and  Saviour. 
Then,  indeed,  it  is  easy  to  do  a  thing  heartily,  as  unto  the  Lord, 
and  not  unto  men. 

So,  observe,  through  all  this  you  see,  how  the  principle  brought 
before  the  heart  of  the  husband  is,  the  glorious  work  of  Jesus — -the 
glorious  salvation  of  Jesus.  "  Husbands,  love  your  wives, 
EVEN  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself 
FOR  it;  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the 

WASHING  OF  WATER  BY  THE  WORD;  THAT  HE  MIGHT  PRESENT 
IT  TO  HIMSELF  A  GLORIOUS  CHURCH,  NOT  HAVING  SPOT  OR 
WRINKLE  OR  ANY  SUCH  THING  ;  BUT  THAT  IT  SHOULD  BE  HOLY 
AND  WITHOUT  BLEMISH." 

We  considered,  on  the  last  day,  the  relation  in  which  the  wife 
was  placed  to  her  husband,  by  her  union  with  him.  That  what- 
ever her  own  previous  rank  had  been,  she  was  raised  to  the  rank 
of  her  husband.  However  overwhelmed  in  debt,  all  her  debts  were 
immediately  transferred  to  her  husband,  as  soon  as  she  was  mar- 
ried. We  considered  these,  and  several  other  particulars,  in  the 
emblem  of  a  wife  ;  in  reference  to  the  blessed  state  of  the  sinner, 
when  brought  to  Christ — raised  up  from  his  ignorance — darkness 
— guilt — and  condemnation,  to  be  united  to  his  Lord  and  Saviour, 
Christ  Jesus — immediately  raised  to  the  glorious  rank  of  a  child 
of  the  King  of  kings — immediately,  all  his  debts  cancelled,  one 
with  God,  and  with  Christ  Jesus. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  483 

Now,  consider,  there  is  a  corresponding  relation  between  hus- 
band and  wife,  "  husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ 

ALSO  LOVED  THE  CHURCH,  AND  GAVE   HIMSELF  FOR   IT."       As  the 

wife  undertakes  the  duty  of  subjection  to  the  husband,  so  he  un- 
dertakes the  regulation — the  ordinance,  and  whole  responsibility 
of  all  things  connected  with  his  wife.  If  he  be  on  a  throne,  it  is 
for  the  honor  of  his  throne,  and  his  own,  that  his  wife  be  main- 
tained in  all  the  rank  and  dignity  that  is  suitable  to  a  queen.  If 
his  wife  had  contracted  debts  previous  to  her  marriage,  and  they 
devolved  on  him,  as  they  must,  it  is  for  his  honor  and  dignity  that 
these  debts  should  be  immediately  discharged,  so  that  no  charge, 
no  imputation  of  unpaid  debt,  can  be  brought  against  her — no  re- 
flection cast  on  one,  who  is  the  partner  of  his  throne,  and  his 
bosom.  If  his  wife,  should  be  placed  in  any  danger,  it  is  the  duty 
of  her  husband,  and  not  only  his  duty,  but  it  is  for  his  honor,  and 
not  only  his  honor,  but  it  is  the  instinctive  feeling  of  his  heart, 
that  his  very  life  should  be  forfeited,  rather  than,  that  his  wife 
should  perish  or  be  in  peril.  All  his  friends — all  his  relations  are 
placed  in  the  same  relation  to  her,  in  which  they  are  placed  to  him  ; 
his  father,  is  her  father  ;  his  brother,  her  brother  ;  his  attendants, 
her  attendants  ;  his  ministers,  her  ministers  ;  they  are  all  hers,  as 
much  as  his.  Whatever  he  considers  suitable  to  his  own  rank, 
dignity,  and  honor — ^whatever  he  considers  necessary  for  himself, 
to  maintain  himself  in  the  exalted  rank  and  station,  in  which  he 
stands,  considered  as  a  king ;  then  all  that  is  necessary  for  his 
royal  consort  too.  If  it  is  fit,  that  he  appear  in  royal  robes,  it  is 
fit,  that  his  wife  should  be  dressed  in  royal  attire,  like  her  husband  ; 
everything  that  is  necessary  for,  and  appropriate  to  him,  is  also 
necessary  for,  and  appropriate  to  her  ;  and  it  is  her  husband's  am- 
bition, to  take  care,  that  she  should  have  it  all. 

Oh  !  consider  then,  dear  friends,  what  a  wonderful  subject  this 
is  !  as  it  is  applied  here,  the  Apostle  says,  in  verse  32,  and  well  he 
may,  "  This  is  a  great  mystery  ;  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ 
and  the  church,^^  to  think,  that  God,  in  the  riches  of  His  grace  and 
glory,  should  undertake  to  make  Himself  one  with  a  vile  sinner 
like  you  !  For,  recollect,  that  whatever  is  true  of  the  whole  church, 
collectively,  is  true  of  every  member  of  that  church,  individually. 
Whatever  is  true  of  the  state  of  the  whole  church  of  Christ — what- 
ever view  you  take  of  her  condition  and  glory,  it  is  your  privilege 
to  take  that  view  of  your  own  self,  as  a  poor,  guilty  sinner,  if  you 
are  united  by  faith  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Consider — that  if 
the  husband  is  to  undertake  all  things  for  the  Avife,  Christ  has  be- 
come responsible  for  all  things,  for  the  church. 

•'  For  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  ivife,  even  as  Christ  is 
the  head  of  the  church  ;"  and  the  most  vigilant,  tender,  faithful, 
loving  husband,  with  the  best  regulated  family — the  best  regu- 
lated household  that  ever  was,  or  ever  could  exist  on  this  earth, 
never  did,  and  never  could,  undertake  to  order  evertyhing  for  his 
wife's  security — honor — dignity — comfort — and  happiness,  as  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  undertaken  to  order,  and  does  order  every- 


484  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

thing  for  the  good,  and  the.  glory  of  every  sinner  that  is  broiiglit 
to  look  to  Him.  For  it  is  His  Covenant  and  His  Word,  "  Wc 
know,^^  saith  the  Apostle,  "/Aa^  alljhings  xoork  together  for  good 
to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  icho  are  the  called,  according  to 
his  pui'pose"  Rom.  viii.  28.  He  is  not  like  the  niaster  of  a  family, 
whose  knowledge  and  power  are  necessarily  limited,  and  who  is 
himself  a  weak,  imperfect  creature-many  things  escape  his  ob- 
servation— many  things  are  concealed  from  his  knowledge — of 
many  things,  he  sees  not  the  evil  or  the  danger — many  things  are 
beyond  his  power  to  remedy,  and  to  many  things  he  has  not  the 
wisdom,  or  the  skill  even  to  apply  a  remedy  that  is  within  his 
reach.  But  in  all  things,  connected  with  every  individual  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  of  Christ,  there  is  nothing  that  escapes  the 
vigilance  of  His  Omnipresent  eye — nothing  that  eludes  the  skill 
of  His  Omniscient  wisdom — nothing  that  can  contravene  tlie 
ordinance  of  His  Almighty  power  and  everlasting  love — all  His 
attributes  are  engaged  for  the  everlasting  blessedness  of  His  church. 
Therefore,  ^^  All  things  are  working  together  for  good,  to  them 
that  love  God^  Oh  !  my  friends,  if  a  sinner  was  able  just  to 
take  this  one  blessed  truth,  to  take  it  by  faith,  and  apply  it  to  all 
his  circumstances — to  repose  his  heart  and  conscience  in  the  arms 
of  everlasting  faithfulness  and  love — on  the  bosom  of  his  Saviour 
and  his  God  !  Oh  !  how  unspeakably  happy  would  he  be  !  How 
blessed  would  it  make  him  ! 

Just  consider  these  words,  "  Husbands,  love  your  wives  ; 
EVEN  AS  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself 
FOR  IT."  Suppose  a  wife  tenderly  attached  to  a  husband  ;  sup- 
pose her  life  in  great  and  imminent  danger,  suppose  the  hus- 
band flies  to  her  rescue — and  suppose  that  in  rescuing  her,  in  de- 
fending her,  he  preserves  her  indeed,  but  at  the  expense  of  his  own 
life — Imagine,  you  behold  her  hanging  in  anguish,  over  his  dead 
body  ;  and  suppose,  that  as  Jesus  came  to  the  grave  of  Lazarus, 
and  said,  "  Lazarus  come  fortW — suppose,  the  Word  of  God,  by 
the  exercise  of  His  mighty  power,  should  revive  that  husband 
again,  and  give  him  back  to  her  arms — how  would  all  her  tender- 
ness, and  all  her  affection  be  increased  if  possible,  ten  thousand 
fold!  But  "Christ  loved  the  church  and  gave  himself 
FOR  it  ;"  He  did  not  endanger — He  did  not  venture  His  life — He 
"  GAVE  himself,"  and  now  "  He  is  alive  for  evermore,  and  has 
the  keys  of  death  and  hell,"  Rev.  i.  18.  Oh  !  when  sinners  are 
able  to  know,  that  Jesus  has  saved  them  by  standing  in  their 
place,  that  Jesus  has  saved  them,  by  giving  his  hfe  for  them,  how 
it  endears  that  Saviour  to  the  heart !  If  a  man  flies  to  the  rescue 
of  a  friend,  who  is  dear  to  him,  and  who  is  in  any  danger,  he  still 
hopes  and  believes,  that  he  will  be  preserved  through  it ;  and  that 
in  delivering  his  friend,  he  will  also  be  delivered  himself.  But  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  knew,  in  His  love,  that  there  was  no  deliverance 
for  him — He  knew  all  that  was  before  him — He  knew  all  he 
was  to  encounter — He  knew  that  the  cup  could  not  pass  from  him 
— and  He  gave  His  life — "  he  loved  the  church  and  gave 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  485 

HIMSELF  FOR  IT."  Oh  !  when  the  sinner  is  able  to  see  this — 
when  he  is  able  to  know,  that  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ — of  Him, 
who  gave  Himself  for  his  sins — orders  everything  for  his  good, 
how  it  sanctifies  all  providences,  trials,  and  dispensations  of  his 
life  !  How  smoothly  it  makes  the  current  of  it  glide  along  !  My 
dear  friends,  if  there  be  any  of  you  who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  whose  minds  are  troubled  and  bowed  down,  with  either 
spiritual  or  temporal  distress  ;  your  sins — your  wants — your  trials, 
or  afflictions,  whatever  they  may  be — Depend  on  it,  you  are  not 
realizing  by  faith,  and  resting  as  you  ought,  on  the  truth  set  before 
you  in  the  everlasting  Gospel,  concerning  the  glorious  offices  of 
your  Redeemer,  and  His  covenant  love  to  all  His  people.  For  all 
these  things  are  working  together  for  your  good,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  watching  over  you.  As  surely  as  He  has  brought  you  to 
His  feet — enabled  you  to  look  to  Him — '■^Opened  your  eyes^  and 
turned  you  from  darkness  to  light,  from,  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God''''  brought  you  to  Himself  and  washed  you  in  His  precious 
blood ;  so  surely,  every  trial,  everything  concerning  you,  must  be 
ordered  for  your  good.  Yea,  even  the  very  constant  discovery  of 
evil  in  your  sinful  heart,  that  makes  you  ashamed,  and  that  dis- 
tresses you,  and  under  which  you  '■'■  groan^  being  hurthenedy  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  overrule  it  for  your  good.  He  will  humble 
you — He  will  prove  you — He  will  make  you  know  what  is  in 
your  heart.  Thus  saith  Moses  to  the  Israelites,  "  Thou  shalt  re- 
m,em,ber  all  the  way  lohich  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee  these  forty 
years  iti  the  wilderness,  to  huinhle  thee,  and  to  prove  thee  to  know 
what  loas  in  thine  heart,  whether  thou  wouldst  keep  his  command- 
ments or  no.''"'  Deut.  vii.  2.  It  was  their  hunger  led  them  to  prize 
the  manna,  and  to  learn  their  ingratitude  after  it  was  sent.  It 
was  their  thirst  taught  them  to  prize  the  water  from  the  smitten 
rock,  when  "  they  drank  of  that  Spiritual  Rock  that  followed 
them,,  and  that  Rock  ivas  Christ,^^  1st  Cor.  x.  4.  He  will  bow 
you  down  in  humiliation  at  his  footstool.  He  will  bring  you 
hungry  and  thirsty  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  and  teach  you,  in  the 
depth  of  your  wants,  to  prize  more  and  more  the  preciousness  of 
the  Saviour.  He  will  bring  you  to  Him,  in  all  your  necessities 
and  sins.  He  will  lead  you  to  His  precious  blood,  as  unto  a  fresh 
open  fountain  continually  for  healing,  and  grace,  and  strength. 
Thus  will  he  sanctify  all  his  rods,  and  trials,  and  lead  you  to  fly 
from  sin,  and  to  love  and  serve  Him,  who  has  loved  you,  and 
given  hmiself  for  you. 

Now,  then,  consider  this — observe  the  end  for  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  gave  Himself  for  the  Church.     "That  he  might 

SANCTIFY    AND    CLEANSE   IT  BY    THE    WASHING     OF    WATER,   BY 

THE  WORD."  Now,  you  See  the  end,  and  you  see  the  means  ;  He 
gave  Himself  for  it,  "That  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse 
IT  WITH  the  washing  OF  WATER  ;"  there  is  the  end.  The 
church  is  to  be  sanctified  and  to  be  cleansed  with  that  washing, 
of  which   our  Lord    Himself   appointed  water   as  the  sign  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  ' 

seal,  even  washing  in  the  blessed  Fountain  opened  for  sin  and 
uncleanness  ;  and  then  you  see  the  means,  "  by  the  word." 

The  church  of  Christ  is  a  sanctified  church — it  is  set  apart  to 
God.  The  wife  is  set  apart  to  her  husband,  she  is  his  alone, 
"  Keep  thee  only  unto  him,  so  long  as  ye  both  shall  live.''''  The 
church  is  sanctified,  set  apart  to  Christ,  she  is  his  alone.  As  He 
saith  to  his  people,  '■'■  I  iinll  betroth  thee  unto  me  forever.  Yea,  I 
will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and 
in  loving-kindness,  and  in  mercies  ;  I  will  even  betroth  thee  unto 
m.e  in  faithfulness,  and  thou  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,'^ 
Hos.  ii.  20,  21.  She  is  sanctified  by  the  giving  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  her.  The  giving  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
shedding  of  His  own  precious  blood,  has  sanctified  all  who  believe 
in  His  name. 

I  have  explained  to  you  before,  at  large,  this  primary  sense  of 
the  term  sanctification,  as  we  have  it  in  Hebrews  x.,  "  By  the 
which  will  we  are  sanctified,  throtigh  the  offei^ing  of  the  body  of 
Jesus  Christ  once  for  all  f^  they  are  sanctified  "  Through  the 
offering  of  his  body,  once  for  all  f  they  are  washed,  cleansed, 
purified,  and  thus  set  apart  to  God  ;  and  the  instrument  by  which 
this  is  effected  in  the  heart  and  conscience  of  the  believer,  is  by 
the  Word ;  they  are  brought  by  the  Word  to  the  fountain  of 
Immanuel's  blood.  The  Word  of  Christ  opens  to  them  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus.  The  Word  of  Christ  explains  to  them  their  own 
misery — their  own  guilt,  and  the  salvation  wrought  for  them  by 
the  work  of  their  Redeemer,  and  by  that  Word  they  are  brought 
to  Him  ;  so  saith  the  Apostle  James,  "  Of  his  own  loill  begat  he 
US  through  the  word  of  truth,"  James  v.  18  ;  so  the  Apostle  Peter, 
"  Being  born  again,  tiot  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible, 
by  the  Word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  forever,"  1st  Pet. 
i.  23.  They  are  brought  to  Christ  by  the  Word — that  is,  they  are 
born  again  by  the  Word  ;  for  "  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  is  born  of  God,"  1st  John  v.  1.  Any  of  you  who  have 
been  brought  to  tlie  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  have  been  surely  brought 
by  the  blessed  Word  of  God  having  been  set  before  you  by  some 
means.  It  may  be  by  a  sermon — perhaps  by  a  lecture — ^or  by  the 
Book  itself — or  by  a  Prayer-book,  containing  a  portion  of  that 
Word — or  it  might  be  by  a  tract — yea,  by  a  single  text  applied  to 
you  in  conversation,  by  a  friend — or  even  by  a  single  text  being 
brought  to  your  remembrance  by  the  Spirit.  But  by  whatever 
means,  it  must  be  by  the  Word  of  God  as  the  instrument.  There 
is  no  other  power  by  which  a  sinner  can  be  brought  to  Christ,  but 
by  the  Word  of  God.  It  is— it  may  be  applied  in  a  thousand  dif- 
ferent ways  of  Providence,  or  Grace  by  the  Spirit,  but  there  is 
no  other  means,  no  other  channel,  through  which  the  sinner  can 
receive  a  knowledge  of  God's  salvation,  but  by  the  revelation  of 
God's  Eternal  Word ;  and  therefore,  by  that  Word  he  is  brought 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  blood  of  Christ  sanctified  and 
cleansed. 

You  see,  then,  how  important  it  is,   that   the  Word  of  God 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  487 

should  be  preached — that  the  Word  of  God  should  be  read — that 
that  Word  should  be  diffused.  Where  the  Word  of  God  is  shut 
up — there,  there  is  a  famine  of  the  Bread  of  Life — there,  there  is 
an  intercepting  of  the  light  of  Heaven  from  the  sinner's  soul. 
Where  the  Word  of  God  is  open — has  full  course  and  is  glorified — 
there,  the  people  feed  upon  the  Bread  of  Life — there,  the  light  of 
God's  Eternal  Truth  shines  into  the  hearts  of  sinners.  Who 
then,  can  duly  appreciate  the  inestimable  blessing,  that  the  Word 
of  God  should  be  known  to  sinners,  to  bring  them  to  Christ? 
But,  this  is  what  makes  the  study  of  the  Bible  precious  to  the  soul 
of  the  believer.  As  it  is  by  the  Word  we  are  brought  first  to 
Christ — so  it  is  by  the  Word  we  are  kept  in  Christ.  The  Holy 
Scriptures  are  not  only  the  means  of  quickening,  enlightening, 
regenerating,  and  converting  the  soul,  but  the  sanctifying  power 
of  the  Spirit  acts  through  the  Word.  So,  when  the  Lord  prays 
for  His  disciples  to  His  Father,  you  recollect  His  prayer.  He  says, 
^^ Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth;  thy  ivord  is  truth"  John 
xvii.  17.  So  it  is  His  province  to  cleanse  and  purify  the  life  and 
habits  of  the  sinner  with  it.  "  Wherewithal  shall  a  youyig  man 
cleanse  his  way  I  by  taking  heed  thereto,  according  to  thy  word," 
Ps.  cxix.  9.  You  will  see  this  principle  set  forth,  in  the  most  en- 
couraging and  instructive  manner  in  the  whole  Bible,  in  Psalm 
cxix.  The  blessing  and  power  of  the  Word  of  God,  as  the  means 
of  calling — and  keeping — strengthening — and  directing — comfort- 
ing— and  building  up  the  soul  of  the  sinner.  If  there  be  any  of 
you,  therefore,  who  are  ignorant  of  Christ  and  His  salvation,  and 
are,  as  you  must  be  indeed,  careless  and  negligent  in  the  study  of 
God's  Word.  Oh  !  consider,  by  what  means  can  you  ever  be 
brought  to  know  the  truth,  but  by  the  Word  of  God  !  And,  if  you 
know  the  truth  of  God,  and  yet  are,  as  too  many  are,  careless  in 
the  study  of  the  Bible — then  you  are  proportionably  uncomforta- 
ble, and  barren  in  your  own  soul. 

Recollect,  the  blessing  of  the  man  who  avoids  the  ways  of  sin, 
and  cultivates  the  study  of  the  Scriptures.  "  Blessed  is  the  man 
that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in 
the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful."  Mark 
what  he  avoids. 

Now  see  what  he  studies — ^'-  But  his  delight  is  in  the  laio  of 
the  Lord,  and  in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night." 

Now  look  to  the  result — -"  And  he  shall  he  like  a  tree  planted 
by  the  rivers  of  loater,  that  bring  eth  forth  his  fruit  in  his  season  ; 
his  leaf  also  shall  not  wither,  and  whatsoever  he  doeih  shall 
prosper,"  Psalm  i.  1,  2,  3, 

What  wonder  then,  that  if  you  neglect  the  study  of  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  your  soul  is  not  like  a  watered  garden,  and  that  you 
bring  fori  h  but  little  fruit  in  your  life  !  How  can  the  tree  bring 
fruit  to  perfection,  if  it  is  but  partially  under  the  genial  influence 
of  the  sun !  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  profession  so  far 
outstrips  the  practice  of  the  present  day.  Persons  acquire  knowl- 
edge through  the  preaching  of  the  Word  of  God — they  acquire  a  • 


488  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  salvation,  but  there  is  an  absence  of 
the  study  of  Scripture — a  want  of  devotion  to  the  Word  of  God, 
which  leaves  the  souls  of  professors  barren  and  unprofitable  in 
their  life  and  conversation.  We  cannot  come  fresh  from  the  faith- 
ful study  of  God's  Holy  Word,  and  enter  with  a  relish  into  the 
levities,  and  folhes,  and  vanities,  of  an  ungodly  world.  If  we 
have,  indeed,  the  Word  of  God  in  our  hearts — of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  the  mouth  will  speak,  and  the  world  will  take 
knowledge  of  us,  that  we  have  been  with  Jesus — if  indeed  we 
have  been  with  Jesus.  The  face  of  Moses  shone  brightly  when 
he  came  down  from  the  mount. 

"  The  sold  of  the  slu^g-ard  desiretli,  and  hath  nothing,  but  the 
sold  of  the  dUigent  shad  be  made  fat  P  Prov.  xiii.  4.  If  we  study 
the  Word  of  Life,  we  shall  experience  the  blessing  of  this  latter 
promise.  But  if  not,  then  the  soul  of  the  sluggard  shall  be  like  the 
garden  of  the  sluggard,  overgrown  with  briars  and  thorns.  What 
wonder  that  in  such  a  neglected  soil,  "  The  cares  of  this  world, 
and  the  deceitfidness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things  en- 
tering in,  choke  the  rcord,  and  it  becometh  unfruitfidr  Mark  iv.  19. 

To  return  then  more  directly  to  the  passage.  Do  not  forget 
the  means  by  which  the   church  is  cleansed.     "  Christ  loved 

THE  CHURCH  AND  GAVE  HIMSELF  FOR  IT  ;  THAT  HE  MIGHT 
SANCTIFY  AND  CLEANSE  IT  WITH  THE  WASHING  OF  WATER, 
BY  THE  word;  THAT  HE  MIGHT  PRESENT  IT  TO  HIMSELF  A 
GLORIOUS  CHURCH,  NOT  HAVING  SPOT  OR  WRINKLE,  OR  ANY 
SUCH    THING,    BUT    THAT    IT    SHOULD    BE    HOLY    AND    WITHOUT 

BLEMISH."  As  an  affectionate  husband  desires  that  his  wife  shall 
enjoy  all  the  privileges,  and  all  the  blessings,  that  he  himself  feels 
and  knows  to  be  either  suitable  to  his  rank  and  dignity,  or  that  he 
wills  to  have  for  himself,  so,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  wills  that  His 
church  shall  enjoy  all  those  blessings — those  privileges — and  that 
glory  which  belongs  to  Himself.  Hear  His  own  words,  "  And  the 
glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them,  that  they  also 
m,ay  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one,^''  John  xvii.  22.     So  here,  "  That 

HE  might  PRESENT  IT  TO  HIMSELF  A  GLORIOUS  CHURCH, 
NOT  HAVING  SPOT,  OR  WRINKLE,  OR  ANY  SUCH  THING,  BUT 
THAT    IT    SHOULD     BE     HOLY    AND    WITHOUT    BLEMISH."       Well 

might  the  Apostle  call  it  a  great  mystery — to  think  of  a  poor 
wretch,  a  vile  sinner  like  one  of  us,  being  glorious. 

If  we  are  indeed  taught  of  God,  we  cannot  look  at  ourselves  in 
the  mirror  of  God's  pure  and  holy  law,  without  beholding  ourselves 
all  unclean,  and  feeling  ourselves  abashed,  ashamed,  and  con- 
founded, when  we  look  within.  As  the  Apostle  saith,  when  he 
was  ignorant  of  the  spiritual  nature  of  God's  holy  law,  ^^  I  was 
alive  without  the  law  onceP  Not  certainly,  without  the  letter,  for 
he  had  been  trained  from  his  infancy  in  that ;  and  while  he  only 
knew  that,  "Ae  was  alive'^ — that  is,  he  thought  so — he  considered 
himself  so — he  thought  he  had  spiritual  life,  and  lie  had  a  good 
hope  of  gaining  eternal  life  by  his  obedience  to  the  law.  "  But,^^ 
he  continuesj  "  When  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  489 

dledy  Rom.  vii.  9.  When  I  knew  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  law, 
and  how  it  was  not  merely  a  rule  of  outward  conduct,  but  that  it 
reached  to  the  very  thoughts,  intents,  and  desires  of  the  heart — 
that  is,  "  When  the  commandment  came^''  with  all  its  true  spiritu- 
ality and  power,  then  '•'•sin  revived  and  I  died. ^^  I  saw  the  full 
extent  of  my  own  sin  and  vileness,  and  that  I  was  a  lost  and 
wretched  criminal.*  That  it  is  our  privilege  to  be  really  glorious 
in  Christ  Jesus — that,  though  we  are  in  ourselves,  as  the  Apostle 
describes  himself,  sutfering  under  the  consciousness  of  our  inward 
corruption — that,  though  we  feel  in  ourselves  "  a  law  in  our  mem,' 
hers,  warring  against  the  law  of  our  mind,  and  bringing  us 
into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  that  is  in  our  members''^  that, 
though  we  feel  corruption  working  within — evil  thoughts — wicked 
propensities — evil  desires— evil  passions,  rising  up,  and  continually 
corrupting  and  defiling  the  best  we  do — that,  though  we  must 
always  feel  our  uncleanness  in  the  sight  of  God,  yet,  it  is  our  privi- 
lege to  look  by  faith  out  of  self,  to  Jesus — and  by  faith  to  believe 
that  all  this  body  of  sin  and  death  is  completely  put  off  for  ever— 
that  we  may — yea,  that  we  are  commanded  to  '•  Reckon  ourselves 
to  he  dead  indeed,  unto  sin,  hut  alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,^^  Rom.  vi.  11 ;  and  that  we  stand  before  our  God 
complete — ^v/ashed  from  all  our  guilt  in  the  precious  blood — and 
clothed  in  the  meritorious  righteousness  of  our  blessed  Lord  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ — this — this  is,  indeed,  a  great  and  glorious 
mystery,  which  the  angels  may  well  "  desire  to  look  into,^'  1st  Pet. 
i.  12. 

The  Lord  when  speaking  by  the  Prophet,  of  His  bringing  the 
church  of  His  people  Israel,  from  its  natural  state,  describes  it  like 
that  of  a  new-born  child,  cast  out  on  a  field  to  die.  Imagine,  a 
child  just  born,  cast  out  and  left  on  the  open  field  !  What  must 
become  of  it  ?  It  must  perish  directly !  Such  is  the  state  in 
which  the  Lord  represents  His  church  in-Ezekiel,  xvi.  5,6,  "77io?« 
wast  cast  out  in  the  open  field  to  the  loathing  of  thy  person,  in 
the  day  that  thou  wast  horn ;  and  ivhen  I  passed  hy  thee,  and 
saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  hlood,  I  said  unto  thee,  when  thou 
ivast  yet  in  thy  hlood.  Live.  Yea,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou 
wast  in  thy  hlood,  LiveJ^ 

This  is  palpably  applied  to  their  spiritual  state.  Our  spiritual 
state  is  just  as  hopeless — ^as  helpless  as  that  of  a  new-born  child ; 
we  have  as  little  power  to  save,  or  to  do  anything  for  ourselves,  as 

*  Man  comparing  himself  with  the  law,  in  his  natural  state,  is  like  a  blind  deformed 
leper  sitting  before  a  mirror.  The  mirror  is  there,  and  he  is  there — he  can  touch  it, 
and  call  it  a  mirror — but  he  does  not  see  the  loathsome  image  which  it  reflects — even 
himself.  But  give  him  his  sight,  and  then  he  beholds  his  true  picture  at  once,  and  re- 
volts from  the  disgusting  object.  So  is  a  self-righteous  Pharisee  or  Moralist,  when  he 
talks  of  his  virtues  and  his  excellence,  "  He  is  alive  without  the  law  " — he  is  wholly 
ignorant  of  its  spiritual  nature.  The  mirror  is  before  him — but  he  is  blind,  and  can- 
not see  that  it  reflects  his  inmost  thoughts.  But  when  God  opens  his  eyes  to  see  the 
truth,  then  he  sees  his  real  character — "  When  the  commandment  comes,  sin  revives, 
and  he  dies" — he  beholds  his  real  deformity  in  the  sight  of  a  Holy  God,  and  in  the 
mirror  of  His  holy  law — and  confesses  in  spirit  and  truth,  that  he  is  a  'miserable 
ainner." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

a  child  has  to  provide  for  itself,  to  get  up  and  walk.  We  are  vile — 
helpless — lost.  And  if  we  are  brought  out  of  that  state,  it  is  be- 
cause God  in  His  love,  passes  by  and  says  unto  us,  "  Live.''^ 

If  you  read  the  beginning  of  that  chapter,  you  will  perceive.  He 
gives  a  description  of  the  Jewish  people  as  in  that  state ;  and  if 
true  of  the  church  collectively,  it  must  be  true  of  every  individual 
of  that  church.  What  is  true  of  a  church,  as  in  a  state  of  sin,  is 
true  with  respect  to  every  individual  of  that  church ;  what  is  true 
of  a  church,  as  in  a  state  of  grace,  is  true  of  every  individual  in 
that  church.  If  the  church  is  accepted,  the  sinner  is  accepted — ^if 
the  church  is  righteous,  it  must  be,  that  every  sinner  that  belongs 
to  that  church  is  righteous ;  it  could  not  be  said  of  the  whole 
church,  that  the  church  is  "a  glorious  church,  not  having 

SPOT,    OR    WRINKLE,    OR    ANY    SUCH     THING,"    if    OUC    UllglorioUS, 

spotted,  wrinkled  sinner  belonged  to  it ;  therefore,  what  is  true  of 
the  whole  church,  is  true  of  every  believer  in  it. 

If  it  is  presented  to  God  "  a  glorious  church,  not  having 

SPOT,     OR    wrinkle,     OR    ANY     SUCH     THING,"    but    "hOLY    AND 

WITHOUT  BLEMISH,"  then  cvciy  poor  sinner,  who  is  indeed  a 
spiritual  member  of  that  church,  is  presented  a  glorious  believer  to 

Christ,   "  NOT    HAVING    SPOT,  OR  WRINKLE,  OR  ANY  SUCH  THING, 

BUT  HOLY  AND  WITHOUT  BLEMISH."  Though  lie  is  vilc,  and 
feels  his  own  vileness,  yet  it  is  his  privilege  to  look  out  of  himself 
to  Jesus,  and  then  he  beholds  himself  complete  in  Christ,  as  the 
Apostle  says,  Col.  ii.  10,  "  Ye  are  complete  in  him^''  and  as  it  is 
said  in  this  chapter,  "  Then  washed  I  thee  with  water,  yea,  I 
thoroughly  washed  away  thy  blood  from  thee,  and  I  anointed 
thee  with  oil,  I  clothed  thee  also  iclth  hroidered  work,  and  shod 
thee  with  badgefs  skin,  and  I  girded  thee  about  loith  fine  linen, 
and  I  covered  thee  with  silk,  I  decked  thee  also  ivith  ornaments^ 
and  I  put  bracelets  upon  thine  hand,  and  a  chain  on  thy  neck, 
and  I  put  a  jewel  on  thy  forehead,  and  ear-rings  in  thine  ears, 
and  a  beautiful  crown  upon  thine  head  ;  thus  wast  thou  decked 
with  gold  and  silver,  and  thy  raiment  loas  of  fine  linen,  and  silk, 
and  broidered  loork  ;  thou  didst  eat  fine  four,  and  honey,  and 
oil,  and  thou  loast  exceeding  beautiful,  and  thou  didst  prosper 
hito  a  kingdom,  and  thy  renown  went  forth  among  the  heathen 
for  thy  beauty  ;  for  it  was  perfect  through  tny  comeliness  ivhich 
I  had  put  upon  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God,"  Ezek.  xvi.  9,  14. 

Under  the  image  of  a  bride,  He  shows  how  He  made  Jerusalem 
to  prosper  and  grow  into  such  a  glorious  kingdom,  and  under  the 
image  of  Jerusalem  as  a  bride,  he  shows  His  love  and  grace  to 
His  church. 

Their  beauty  was  '^perfect  through  his  comeliness,^'  and  so  the 
beauty  of  His  church  is  ^'perfect  through  his  comeliness"  "/ 
am  black,  but  comely,"  Cant.  i.  5  ;  black  as  the  tents  of  Kedar — 
comely  as  the  curtains  of  Solomon — polluted,  yet  spotless — un- 
clean, yet  clean — lost,  yet  saved — condemned,  yet  justified — sold 
under  sin,  yet  delivered  from  all  evil,  and  brought  to  glory. 

The  paradoxes  of  the  Bible,  how  unintelligible  they  are  to  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  491 

iiiiconveited  sinner — liow  glorious  to  the  believer !  To  feel  what 
men  are  in  themselves,  and  to  know  what  they  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
as  here — "that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glori- 
ous CHURCH  !"  Now,  what  is  the  glory  of  the  church?  I  think, 
I  quoted  a  passage  in  our  last  Lecture,  in  reference  to  this  subject, 
but  it  bears  quotation  again.  That  may  well  be  quoted  again  and 
again,  which  shall  be  the  theme  of  everlasting  joy  to  the  redeemed 
church  of  God  throughout  eternity.  We  should  quote  these  texts 
over  and  over  again,  in  our  own  hearts — we  should  cherish  them — 
we  should  feed  on  Him,  whom  they  set  before  us  every  day,  and 
rejoice  in  Him  as  all  our  salvation.  Now  then,  let  us  mark  the 
Gospel  of  St.  John,  xvii.  22,  it  is  a  portion  of  the  prayer  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  He  saith,  "  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  ine  I 
have  given  them,  that  they  all  may  he  one,  even  as  ice  are  oneP 

What  is  the  glory  of  the  church  of  Christ? — the  glory  of  Christ 
Himself.  What  is  the  glory  of  the  wife  ? — ^the  glory  of  her  hus- 
band. What  is  the  glory  of  the  queen  ? — the  glory  of  the  king. 
What  is  the  glory  of  Christ's  church  ?— the  glory  of  Christ  Him- 
self. "  The  glory  ivhich  thou  gavest  tne,  I  have  given  them,  that 
they  he  one,  even  as  we  are  oneJ^ 

Dear  friends,  is  it  not  a  wonderful  thing  to  think,  that  a  poor 
sinner,  like  you  or  me,  can  ever  be  really  glorious  !  Our  glory 
now  is  the  glory  we  possess  by  faith ;  you  see  no  glory  in  me,  and 
I  see  no  glory  in  you.  We  may  be  permitted  to  glorify  God,  if  we 
are  enabled  to  live  to  God,  and  devote  ourselves  to  His  service  as 
we  ought  to  do.  If  we  "  let  our  light  so  shine  hefore  men,  that 
they  may  see  our  good  works,  and  glorify  our  Father  wlio  is  in 
heaven^  But  there  is  no  glory  to  be  seen  in  us.  But  oh  !  let  us 
think,  that  that  which  we  now  have  by  faith,  if  we  are  indeed  of 
the  church  of  Jesus,  we  shall  soon  have  in  reality,  "  our  citizen- 
ship," says  the  Apostle,  ^'-is  in  Iieaven,  from  whence  also  we  look 
for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''^ — and  what  then  ? 
"  Who  shall  change  our  vile  hody,  that  it  may  he  fashioned  like 
unto  his  glorious  hody,  according  to  the  loorking,  wherehy  he  is 
ahle  even  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself J^  Phil.  iii.  20,  2L 
That  same  glory  which  He  possesses,  shall  then  be  the  visible 
glory  of  every  individual  of  His  church — and  so  the  Apostle  John 
assures  us  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  he- 
stowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  he  called  the  sons  of  God ;  there- 
fore the  world  knoweth  us  not,  hecause  it  knew  him  notP  Christ's 
glory  was  veiled  when  He  was  on  earth,  the  glory  of  His  church 
is  veiled  too.  "  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  he,  hut  we  knoiv  that  when  he  shall 
appear,  ive  shall  he  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him,  as  he  is^  1st 
John  iii.  12. 

"  We  knoiv''^ — mark  what  the  privilege  of  faith  is — ^"  We  know''"' 
because  our  God  has  told  it  to  us.  "  We  know''^ — because 
"  He  is  faithful  that  pro^nised.'''  It  must  be  true.  "  We 
know  that  ivhen  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  he  like  him,  for  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  y>."      So,  you  have  the  same  truth  in  1st 


492  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Corinthians  xv.,  where  adverting  to  the  resurrection  glory — speak- 
ino-  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  the  Apostle  saith,  "  There  is 
one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moo?i,  and  another 
glory  of  the  stars  ;  for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in 
glory,  so  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  it  is  soid)i  in  cor- 
ruption, and  raised  in  incorrttption  ;  it  is  sown  in  dishonor,  it 
is  raised  in  glory  ;  it  is  sown  in  iveakness,  it  is  raised  in  poiver  ; 
it  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  bodyJ^  1st  Cor. 
XV.  41,  42,  43.  It  is  raised  from  the  corruption — the  dishonor — 
the  weakness — the  natural  decay  into  the  dust  of  death,  to  the 
incorruption — the  glory — the  power — the  spirituality  of  a  raised, 
renewed,  regenerated  resurrection  body,  even  the  glorious  body 
that  shall  be  given  to  the  church,  such  as  Christ  Himself  is 
clothed  with. 

We  have  the  same  glorious  truth,  given  as  a  subject  of  con- 
solation in  1st  Thessalonians  iv.  16 — 18,  "  The  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  unth  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  the  trump  of  God,  and-  the  dead  in  Christ  shall 
rise  first,  then  ive  which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught 
up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air, 
and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord,  wherefore,  comfort  one 
another  with  these  words.''''  So  He  presents  His  church  to  Him- 
self, "a  GL0RI0U.S  CHURCH,  NOT  HAVING  SPOT,  OR  WRINKLE,  OR 
ANY    SUCH    THING,   BUT     HOLY    AND    WITHOUT    BLEMISH."       Go, 

look  at  that  church-building  which  is  in  process  of  being  built 
now  in  this  neighborhood — you  will  see  nothing  on  the  spot  but 
some  stones  of  various  shapes  and  sizes,  scattered  in  disorder, 
lying  here  and  there,  and  many  are  yet  undrawn,  many  still  un- 
quarried.  If  you  try  to  lay  these  stones  in  their  intended  order 
in  the  building,  you  could  not  attempt  to  do  it — if  you  try  to  con- 
ceive the  plan  of  that  Church,  you  cannot  even  imagine  it.  The 
architect  has  it  in  his  own  eye — he  sees,  he  knows  the  whole  or- 
der, parts,  proportions,  plan,  and  elevation  of  it — it  is  all  complete 
before  him  in  his  mind's  eye,  just  as  complete  as  it  shall  be  when 
erected.  So  is  it  with  the  Church  of  Christ ;  the  members  of  it 
are  scattered,  not  only  now  throughout  the  earth,  but  the  consti- 
tuent parts  of  it  are  dispersed  afar,  through  climes  and  ages  past, 
and  still  to  come :  the  eye  of  man  cannot  see,  nor  the  heart  of 
man  conceive  their  glory  in  their  union,  and  their  elevation  ;  but 
it  is  all  complete  in  the  eye  of  Jehovah — the  Lord  Jesus  beholds 
it  all — the  Church  is  glorious  in  his  eyes,  and  there  shall  not  be 
a  single  stone  wanting — not  one  that  is  to  fill  the  smallest  crevice, 
each  one  shall  be  there — each  one  fitted  in  its  place,  for  shape,  for 
strength,  for  stability,  for  beauty,  honor,  and  glory,  at  the  appear- 
ing of  Jesus  Christ.  Then  shall  it  be  seen  finished  by  the  Mighty 
Architect,  "a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 

OR  any  such  thing,  but  holy  and  without  BLEMISH." 

Surely,  this  is  not  now  your  case  or  mine ;  do  we  not  feel  that 
it  is  not?  do  we  not  feel  that  we  are  anything  but  glorious? 
do  we  not  feel,  that  in  ourselves  we  are  spotted,  wrinkled,  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  493 

defiled — that  we  are  poor,  vile,  miserable  sinners ;  but  it  is  the 
privilege  of  the  Christian  to  look  with  the  eye  of  faith,  at  what 
he  is  before  God  in  Christ  now,  and  what  he  shall  be  before  the 
throne  forever.  "  Even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness 
of  the  man  to  whom  God  imputed  righteousness  without  works, 
saying — Blessed  is  he  ivhose  transgression  is  forgiven,  and 
whose  sin  is  covered — blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  tvill 
not  impute  sin^  Rom.  iv.  6,  7,  8. 

Our  blessedness  consists  then  in  a  life  of  faith  now,  in  taking  all 
we  have  and  all  we  are  to  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  looking  unto 
Him,  and  casting  ourselves  on  Him — taking  His  blood  to  bathe  in 
— His  righteousness  to  cover  us — His  power,  faithfulness,  and  love, 
and  all  his  precious  promises,  to  sustain  us — and  living  by  faith 
on  them,  to  look  for  and  haste  unto  His  coming. 

We  are  struggling  and  conflicting  with  these  bodies  of  sin  and 
death,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  glorify  our  God,  in  mortifying 
them — crucifying  them — during  our  stay  here  ;  looking  for  that 
glorious  time,  when  we  shall  see  Him  face  to  face — when  His  ser- 
vants shall  serve  Him  without  spot — and  when  we  shall  really  be 
what  now  we  hope  to  be,  by  faith.  When  we  shall  really  be  what 
we  expect  to  be — yea  !  what  we  know  we  shall  be,  if  we  believe 
the  glorious  promises  of  our  God. 

This  is  what  Christ  then  does  for  His  Church — that  "  He  may 

PRESENT  IT  TO  HIMSELF  A  GLORIOUS  CHURCH  ;  NOT  HAVING 
SPOT  OR  WRINKLE,  OR  ANY  SUCH  THING,  BUT  THAT  IT  SHOULD 
BE  HOLY,   AND  WITHOUT   BLEMISH." 

Remember,  as  the  husband  is  bound  to  undertake  everything 
for  his  wife,  and  to  do  everything  for  her,  as  he  ought  to  do — so, 
Oh  !  wondrous  truth  !  Christ  is  bound  to  His  Church,  in  that  same 
blessed  relation.  He  is  bound  in  an  eternal  covenant  of  love — He 
is  bound  by  an  eternal  union — by  the  eternal  promises  ;  for  all 
these  promises  in  Him  are  yea,  and  in  Him  amen.  What  a  bless- 
ing then  it  is,  for  a  poor  sinner  to  have  such  a  Saviour  to  look  to  ! 
Oh  !  that  we  may  be  enlightened  to  look  thus  to  Him — and  then, 
if  we  are  enabled  to  carry  this  blessed  faith  into  our  different  rela- 
tions of  life — it  is  thus,  and  thus  alone,  that  we  can  be  strength- 
ened to  discharge  the  duties  of  these  stations.  Therefore,  you 
see  they  are  brought  home  to  His  people  continually,  in  all  their 
circumstances.  Parents,  children,  servants,  masters,  husbands, 
wives,  all  referred  to  Christ — all  referred  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Their  principles  and  motives  are  all  referred  to  Him,  in  whom 
alone  they  have  spiritual  existence  ;  and  from  whom  alone  they 
can  derive  spiritual  life  or  strength. 

May  the  Lord  our  God  bring  His  truth  to  our  hearts  ;  and  ena- 
ble us  to  know  and  rejoice  in  Him,  and  in  the  strength  of  His 
salvation,  and  in  every  relation  of  life  to  glorify  Him  with  our 
bodies  and  spirits  which  are  His. — Amen. 


FORTY-SECOND    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  v.— 28,  29,  30,  31,  32,  33. 

"  So  ought  men  to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.  He  that  loveth  his  wife 
loveth  himself  For  no  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh ;  but  nourisheth  and  cher- 
isheth  it,  even  as  the  Lord  the  church :  For  we  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh, 
and  of  his  bones.  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall 
be  joined  unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  mystery  :  but 
I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church.  Nevertheless,  let  every  one  of  you  in  par- 
ticular so  love  his  wife  even  as  himself;  and  the  wife  see  that  she  reverence  her  hus- 
band." 

In  our  last  Lecture  but  one,  we  considered  the  relation  in  which 
the  wife  stands  to  her  husband,  as  compared  with  that -in  which 
the  Church  stands  to  Christ. 

In  our  last  we  considered  the  relation  in  which  the  husband 
stands  to  his  wife,  as  compared  with  that  in  which  Christ  stands 
to  His  Church.  And  here  we  have  the  same  subject  continued  in 
the  last  verses  of  this  chapter.  May  the  Lord  enable  us  to  under- 
stand the  spiritual  application  of  it  to  our  souls  !  May  He  enable 
us  to  see  the  wonderful  privileges  here  set  before  the  Church  of 
Christ — that  we  may  learn  to  prize  them  for  ourselves,  and  discover 
more  and  more  of  the  riches  of  that  glorious  Redeemer,  who  is 
the  Author  and  Finisher  of  this,  and  all  covenant  blessings  to  His 
people. 

The  Apostle  pursuing  the  subject  of  the  duty  of  husbands  to 
their  wives,  presses  it  still  farther  from  the  intimate  union,  the 
absolute  oneness  that  subsists  between  them.     ''  So  ought  men 

TO  LOVE  THEIR  WIVES  AS  THEIR  OWN  BODIES.  He  THAT  LOV- 
ETH HIS  WIFE,  LOVETH  HIMSELF.  FoR  NO  MAN  EVER  YET 
HATED  HIS  OWN  FLESH  ;  BUT  NOURISHETH  AND  CHERISHETH 
IT,  EVEN  AS  THE  LoRD  THE  CHURCH  :  FoR  WE  ARE  MEMBERS 
OF    HIS  BODY,  OF  HIS    FLESH,   AND    OF    HIS    BONES."       He    sllOWS 

here,  that  the  duty  and  affection  of  the  husband  to  the  wife  is 
such,  that  it  is  actually  identified  with  his  love  and  duty  to  his 
own  person ;  and  that  his  affection  should  be  founded  exactly  on 
the  same  principle  on  which  he  woidd  love  himself.     "  So  ought 

MEN  TO  LOVE  THEIR  WIVES  AS  THEIR  OWN  BODIES.       He  THAT 

LOVETH  HIS  WIFE  LOVETH  HIMSELF."  And  Certainly,  the  hus- 
band stands,  as  we  considered  on  the  last  day,  actually  identified 
with  his  wife  in  all  circumstances,  so  that  everything  that  brings 
reproach  on  her,  brings,  reproach  on  him  ;  and  everytliing  that 
tends  to  honor  and  exalt  her,  tends  to  honor  and  exalt  him  ;  so 
that  if  he  would  save  himself  from  reproach,  or  exalt  himself  to 
honor — if  he  would  deliver  himself  from  evil — if  he  would  pro- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  495 

mote  his  own  good,  or  his  own  happiness,  he  is  called  on  in  the 
same  proportion,  and  on  the  same  principle,  to  save  his  wife,  and 
deliver  her  from  any  evil,  and  promote  her  honor— her  glory— her 
happiness,  even  as  his  own  ;  "  for  no  man  ever  yet  hated  his 
OWN  flesh  ;  BUT  nourisheth  and  cherisheth  it,  even  as 
THE  Lord  the  church  :  For  we  are  members  of  his  body, 
OF  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones." 

Now  the  Apostle  says,  "  This  is  a  great  mystery."  We 
can  form  a  conception  of  this  union,  as  applied  to  the  relationship 
of  husband  and  wife.  But  it  is  a  marvellous  mystery  indeed, 
when  we  consider  it  as  applied  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
Church.  To  think,  that  sinners  like  you  and  me,  can  be  taken 
and  actually  identified  with  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  !  That  the 
Lord  Jesus  can  take  a  vile  sinner  like  any  one  of  us — that  He 
can  take  us  and  so  identify  us  with  Himself,  and  Himself  with  us, 
that  actually  His  own  dignity — His  own  honor — -His  own  glory  is 
promoted  and  established  by  all  the  blessing — all  the  dignity — all 
the  honor — and  all  the  glory  that  He  can  bestow  on  us  !  !  Surely 
this  is  a  great  mystery  ! 

The  husband  freely  takes  the  wife,  from  his  own  love  ;  he  loves 
her,  and  he  takes  her  because  he  loves  her.  There  is  this  dif- 
ference, however,  between  man  and  wife,  and  Christ  and  His 
Church  : — that  there  is  always  something  that  either  really  is,  or 
seems  attractive — -something  that  draws  forth  affection  on  the 
part  of  the  husband  to  his  wife ;  and  he  chooses  her  because  he 
sees  something  in  her  that  pleases  him,  or  that  is  lovely  in  his  es- 
timation. But  here  indeed  there  is  no  parallel.  For  Christ  sees 
nothing  whatever  in  the  sinner,  to  make  him  attractive  in  His 
sight.  There  can  be  nothing  lovely  whatever  in  the  fallen,  unholy 
creature,  to  attract  the  affection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — noth- 
ing !  The  love  of  Christ  to  the  sinner,  without  anything  what- 
ever to  call  it  forth,  springs  spontaneously  from  the  Idosoih  of  the 
Eternal  God.  Therefore,  it  is  not  a  love  that  originates  in  time. 
The  love  of  a  man  to  his  wife  originates  when  he  sees  the  indi- 
vidual, and  beholds  something  in  her  that  attracts  him.  But  the 
love  of  Christ  to  His  church  does  not  originate  in  time — it  is  not 
awakened  by  the  development  of  anything  in  the  character,  after 
the  individual  is  born,  that  could  be  supposed  to  attract  Christ.  It 
is  no  such  thing,  ^^  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  loveP 
Jer.  xxxi.  3.  It  begins  in  eternity,  as  the  Apostle  says  in  this 
Epistle,  "  God,  loho  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith 
he  loved  us,  even  when  we  xoere  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ ;  {by  grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath 
raised  us  up  together,  and  inade  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ  Jesus  :  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  show 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toivards  us 
through  Christ  Jesus.''''  chap.  ii.  4,  5,  6,  7.  So  we  are  said  to  be 
chosen  by  the  Father  in  Christ,  before  the  world  began.  "  Ac- 
cording as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the 


496  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

world."  chap.  i.  4.*  And  so  the  love  of  Christ  commences  from 
eternity — it  flows  from  the  fountain  of  eternal  love,  in  the  eternal 
bosom  of  Jehovah  Himself.  This  is  considered  ;  and  of  course  to 
any  of  you  who  do  not  know  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  who  do  not  know  yourselves,  it  must  be  considered  a  ver}' 
strange  doctrine.  So  are  all  the  doctrines  of  grace.  All  the  dif- 
ferent truths  of  God  are  unintelligible  to  the  natural,  unenlightened 
heart  of  man.  Perhaps  they  may  be  so  to  some  of  you.  The 
eternal  love  of  Jesus  to  His  church,  in  all  its  purposes  and  all  its 
developments,  is  the  great  subject  matter  of  Divine  Revelation. 
You  may,  perhaps,  disbelieve — despise — disregard — or  make  light 
of  this.  But,  surely,  if  you  do,  you  do  not  know  the  Gospel.  For 
if  you  knew  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus — and  if  you  knew  your- 
selves— you  would  know  that  the  fountain  of  your  consolation  is 
derived  from  the  free  and  sovereign  love  of  God.  For  if  you  do 
not  know  that  truth — and  if  you  consider  that  the  love  of  Christ 
springs,  as  it  were,  from  something  of  good  foreseen  or  foreknown 
in  the  sinner — what  is  the  result  'I  Why  it  is  that  the  love  of 
God  is  exactly  like  earthly  love,  like  the  love  of  man.  Men  find 
themselves  too  often  disappointed  in  the  qualities  that  they  imag- 
ined were  possessed  by  the  object  of  their  affections.  If  they  were 
attracted  by  personal  beauty,  they  see  that  beauty  fades  like  a 
drooping  flowei".  The  sparkling  eye  grows  dim,  and  the  love  that 
it  excited  wanes  and  grows  cold,  when  the  sickly  lamp  that  kindled 
it  begins  to  flicker  in  the  socket. 

Thus  if  a  sinner  can  believe  that  there  is  anything  in  himself 
that  is  considered  to  draw  forth  the  love  of  God,  when  he  is  taught 
to  feel  that  he  is  vile,  and  therefore  the  deserving  object,  not  of 
God's  love,  but  of  his  judgment,  then,  if  he  has  that  false  view  of 
the  love  of  his  Lord,  that  it  depends  on  some  good  in  his  own 
character,  or  something  to  be  approved  in  himself,  he  is  driven  to 
fear,  to  doubt,  or  to  despair ;  because  as  he  becomes  better  ac- 
quainted with  himself,  he  sees,  that  so  far  from  being  an  object  of 
love  to  God,  he  should  rather  be  an  object  of  divine  wrath  and 
judgment.  For  thus  every  siimer  that  knows  himself,  feels  and 
knows  that  such  is  his  own  character. 

But  when  he  has  learned  that  the  love  of  Christ  is  an  everlast- 
ing love,  not  awakened  by  any  qualities  in  himself,  not  deriving 

*  Some  persons,  who,  unwilling  to  admit  the  utter  corruption  of  man,  and  the 
freeness  of  God's  election,  and  who  are  constrained  to  confess  that  the  plain  language, 
of  the  Scripture  must  have  some  meaning  ;  imagine  that  they  reconcile  the  Scripture 
with  their  own  schemes,  by  supposing  that  this  election  of  sinners  "  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world"  is  dependent  on  the  foreseen  excellence  and  good  conduct  of  the 
individuals.  But  surely  they  might  see  that  this  but  removes  the  sovereignty  of  God, 
from  the  exercise  of  one  act  to  the  exercise  of  another.  For,  suppose  this  to  be  true — 
What  sovereign  power  gives  those  imaginary  qualities  of  excellence  so  worthy  to  be 
loved? — Who  maketh  one  sinner  to  difler  from  anotherl — It  merely  shifts  the  diffi- 
culty. But  indeed  the  experience  of  every  servant  of  God  denies  and  denounces  such 
ignorance  and  folly— for  he  well  know.s,  that  while  he  finds  nothing  in  himself  that  he 
must  not  be  ashamed  of,  and  condemn  ;  there  can  be  nothing  which  a  holy  God 
can  admire  and  approve.  As  the  old  woman  before  cited  well  remarked,  "  I  am  sure, 
unless  God  saw  something  in  me,  to  love,  before  I  was  born ;  He  never  saw  anything 
in  me  since." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  497 

its  origin  from  any  traits  of  foreseen  excellence  in  his  own  charac- 
ter ;  but  just  as  I  have  said,  springing  purely — gratuitously  from 
the  fountain  of  God's  own  bosom  of  eternal  love  to  His  church, 
then  no  discovery  of  the  evil  of  his  own  character  leads  him  to 
doubt  the  faithful,  everlasting  love  of  his  Redeemer  and  his  God. 
He  sees,  that  as  there  was  nothing  in  him  to  attract  in  the  first 
instance  the  love  of  his  Redeemer,  so  the  discovery  of  the  evil  in 
his  own  character  will  not  cause  that  Redeemer  to  cast  him  away. 
There  are  no  imaginary  qualities  in  him  in  which  Christ  is  disap- 
pointed, no  beauty  in  him  that  fades  away  from  before  the  eye  of 
his  Redeemer.  God  foreknew  he  would  be  a  sinner— He  knows 
he  has  been  a  sinner,  and  He  knows  he  is  a  sinner,  Jesus  loved 
him  as  a  shuier,  before  the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid, 
called  him  as  a  sinner,  in  time,  loves  him  as  a  sinner  still,  and 
will  save  him  as  a  sinner.  Therefore,  the  knowledge  of  his  own 
character  does  not  lead  him  to  doubt  the  eternal  faithfulness  and 
love  of  his  glorious  Lord  and  Saviour.  "  /  have  loved  thee^'' 
saith  the  Lord,  '•'•with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  with  lovhig- 
kindness  have  I  drawn  thee^^  Jer.  xxxi.  3,  and  "  having  loved  his 
own  ivhich  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  unto  the  endJ' 
John  xiii.  1. 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  Mary  Magdalene,  that  drew 
forth  the  love  of  Jesus  ?     Was  it  the  seven  devils  that  possessed  her  ? 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  Peter,  that  drew  forth  the 
love  of  Jesus?     Was  it  that  he  denied  his  Master  with  an  oath? 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  Thomas  ?  Was  it  that  he 
said,  "  Except  I  shall  sec  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and 
put  tny  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrnst  my  hand 
into  his  side,  I  ivill  not  believe  f  John  xx.  25. 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  any  of  the  disciples  ?  Was 
it  that  they  "  all  forsook  him  and  fled  ?" 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  the  thief  on  the  cross  ?  Was 
it  that  even  when  he  was  hanging  on  the  cross,  he  joined  the  mul- 
titude and  his  fellow-thief  in  blaspheming  Christ? 

What  was  there  in  the  character  of  Saul?  Was  it  that  he  was 
*'  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples 
of  the  Lord  ?"  was  it  this  that  drew  forth  the  love  of  Jesus  ? 

And  now,  let  us  leave  them  all,  and  come  to  ourselves.  What 
is  there  in  your  character,  what  is  there  in  my  character,  if  indeed 
we  are  brought,  through  grace,  to  know  Christ,  what  is  there  in 
us  that  has  drawn  Him  to  love  us?  Surely  the  more  we  know  of 
ourselves,  the  more  we  learn  the  certain  testimony  of  this  truth, 
"  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked, 
who  can  know  itT^  Jer.  xvii.  9.  And  that  is  our  own  heart  and 
character,  and  therefore,  so  far  from  there  being  anything  in  us  to 
draw  Christ  to  us,  there  is  everything  in  us  to  repel  Him  from  us, 
and  to  banish  us  from  his  presence.  Notwithstanding  all.  His 
grace  aboundeth — His  love  is  an  everlasting  love,  and  when  in  the 
riches  of  that  grace  and  love,  He  hath  taken  the  sinner,  and  brought 
his  heart  to  Himself—when  he  hath  said  to  his  soul,  "  Turn,  O 

32 


498  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

backsliding  child?' en,  for  I  am  married  unto  you,  and  I  will  take 
you  one  of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family,  and  I  ivill  bring  you  to 
JZion." — Jer.  iii.  14.  Mark  what  does  he  say  of  the  character  of 
the  very  sinners  to  whom  He  gives  this  gracious  invitation,  "  They 
say,  if  a  man  put  away  his  wife,  and  she  go  from  him,  and  be- 
come another  man^s,  shall  he  return  unto  her  again,  shall  not 
the  land  be  greatly  polluted  ?"  But  then  see  what  he  adds,  "  But 
thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers,  yet  return  again 
unto  me,  saith  the  Lord  J''  Jer.  iii.  1. 

Oh,  my  friends  and  fellow-sinners,  this  is  love  beyond  all  the 
love  of  an  earthly  husband.  If  the  love  of  Jesus  was  not  an  un- 
changing and  eternal  love,  what  would  become  of  sinners?  what 
would  become  of  you  or  me  /  we  should  have  been  in  hell  long 
ago; — so  should  all  that  have  ever  belonged  to  His  church.  If 
the  love  of  Christ  was  not  an  everlasting  love,  there  is  not  a  sinner 
that  ever  descended  from  fallen  Adam,  that  should  enter  the  gates 
of  glory.  But  His  love  is  an  everlasting  love,  "  I  will  neoer  leave 
thee  nor  forsake  thee,"  is  His  word.  Heb.  xiii.  5.  He  saith  again 
of  His  sheep,  "  I  give  tmto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never 
jierish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father 
who  gave  them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  no  man  is  able  to 
pluck  thern  out  of  my  Fathefs  hand.  land  my  Father  are  one.'''' 
John  X.  28.  Therefore,  that  is  a  most  blessed  doctrine,  the  doc- 
trine of  God's  sovereign,  unchangeable  and  everlasting  love,  while 
it  is  unintelligible  to  the  natvual  mind.  And  while  the  sinner  who 
is  ignorant  of  God  cannot  approach  to  the  imderstanding  of  it  at 
all, — those,  who  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  who 
understand  clearly  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  the 
righteousness  and  blood  of  a  crucified  Redeemer,  know  that  it  is 
their  only  refuge — that  the  eternal  faithfidness  and  covenant  love 
of  God  is  the  only  security  they  see  for  their  everlasting  salvation. 

Therefore,  the  love  of  Christ  is  totally  contrary  to  anything  that 
the  unconverted  world  thinks,  as  that  God  foresaw  something  good 
in  those  persons  who  are  saved,  and  so  they  deceive  themselves, 
and  flatter  themselves  with  the  hope  that  they  are  God's  elect,  be- 
cause there  is  something  good  in  them. 

Alas  !  what  total  blindness,  ignorance,  and  stupidity  that  is 
concerning  the  truth  of  God's  word.  You  cannot  explain  it  to 
such  persons.  But  the  fact  is  directly  the  reverse  :  it  is  because 
there  is  no  good  in  them,  nothing  attractive,  nothing  excellent, 
they  are  altogether  vile,  and  the  salvation  they  receive  from  Christ 
is  the  salvation  of  free,  full,  glorious,  covenant,  and  everlasting  love. 

It  is  indeed  a  "  great  mystery" — ijust  consider  it  yourselves. 
Look  into  yoiu'  own  heart,  and  see  is  there  anything  good  in  you. 
Remember  that  all  religion  to  be  learned,  must  be  personally  and  ex- 
perimentally learned.  Men  are  lost  in  reasoning  on  abstract  theories 
of  religion,  and  talking  about  third  persons.  If  you  want  to  learn 
truth,  speak  not  of  others,  but  of  yourselves  before  God  ; — bring  your- 
selves to  God's  word,  apply  God's  truth  to  your  own  souls  and  to  your 
own  consciences,  and  that  is  the  only  way  you  can  ever  learn  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  499 

truth.  As  long  as  persons  give  up  their  minds  to  abstract  reasonings 
and  theories  about  rehgion,  they  will  never  learn  it.  Religion  is  a 
solemn,  personal,  constant,  experimental  transaction  between  God 
and  the  sinner's  own  soul.  Therefore,  my  dear  friends,  consider 
this,  look  into  yourselves,  and  see,  is  there  anything  in  you  that 
you  can  think  attractive  in  God's  sight?  anything  that  can  attract 
the  love  of  Christ  J  Let  me  put  it  to  you  in  this  point  of  view, 
just  let  me  ask  you  this  question,  what  would  you  take  and  let 
your  heart,  your  real  naked  heart — your  thoughts — imaginations 
— desires — be  opened  before  the  friend  who  loves  you  best  in  the 
world?  what  would  you  take  and  let  these  hidden  monsters  out? 
Do  you  think  he  could  love  you  if  he  knew  of  you  what  you  know 
of  yourself?  could  he  love  you,  if  he  could  really  see  the  working}-- 
of  your  heart  within?  your  actual  thoughts,  imaginations,  desires, 
feehngs,  passions  ?  do  you  think  the  person  who  loves  you  most 
on  earth,  could  love  you  if  he  saw  you  as  you  see  yourself?  Do 
you  not  live — do  you  not  carry  on  your  state  of  existence  in  society 
on  this  principle,  that  you  conceal  what  you  really  are  ?  If  we 
would  give  vent  to  the  thoughts  of  our  hearts,  to  the  thoughts  that 
come  into  our  minds,  we  would  be  intolerable  ; — the  best  of  human 
beings  would  be  insufferable,  if  they  did  not  conceal  the  thoughts 
that  come  into  their  minds,  their  wicked  desires — their  wicked  im- 
aginations— is  not  that  the  truth  ?  do  you  not  know  that  it  is  true  ? 

Well  then,  if  we  could  not  bear  inspection — if  the  open  exposure 
and  development  of  our  hearts  would  make  us  insufferable  to  our 
dearest  friend,  what  must  we  be  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God?  ov 
whg,t  can  there  be  in  us  to  attract  God  to  us  ?     Surely  nothing. 

Well  then,  dear  friends,  consider,  is  it  not  a  great  blessing  that 
the  glorious  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  just  sent  to  us  as  sinners — as  we 
are — that  while  there  is  notliing  in  us  to  attract  God,  but  every- 
thing to  repulse  Him,  there  is  no  species  of  crime  or  wickedness  in 
the  poor,  guilty  sinner's  heart,  for  which  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  does 
not  bring  a  remedy,  fulness  of  salvation,  pardon  through  the  blood 
of  Christ,  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only- 
begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in  him  should  fiot  -perish, 
hut  have  everlasting  life,^''  John  iii.  16,  and  "  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.''''  1st  John  i.  7.  Oh  ! 
beliold  then,  what  manner  of  love  is  the  love  of  Christ  to  sinners  ! 
a  full,  free,  finished  salvation  brought  to  us, — how?  by  his  own 
precious  blood.  "  Unto  him  who  hath  loved  us,^''  is  the  languag!' 
of  the  redeemed,  "  Uiito  him  loho  hath  loved  ifs,  and  tvashed  tis 
fro?n  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  tnade  us  kings  and  priests 
nnto  God  and  his  Father,  unto  him  be  glory  and  doftmiion  for- 
ever and  ever.  Amen.^^  Rev.  i.  5,  6.  Here  is  hope  for  the  sinfu! 
heart,  for  the  guilty,  conscious,  self-convicted  sinner. 

You  see  how  different  this  is,  from  the  wretched  condition  of 
the  miserable,  unconverted  sinner,  who  is  trying  to  live  in  the. 
same  hypocrisy  with  God,  as  he  does  with  his  fellow-creature  ;  to 
patch  up  the  same  hope  from  his  own  miserable  righteousness,  as 
he  patches  up  a  character  for  himself  before  man.     If  there  be 


500  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

any  of  you  here  who  do  not  know  tlie  Gospel  of  Christ,  that  is 
just  what  you  are  doing  ;  you  are  trying-  to  make  yourselves  some- 
thing' that  God  can  approve  of.  But — "  Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leo])ard  his  spots  7  then  may  ye  also  do 
good,  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil.''''  Jer.  xiii.  23. 

I  would  just  lay  this  thought  on  your  consciences.  Do  your 
best — force  yourselves  as  far  as  you  can — "  Wash  thee  with  nitre, 
and  take  thee  much  soap,^'  as  Job  saith — make  yourselves  as  clean 
as  you  can^and  then  refer  to  your  own  thoughts,  enter  into  your 
own  bosoms,  and  think  thus,  "  Well,  with  all  1  do,  what  would 
become  of  me,  if  every  one  saw  me  as  I  really  am,  if  every  one 
could  see  as  I  see,  my  own  naked  heart  ?" 

Then  remember,  you  must  say  of  God,  with  Moses,  "  Thou 
hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of 
thy  countenance,^'  as  we  have  in  the  "  Prayer  of  Moses,  the  man 
of  God,"  Psalm  xc.  8.  Remember,  that  thy  heart  is  in  the  light 
of  God's  all-seeing  eye.  There  it  is — brought  into  the  sunshine 
of  that  light  that  is  far  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  ;  and  there 
the  Holy  God  is  looking  at  you.  What  then  are  you  doing  7 
what  will  you  be?  what  will  you  do  in  the  end  thereof?  Shall  it 
be  found  at  the  last  that  there  was  anything  in  you  to  attract  the 
love  of  God  ?  But,  blessed  be  God,  my  dear  friends  and  fellow- 
sinners, — we  know  this  is  not  the  Gospel — the  Gospel  takes  your 
heart  with  all  its  vileness,  all  its  guilt,  all  its  abominations,  and 
says,  Come  to  Christ,  how  weary  soever  and  heavy  laden  you 
may  be — Come — because  you  are  a  sinner.  Come — because  you 
are  guilty.  Come — because  you  are  vile.  Come — because  there 
is  no  good  in  you.  "  If  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then 
Christ  is  dead  in  vainy  Gal.  ii.  21.  If  you  could  save  yourselves 
by  anything  in  yourselves,  "  Christ  is  dead  in  vain^  He  came 
to  save  sinners,  that  we  poor  sinners  might  come  to  Him,  and  as 
surely  as  He  inclines  our  hearts  to  do  so— as  surely  as  our 
heart  is  awakened — yea,  if  the  word  I  am  now  speaking  shall 
awaken  any  true  reflection  never  awakened  there  before — if  you 
are  even  this  day  led  to  think  thus — 

"Ah!  this  is  true,  it  is  all  true,  I  am  vile!  What  shall  I  do,  if 
God  brings  me  into  judgment?  It  is  a  great  blessing  that  there 
is  salvation  and  mercy  for  a  poor  sinner  like  me — it  is  a  blessed 
thing  that  there  is  such  a  Saviour  as  Christ — O  let  my  heart  turn 
to  Him,  and  lean  on  Him  and  trust  Him,  even  now — " 

I  say,  if  these  reflections,  or  such  as  these,  are  awakened  truly 
in  your  hearts  and  consciences  by  God's  blessed  word  and  truth 
this  very  day,  take  courage — go  on — pray  that  God  may  enable 
you  to  see  more  of  yourselves,  and  to  debate  the  case  with  your 
own  consciences,  spiritually  and  faithfully  in  the  light  of  God's 
word, — ^and  then,  as  surely  as  you  are  brought  to  do  so,  this  glori- 
ous love  of  Christ  is  beginning  to  work  in  your  soul,  if  you  really 
are  taught  to  feel  yourselves  sinners,  and  are  led  to  look  unto 
Jesus. 

Oh  consider  what  a  great  blessing  that  is !  w  hat  a  blessing  is 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  501 

the  breaking  in  of  one  beam  of  light  into  the  poor,  darkened  sin- 
ner's mind !  And  if  one  beam  of  the  true  hght  thus  breaks  into 
the  mind— if  it  even  be  but  a  beam— if  it  be  true  hght,  it  is  hke  a 
beam  of  the  morning  sun  breaking  in  the  grey  dawn  through  the 
trembhng,  flying  shades  of  night  on  the  sinner's  eye.  As  that  is 
a  sure  harbinger  that  the  sun  himself  is  rising,  so  is  a  beam  of 
heavenly  light,  that  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shall  arise  on  the 
sinner's  soul,  with  healing  in  His  wings.  Oh  think  of  this,  what 
a  blessing  the  love  of  Christ  is  !  that  it  is  love  to  man,  not  as  he 
seems,  but  as  he  is !  and  that  it  is  an  everlasting  love ;  not  origi- 
nating in  time,  and  therefore  not  to  be  destroyed  by  time ;  but 
flowing  forth  from  eternity— and  therefore  flowing  on  to  eternity. 
So  the  Psalmist  saith  in  that  beautiful  contrast  he  draws,  -^ As  for 
man,  his  days  are  as  grass  ;  as  a  flower  of  the  field,  so  he  flour- 
isheth.  For  the  loind  passeth  over  it,  and  it  is  gone,  and  the 
place  thereof  shall  know  it  no  more.  But  the  mercy  of  the  Lord 
is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  upon  them  that  fear  him,  and 
his  righteousness  unto  children's  children,  to  such  as  keep  his 
covenant,  and  to  those  that  remember  his  commandments  to  do 
them:'  Psalm  ciii.  15,  16,  17,  18. 

"  To  such  as  keep  his  covenant.''  Mark — that  is  the  first  thing. 
You  cannot  know  the  commandments  of  God,  till  you  are  brought 
first  to  keep  His  covenant.  You  must  be  brought  into  covenant 
relation  to  God  before  you  can  keep  His  commandments,  or  even 
know  what  they  are  in  their  spiritual  sense,  and  what  it  is  to  keep 
them. 

When  we  speak  of  the  everlasting  love  of  Christ  to  His  Church, 
we  must  understand  that  that  love  is  developed  in  time  by  its  act- 
ings to  the  church.  This  is  seen  in  the  image  used  by  the  Apostle 
here.     "No  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh,  but  nour- 

ISHETH      AND      CHERISHETH      IT,     EVEN      AS      THE      LoRD      THE 

CHURCH."  So  in  his  character  of  Shepherd,  Isaiah  xL,  "i7e  shall 
feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd ;  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  ivith 
his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those 
that  are  with  young."  Isa.  xl.  11.    This  illustrates  "  Nourisheth 

AND  CHERISHETH   IT,  EVEN  AS  THE  LoRD  THE  CHURCH."       And 

see,  when  the  Lord,  in  sending  Nathan  the  prophet  to  David,  is 
describing  the  relationship  in  which  Bathsheba  stood  to  her  hus- 
band, he  says,  there  was  "  a  poor  man  who  had  nothing  save  one 
little  ewe  lamb  ivhich  he  had  bought  and  nourished  up :  and  it 
grew  up  together  with  him,  and  with  his  children;  it  did  eat  of 
his  own  tneat,  and  drank  of  his  own  cup,  and  lay  in  his  bosom, 
and  was  unto  him  as  a  daughter."  2nd  Sam.  xii.  3,  thus  he  de- 
scribes the  relationship  between  the  husband  and  the  wife  ;^and 
here,  the  Apostle  saith  "He  nourisheth  and  cherisheth  it. 

EVEN  AS  THE  LoRD  THE  CHURCH  :  FOR  WE  ARE  MEMBERS  OF 
HIS  BODY,  OF  HIS  FLESH,   AND  OF  HIS  BONES." 

That  is  a  wonderful  character  in  which  the  Lord  is  represented 
in  Scripture,  as  "  The  head  of  the  body,  the  church."  Who  are 
the  members  of  Christ?     If  a  man  takes  a  member  of  his  body, 


502  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

if  he  looks  at  his  own  hand,  or  at  his  own  hmb  and  says,  Is  not 
this  united  to  me?  Is  not  this  part  of  myself?  Shall  I  hurt 
this?  Shall  I  injure  this?  Shall  I  wound  this?  Shall  I  not 
keep  it?  Shall  I  not  preserve  it?  Shall  I  not  protect  it ?  If  I 
injure  this,  does  it  not  give  my  head  and  all  my  body  pain?  do  I 
not  feel  it  in  every  other  member?  do  I  not  feel  pain  in  every 
single  member  of  my  frame,  if  I  wound  or  injure  this  one  mem- 
ber?    Shall  I  not,  therefore,  preserve,  protect,  and  keep  it?     "No 

MAN  EVER  YET  HATED  HIS  OWN  FLESH  j  BUT  NOURISHETH 
AND  CHERISHETH   IT,  EVEN  AS  THE  LoRD  THE  CHURCH." 

So,  when  a  man  thinks  of  his  own  members,  he  may  say ; 
"Thus  Christ  looks  at  every  individual  member  of  His  church  ; 
thus  He  looks  at  every  poor  sinner  that  He  has  brought  to  Him- 
self, and  washed  in  His  own  precious  blood,  and  clothed  in  His 
own  righteousness,  as  a  man  would  look  at  a  member  of  his  own 
body.  So  Christ  saith,  "  He  that  toiicheth  you,  tonchetK'' — not 
only  a  member,  but  the  most  sensitive  member  of  the  body,  that 
member  the  very  touch  of  which  is  pain,  "  He  that  toacheth  you, 
toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eyeT  Zech.  ii.  8. 

"  Well  then,"  (the  believer  may  say)  "  if  this  be  so,  how  does 
it  happen  that,  I  feel  myself  so  wounded — so  tired — ^so  heavily 
afflicted  in  all  the  course  of  ray  pilgrimage  ?  If  I  am  so  precious 
to  Christ  how  is  this  the  case  ?"  This  exercises  the  heart  of  every 
believer  more  or  less.  How  heavily  David  Avas  exercised  with 
this  trial  we  see  in  Psalm  Ixxiii.,  he  says,  he  was  so  tried  with 
this  affliction  that  it  almost  shook  him  from  his  faith.  He  says, 
"  As  for  me,  my  feet  were  ahnost  gone,  my  steps  had  luell  nigh 
slipped  ;  for  Itvas  envious  at  the  foolish,  rvhen  I  saw  the  pros- 
perity of  the  wicked."  verses  2,  3.  He  had  even  gone  so  far  in 
his  murmuring  and  discontent  as  to  say,  ^^  Verily,  I  have  cleansed 
my  heart  in  vain,  and  loashed  7ny  hands  in  innocency.  For  all 
the  daylong  have  I  been  plagued,  and  chastened  every  morning.''^ 

But  he  adds — taught  by  the  Spirit  the  experience  of  God's 
children.  ^Tf  I  say  I  unll  speak  thus,  behold  I  should  offend 
against  the  generation  of  thy  children.''''  verses  13,  14,  15.  And 
it  is  so.  Believers  are  often  tempted  to  doubt  the  love  of  their 
Lord,  when  they  feel  themselves  so  tried,  they  think,  "If  I  was 
loved  by  Christ — if  all  I  hear  is  true  concerning  the  love  of  Christ 
to  His  Church,  and  if  I  were  indeed  a  member  of  that  Church, 
how  could  I  be  so  afflicted — tried — burthened— cast  down  as 
1  am?" 

Oh  !  my  friends  !  Oh  !  for  the  eye  of  faith  to  see  the  covenant 
love  of  Christ,  in,  and  above,  and  beyond  every  affliction  !  There 
is  not  a  single  trial  you  can  meet  with,  not  a  single  affliction  you 
can  endure — that  is  not  a  proof,  (if  you  could  only  see  it  so),  of 
the  very  love  of  Christ.  It  is  the  part  of  love  to  watch  over  and 
correct  evil  in  those  beloved.  It  is  the  part  of  a  parent's  love  to 
his  chikl,  to  watch  over  and  to  correct  the  evil  of  that  child.  It 
is  the  part  of  a  husband's  love  to  his  wife  to  watch  over  and  cor- 
rect the  evils  of  his  wife.     It  is  not  the  part  of  the  husband,  if  he 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  503 

is  married  to  a  wayward  wife,  to  giv^e  way  to  lier  temper ;  but  it 
is  his  duty,  if  he  can.  to  correct  and  repress  it.  Men  may  not  be 
inclined  to  correct  the  evils  of  their  fellow-sinners,  their  wives, 
their  children,  their  servants,  or  any  others.  But  it  is  a  proof  of 
the  everlasting  love  of  Jesus,  that  He  will  correct  the  evils  of  His 
children,  it  is  a  proof  of  His  love  to  you  or  me,  to  correct  and  to 
conquer  the  evil  that  is  in  us. 

Men  may  not  be  able  to  correct  the  evils  of  others — not  so 
Christ.  He  is  able  to  correct  His  Church — He  is  the  Faithful  Hus- 
band, the  Faithful  Father.  He  is  able — and  He  will — and  does 
correct. 

There  is  also  another  difference— namely,  that  our  corrections, 
even  of  those  we  love,  proceed  often  from  selfishness.  "  We  have 
had  fathers  of  our  flesh"  saith  the  Apostle,  '^  which  corrected  us 
and  we  gave  them  reverence  ;  shall  ive  not  much  rather  be  in 
subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits  and  live  7  For  they  verily 
for  a  few  days  chastened  us,  after  their  pleasure,  but  he  for  our 
profit  that  ice  tnight  be  partakers  of  his  holiness.'''  Heb.  xii.  9,  10. 
Christ,  when  He  corrects  His  Church,  makes  no  mistake — there 
is  no  selfishness — there  is  no  indulgence  of  any  temper :  it  is  not 
because  He  is  wounded — not  because  His  temper  is  excited — not 
because  He  is  angry  at  some  reproach  brought  on  Himself  by  the 
conduct  of  His  wife,  the  Church — but  it  is  the  faithful  correction 
of  infinite  wisdom,  and  everlasting  love ;  and  therefore,  in  holy, 
righteous,  gracious,  tender  faithfulness,  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  is  stretched  out  to  correct  every  one  of  His  children,  or  (to 
preserve  the  image),  to  correct  His  beloved  wife.  His  Church,  just 
because  He  loves  her,  and  just  because  it  is  needful  for  His  glory 
— for  His  honor — and  for  her  everlasting  happinesss.  Yes,  and 
my  dear  friends,  the  Church  shall  see  and  confess  this — you  shall 
see  it.  Let  me  speak  not  of  the  Church  collectively,  but  of  every 
individual  member.  Let  me  say,  that  every  individual  member 
of  the  Church  shall  see  and  know  this.  Look  back  at  your  own 
experience — Oh  !  believer !  you  whom  Christ  hath  loved,  and 
whom  Christ  hath  condescended  to  draw  to  Himself — to  wash  in 
His  blood,  and  to  clothe  in  His  righteousness — to  justify — to  save 
— to  keep — and  bring  to  His  feet.  Look  back  to  your  own  expe- 
rience in  all  the  days  that  are  past.  You  have  gone  through 
many  trials — you  have  endured  many  perplexities— you  have 
encountered  many  difiiculties — you  have  suffered  many  sorrows^ 
you  have  wept  over  many  bereavements — many  a  sigh  has  burst 
from  your  anxious  heart — many  a  tear  from  your  unsleeping  eye 
— many  a  deep  and  bitter  exercise  of  soul  have  you  nearly  sunk 
under  in  the  solitude  of  your  own  chamber — in  the  exile  of  your 
own  bosom,  from  the  sympathies  of  all  the  world.  But  if  they 
are  passed,  if  they  are  gone,  and  if  you  can  look  back  now  at 
the(n  without  present  suffering — without  the  cloud  that  came  be- 
tween you  and  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  now  passing,  as  it  were 
before  your  eye,  and  therefore  hindering  you  from  seeing  the 
brightness  of  His  glory— if  it  is  all  past  —then,  look  back  at  it  all, 


504  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  say,  is  there  one  trial  you  ever  suffered — one  visitation  that 
ever  afflicted  you — one  perplexity — one  difficulty — one  sorrow — 
one  bereavement — one  sigh — ^one  tear — one  exercise  of  soul,  how- 
ever deep  and  bitter  it  may  have  been — is  there  one,  of  which 
you  cannot  say — of  which  you  do  not  know  and  feel  at  this  mo- 
ment, "  He  hath  done  all  things  welV  "  I  needed  it.  It  wa;? 
necessary  for  me.  My  case  required  it.  I  know  not  what  I 
should  have  done  without  it.  I  feel  it  was  for  my  good.  The 
cup  was  bitter — the  medicine  was  unpalatable — but  the  love  and 
skill  of  my  Heavenly  Physician  mingled  it,  I  know  it  was  for  my 
good.  I  recognize  in  it  my  Father's  hand.  The  tender  hand  of 
love  gave  it  to  me.  My  blessed  Redeemer,  my  precious  Lord 
held  it  to  my  lips  in  love." 

Oh  !  then,  if  even  now  you  can  say  this,  and  whether  you 
know  it  or  not,  it  is  as  surely  true  as  God  is  in  heaven,  and  you 
on  earth — if  you  know  it  now,  what  shall  it  be  at  the  last? — Oh  ! 

"  There  is  a  secret  in  the  ways  of  God 
With  His  own  children,  which  none  others  know, 
That  sweetens  ail  He  does.     And  if  such  peace, 
While  under  His  afflicting  hand  we  find, 
What  shall  it  be  to  see  Him  as  He  is. 
And,  past  the  reach  of  all  that  now  disturbs 
The  tranquil  soul's  repose — to  contemplate 
In  retrospect  unclouded,  all  the  means, 
By  which  His  wisdom  has  prepared  His  saints, 
For  the  vast  weight  of  glory  that  remains ! " 

Oh !  yes,  "  We  are  members  op  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and 
OF  HIS  bones,"  and  the  very  trials  that  make  us  in  our  unbelief 
and  folly  doubt  the  Lord's  love  in  our  behalf,  shall  be  manifested 
to  be  the  proofs  of  that  very  love  which  they  led  us  to  doubt. 
"  Wherefore,  lift  up  the  hands  that  hang-  down,  and  the  feeble 
knees,^''  and  be  assured,  that  as  surely  as  you  are  brought  to  know 
Christ  as  your  Refuge  and  Hope— so  surely  the  Lord  Jesus  loves 
and  cherishes  you,  as  one  of  the  "  members  of  his  body,  of  his 
flesh,  and  of  his  bones." 

When  Christ  "  bowed  his  head  and  gave  i/p  the  ghost,^'  all  His 
body,  all  His  members  were  dead.  So  it  is  with  His  Church — all 
who  believe  in  Him  are  dead  with  Christ,  ^'■Buried  loith.  him  by 
baptism  nnto  death^''  Rom.  vi.  4 ;  all  their  sins  cancelled — all 
their  iniquity  blotted  out — dead — buried  forever  ! 

When  the  stone  was  rolled  away  from  the  supulchre,  and  when 
Christ  came  forth  again  into  the  light  of  heaven,  all  his  members 
rose  with  Him.  So  it  was  with  His  spiritual  mystical  body — they 
rose  with  Christ — they  are  risen  again  with  Him.  Thus  they  are 
to  believe — to  reckon  themselves.  So  saith  the  Apostle,  '■'•Like- 
wise reckon  ye  also  yourselves,  to  be  dead  indeed  nnto  sin,  but 
alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  hordP  Rom.  vi.  11. 
As  certainly  as  every  one  of  His  bodily  members  lose  from  the 
grave,  so  surely  every  mystical  member  rose  in  the  councils  of  the 
Eternal  Jehovah,  and  though  they  were  not  then  born,  or  are  not 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  503 

yet  born — ^if  millions  of  ages  were  yet  to  roll  over  the  earth,  all 
the  unborn  church  of  Christ  rose  in  Christ,  when  Christ  rose  from 
the  grave,  all  His  members — one  with  Himself— His  Church — His 
bride,  rose  wiien  Christ  rose,  her  life  was  bound  up  with  the  life 
of  her  glorious  Lord,  she  "  is  dead,  and  her  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God.  When  Christ  who  is  her  life  shall  appear,  then  shall 
she  also  appear  ivith  him  in  glory, ^^  Col.  iii.  3,  4. 

"  We  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his 
BONES  :  for  this  cause  shall   a   man  leave   his   father 

AND  mother,  and  SHALL   BE  JOINED  UNTO  HIS   WIFE,  AND  THEY 

TWO  SHALL  BE  ONE  FLESH."  Christ  is  here  represented  as  com- 
ing to  take  His  church,  to  be  united  to  His  Church  on  this  earth 
as  His  bride,  as  a  man  leaves  his  father  and  mother  and  is  joined 
to  his  wife.  Christ  is  represented  as  leaving  His  glory  to  come 
down  to  this  earth,  and  take  His  Church  as  His  bride,  and  that 
His  bride  is  to  be  one  with  Him  forever.  Well  may  it  be  added 
indeed,  "  this  is  a  great  mystery,  but  I  speak  concerning 
Christ  and  the  church." 

What  a  wonderful  subject  this  is  !  after  a  person  has  lectured 
or  preached  on  it — thought — meditated  on  it  again  and  again, 
after  all  we  must  shut  the  Bible  and  say — "  How  little  have  I 
done  !  How  ignorant  I  am  !  What  need  I  have  to  know  more 
of  my  precious  Lord  and  Saviour !  What  need  have  I  to  receive 
more  and  more  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  teach  and  instruct  me  in 
His  blessed  Word  !  What  need  have  I  that  my  Heavenly  Father 
should  bless  all  the  riches  of  His  grace  to  me  !  What  need  have 
T  to  trust  my  glorious  Redeemer,  more  and  more — to  lean  on  Hun !" 
'•  Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  the  wilderness  leaning  on  her 
beloved  V'  Cant.  viii.  5.  Is  it  not  His  Church  ?  Is  it  not  some 
poor  weary  heavy-laden  soul  like  mine,  that  is  taught  to  lean  on 
Jesus  as  its  Hope  and  Refuge  ?  Come  then — Come  up  out  of  the 
wilderness,  leaning  on  your  beloved  !  Look  unto  Jesus — ^think 
what  blessed  consolation  there  is  in  this  subject,  whatever  point 
of  view  we  take  it  in  !  See  the  blessed  union  that  subsists  be- 
tween Him  who  died  for  sinners,  and  those  sinners  who  look  to 
Him  !  Oh  !  search  the  Scriptures — pray,  that  you  may  learn 
more  and  more  of  this  most  wondrous  salvation. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  if  there  are  any  of  you  here  who 
have  never  thought  of  these  truths,  or  to  whom  they  are  foolish- 
ness, and  who  are  just  dragging  on  your  existence  without  God  in 
the  world,  ignorant  of  Christ,  and  who  think — as  many  called 
(christians,  think,  that  the  subject  on  which  I  have  been  speaking 
is  all  mere  rhapsody — fanaticism — enthusiasm  or  folly — this  very 
fact,  if  it  be  so  indeed,  is  a  lamentable  proof  of  your  state  as 
being  lost,  and  blind,  and  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,^^  chap, 
ii.  1. 

If  the  Gospel  be  foolishness,  it  is  so  to  them  that  perish. 

When  •'  Holy  men  of  old  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,^^  2d  Pet.  i.  21  ;  when  it  was  not  man  who  was  speak- 
ing, but  God  in   man — this  is  God's  testimony  concerning  His 


506  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

preached  Gospel,  "  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?''  saith  the 
Prophet,  Is.  Uii.  1.  So  saith  the  Apostle,  "  the  j)7'eachmg  of  the 
cj'oss  is  to  them  that  perish  foolishness,^^  1st  Cor.  i.  18;  and  again 
"  If  02ir  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost,  in  whom 
the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe 
not,  lest  tlie  Ugltt  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  ii)ho  is  the 
image  of  God  should  shine  unto  them^  2d  Cor.  iv.  3,  4. 

Therefore,  if  this  is  foolishness  to  you,  and  if  you  are  still,  as  I 
have  said,  diagging  on  your  existence  without  God  in  the  world — 
you  are  vainly  resting  on  your  own  imaginary  moral  character, 
expecting  to  qualify  yourselves  to  gain  salvation  by  your  own 
righteousness,  and  flattering  and  deceiving  yourselves  that  you 
are  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  world.  Alas  !  alas  !  my  friends, 
what  ignorance  and  folly  !  Yours  is  the  mere  natural  religion,  or 
rather  irreligion  of  the  human  heart.  If  this  be  your  case,  "  What 
■will  you  do  in  the  end  thereof  7'''  Jer.  v.  31. 

You  are  hastening  to  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  you  may  be 
summoned  ere  an  hour.  Perhaps  before  you  go  home,  you  may 
lift  up  your  eyes  to  the  clouds  of  heaven  and  behold  Him  coming 
in  His  glory  !  How  shall  you  meet  your  God  ?  You  must  be 
aware,  that  if  what  we  say  upon  this  subject,  be  foolishness  to 
you,  it  must  be  because  this  Word  is  foolishness  to  you.  You 
cannot  open  your  Bible  and  read  for  instance  this  chapter,  and 
understand  the  meaning  of  its  plain  words — for  the  words  are  very 
plain,  though  the  subject  is  "  a  great  mystery." 

Just  take  this  passage  which  I  have  read,  and  spoken  on. 
What  is  the  meaning  of  this?  What  does  God  mean  by  this? 
You  cannot  understand  it.  It  is  foolishness  to  you.  If  you  admit 
this  to  be  God's  revelation — if  you  know  it  to  be  His  Word,  and 
if  when  you  go  to  read  it,  you  find  such  and  such  passages  all 
foolishness  to  you — that  you  cannot  understand — that  you  cannot 
comprehend  them  ;  there  must  be  some  great  blindness  over  your 
mind.  God's  Word  must  have  a  meaning — must  be  true.  There 
must  be  in  it,  not  merely  wisdom,  but  infinite  wisdom,  and  if  it  is 
foolishness  to  you,  what  must  be  your  state  ?  What  must  be  your 
prospects?  Again,  I  ask  in  the  language  of  the  Prophet,  "  What 
will  you  do  in  the  end  thereof  F  Jer.  v.  31. 

Oh  !  let  me  entreat — let  me  beseech  j'^ou  to  consider,  "  To  day 
while  it  is  called  to  day,''  these  things  that  belong  unto  your 
peace.  Perhaps  this  subject  which  is  brought  before  you  to-day 
through  God's  mercy,  is  brought  before  you  to  make  you  feel  and 
reason  thus : 

"  Well,  I  must  confess  this  is  unintelligible  to  me.  I  know  not 
what  means  this  union  with  Christ,  these  privileges  in  Christ, 
this  exaltation  to  the  glory  of  Christ.  This  is  indeed,  not  only  a 
mystery,  but  all  darkness  to  me.  And  if  it  is  unintelligible  to  me, 
what  must  be  my  state  ?  If  I  cannot  understand  God's  Word,  so 
as  even  to  know  what  the  mercies  are,  in  which  His  servants  seem 
to  rejoice,  then  how  shall  I  ever  understand  my  own  state  before 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  507 

Him?  How  shall  I  stand  ia  judgment  in  His  presence?  How 
can  those  mercies  belong  to  me  ?" 

Oh !  think  of  this  !  Pray,  that  you  may  know  and  understand 
the  great  truths  that  are  revealed  concerning  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  great  salvation  of  His  Church — the  great  salva- 
tion He  promises  to  poor  sinners  through  His  own  precious  blood 
and  righteousness. 

May  the  Lord  bring  it  home  with  power  to  your  hearts  and  to 
mine,  that  we  may  lift  them  up  with  joy  and  glory  at  His  coming 
and  His  kingdom  !     Amen. 


FORTY-THIRD     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI.— 1,  2,  3. 


"  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord :  for  this  is  right.  Honor  thy  father,  and 
mother,  (which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise.)  that  it  may  be  well  with  thee, 
and  thou  mayest  hve  long  on  the  earth." 

The  Apostle  continues  in  this  chapter  his  practical  exhortations 
to  his  Ephesian  brethran  ;  on  the  duties  of  their  various  relations 
of  life.  And  let  us  recollect  that  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  intended,  not  only  to  bring  eternal  life  to  our  souls,  but 
to  direct  and  guide  us  in  all  our  circumstances  and  conduct  in  this 
world. 

There  is  no  greater  abuse  of  Divine  Truth,  than  to  suppose 
that  religion  consists  merely  in  the  adoption  of  a  particular  creed. 
Where  the  truth  is  really  believed,  it  must  produce  its  fruits. 
Religion  that  is  not  practical  is  no  religion — and  therefore,  the 
Apostle  asks,  "  What  doth  it  profit,  if  a  inan  say  he  hath  faith 
and  hath  not  ivorks,  can  this  faith  save  himV  Jam.  ii.  14.  '•'■This 
faith.'''  as  it  is  in  the  original,  that  is,  a  faith  that  he  merely  says 
he  has. 

There  are  these  two  evils,  between  which  Satan  is  continually 
endeavoring  to  mislead  the  church,  and  in  which  he  holds  his  own 
servants  for  the  most  part  captive  in  these  nominally  Christian 
lands.  One,  making  the  performance  of  religious  duties  the  hope 
of  their  soul.  The  other,  adopting  the  profession  of  a  form  of 
godliness,  without  its  practical  influence  or  power.  He  makes 
some  to  rest  on  their  own  works  or  merits  before  God.  Others  to 
make  a  mighty  profession  of  believing  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  while  their  lives  and  conversation  prove  that  that 
Gospel  has  no  influence  whatever  on  their  hearts ;  '•'•Having^''  as 
the  Apostle  saith,  "  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  poiver 
thereof^'  2nd  Tim.  iii.  5. 


508  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

I  say,  between  these  two  evils,  Satan  is  continually  endeavor- 
ing to  mislead  the  Church  of  Christ ;  and  all  who  profess  to  be- 
long to  that  Church,  and  do  not  really  belong  to  it,  are  sunk  in 
one  or  other  of  these  abysses  of  evil.  They  are  either  like  the 
great  mass  of  professing  Christians  who  are  ignorant  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus,  setting  up  their  own  merits,  or  some  vain  refuge  of 
lies  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls ;  or  else  they  are,  as  is  too  fre- 
quently the  case  where  the  Gospel  has  been  long  and  faithfully 
preached,  adopting  the  profession  of  the  faith  of  Jesus  nominally, 
so  that  they  will  be  able  clearly  to  discriminate  between  doctrines 
that  are  true  and  false,  while  their  life  and  conversation  manifest 
that  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  really  not  embraced  in  their  hearts. 
For  wherever  there  is  genuine  faith  in  the  Gospel,  that  faith  must 
work  by  love.  Therefore,  you  see,  the  Apostles  are  not  more  clear 
in  setting  forth,  fully  and  explicitly,  the  Gospel,  and  disentangling 
it  from  all  sophistry  and  falsehood,  that  would  turn  the  sinner's 
soul  to  any  refuge  but  Christ,  than  they  are  in  enforcing  practi- 
cally the  various  relative  duties  of  life,  on  those  who  believe  the 
Gospel,  as  the  only  test  of  the  trutli  of  their  profession. 

Therefore,  you  will  recollect  that  the  Apostle  is  addressing 
young  persons  who  were  professing  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  He  saith,  "Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the 
Lord  :  for  this  is  right.  Honor  thy  father  and  mother, 
(which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise),  that 
IT  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  live  long 
on  the  earth."  • 

Now,  this  law  of  God  comes,  like  all  other  laws  of  God,  to  every 
sinner  on  earth,  who  hears  it  in  two  ways.  It  comes  to  them  in 
an  unconverted  state,  to  their  utter  condemnation — to  the  ruin — 
to  the  destruction  of  their  souls,  as  '•'■The  ministration  of  death,^ 
2nd  Cor.  iii.  7.  Or  it  comes  to  them  in  their  converted  state,  as 
the  holy  rule  of  their  lives,  according  to  which  they  are  called 
upon  to  regulate  their  conduct,  in  liberty  and  love  without  fear. 
Now  we  shall  consider  it  for  a  few  moments  in  these  two  points 
of  view. 

It  comes,  I  say,  to  unconverted  sinners,  as  "  the  ministration 
of  deatlC  to  destroy  their  souls.  Now,  I  see  several  children 
here.  Although  we,  a  great  number  of  us,  have  grown  to  a  time 
of  life  when  we  cease  to  be  called  children,  yet  let  us  recollect, 
that  that  is  a  relation  in  which  we  all  have  stood  or  do  stand  ;  and 
the  law  of  God,  "honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother," 
comes  to  every  one  of  us,  if  we  be  not  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  condemn  us.  There  is  not  a  single 
child  now  in  this  room,  or  a  single  one  of  us,  whatever  be  our 
time  of  life,  against  whom  that  law  has  not.  or  does  not  write 
judgment  and  condemnation,  if  we  were  to  be  tried  only  on  that 
ground  before  God,  putting  all  our  other  sins  out  of  the  question. 
If  tried  before  the  bar  of  God  only  on  that  one  ground — our  duty 
to  our  parents — ^we  should  perish  from  the  presence  of  God  for- 
ever.    Recollect  that.     And  therefore,  dear  children,  remember, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  509 

when  you  learn  that  command,  "Honor  thy  father  and  tht 
MOTHER,"  ask  your  own  souls,  have  I  kept  this  commandment? 
Have  I  obeyed  my  parents  ?  Do  I  obey  my  parents  ?  Do  I  honor 
them  ?  Your  conscience  answers,  No  !  then  the  wrath  of  God 
abides  upon  you,  if  you  are  yet  in  your  sins. 

Remember,  that  God's  laws,  every  one  of  them,  are  capital, 
This  is  a  capital  law — you  are  guilty.  I  mean  by  a  capital  law, 
a  law  that  brings  on  the  soul  condemnation  and  death  with  its 
violation.  You  have  violated  that  law — therefore  you  have  in- 
curred the  sentence  of  death  at  the  tribunal  of  God.  Consider 
that.  Now,  then,  as  a  child,  if  you  are  at  a  time  of  life  that  you 
can  understand  what  I  say — that  you  are  a  rational  and  account- 
able being,  so  that  your  father  and  mother  punish  you,  and  justly 
punish  you  for  your  offences,  and  that  you  feel  and  know  the 
difference  between  right  and  wrong  in  your  own  conscience — if  you 
are  at  that  time  of  life,  then  remember,  that  the  holy  law  of  God 
which  commands  you — "honor  thy  father  and  mother," 
brings  the  curse  of  God  upon  your  soul  for  the  violation  of  it.  You 
have  broken  that  law,  you  are  a  rebel  against  God.  And  remem- 
ber, it  is  not  your  father's  and  mother's  command  alone  that  you 
violate  when  you  disobey — remember,  you  are  violating  the  com- 
mand of  God.  It  is  God's  law.  It  is  not  only  your  father  or 
mother  who  desire  you  to  do  so,  but  God  commands  you  to  obey. 
There  is  only  one  exception — one  single  point  in  which  you  are 
not  to  pay  implicit  obedience  to  your  parents.  If  your  parents 
should  command  you  to  do  anything  contrary  to  God's  law,  to 
commit  an  act  that  you  know  to  be  contrary  to  His  holy  command- 
ments, then  you  are  bound  to  disobey  them.  There  are  some 
poor  children  taught  to  steal,  and  taught  to  tell  lies — their  parents 
teach  them  to  do  so.  Now  it  would  be  an  act  of  obedience  to  God 
in  such  a  child  to  refuse  to  obey  his  parents.  So,  in  any  case  in 
which  the  command  of  the  parent  is  contrary  to  the  holy  will  of 
God,  there  the  child  is  bound  to  disobey.  As  I  stated  before  to  you 
- — that  is  the  rule  of  all  government,  public  and  private,  that  when- 
ever a  person  is  commanded  to  violate  the  law  of  God,  there  he  is 
bound  to  disobey,  and  there  only.  All  authority  comes  from  God 
— and  all  authority  is  to  be  honored  as  from  God.  Recollect,  then, 
that  this  commandment  condemns  your  souls.  If  you  had  never 
committed  another  sin  against  God  except  the  violation  of  that  one 
law,  there  is  not  a  single  one  of  you  who  should  not  be  cast  into 
everlasting  death  on  this  one  ground. 

Here  then,  you  have  to  observe  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus.  Here  you  have  to  mark  the  blessedness  of  that 
provision  for  man's  salvation,  which  caused  your  glorious  Redeemer 
to  be  born  of  a  woman, 

Christ  might  have  been  formed  as  Adam  was  formed,  from  the 
dust  of  the  earth — ^Christ  might  have  come  down  from  heaven, 
and  a  human  body  might  have  been  formed  for  him  by  the  Lord 
as  for  Adam. 

Or  He  might  have  come  down  from  heaven  in  a  human  form, 


510  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

and  appeared  on  the  earth  as  man ;  and  He  might  have  been  a 
righteous  man,  a  holy  man — hving  as  He  did  on  the  earth — and 
He  might  have  died  as  He  did.  But  if  He  had  done  thus,  where 
would  have  been  salvation  for  children?  Observe,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  are  told,  was  "  Made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law, 
to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons P  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Avas 
''  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  lawJ^  A  child  owes  obedi- 
ence to  God's  law  from  the  moment  it  can  obey,  from  the  moment 
that  the  dawn  of  reason  comes  to  its  heart,  from  the  moment  it 
becomes  accountable  to  God.  That  is  a  moment  which  no  one 
can  presume  to  determine,  we  cannot  say  what  that  moment  is, 
when  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  shall  consider  a  child  accountable 
to  Him.  But  from  that  moment  the  child  is  responsible  for  obe- 
dience to  God's  laws. 

Now  a  child  knows,  and  that  at  a  very  early  age,  when  it  does 
wrong.  Very  early  it  is  conscious  of  its  sin.  This  is  equally  im- 
portant to  the  old  as  to  the  young,  but  it  is  especially  important  to 
children.  You  know,  my  dear  young  friends,  that  when  you  offend 
against  God — when  you  do  what  your  parents  or  teachers  tell  you 
is  wrong,  you  strive  to  hide  it,  to  excuse  yourselves.  You  will  do 
a  thing  when  your  parents  or  your  teacher  are  not  present,  which 
you  would  not  dare  to  do  if  they  were.  What  makes  you  do  so  1 
Your  conscience  tells  you,  you  are  wrong — that  you  are  violating 
your  duty — doing  what  you  know  is  forbidden — and  therefore,  your 
conscience  tells  you,  you  are  justly  condemned.  But  reflect — If 
you  are  justly  condemed  in  the  judgment  of  your  parents  or  your 
teacher,  how  much  more  must  you  acknowledge,  that  you  are 
justly  condemned  before  a  Holy  God  ! 

But  when  you  do  not  feel — when  you  do  not  fear  condemnation 
before  God  for  an  offence,  which  you  would  tremble  to  commit  be- 
fore your  parents — see  what  ignorance  and  blindness  of  under- 
standing and  heart  that  exhibits.  It  is  as  much  as  to  say,  "  I  do 
not  care  whether  God  sees  me  or  not.  If  my  father,  or  mother,  or 
teacher  do  uot  see  me — I  do  not  care  about  God.  When  they  do 
not  see  me,  I  will  do  so  and  so,  and  all  I  care  for  is  that  I  shall 
not  be  detected." 

See,  how  this  shows  the  natural  inbred  wickedness  of  your  heart. 
How  this  marks  the  truth  of  God's  Eternal  Word,  "  The  wicked 
are  estranged  from  the  roomh  :  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be 
horn,  speaking  lies ;"  Ps.  Iviii.  3  ;  and  that  is  one  of  the  first  ways 
your  wickedness  manifests  itself — your  conscience  accuses  you  of 
doing  what  you  know  to  be  wrong,  and  when  you  are  detected  and 
accused,  you  will  deny  it,  if  you  think  you  can  escape  by  your 
denial. 

Now  then,  dear  children,  just  consider  what  condemnation  this 
ought  to  bring  on  your  conscience ;  and  Oh  !  how  blind — how 
hardened — how  rebellious  does  it  exhibit  our  hearts  to  be,  that 
children,  as  they  grow  up,  through  all  the  stages  of  their  life,  if 
they  can  conceal  their  sins  from  those  who  are  placed  over  them, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  511 

their  conscience  does  not  carry  with  it,  as  it  ought,  the  stino-  of 
having  violated  God's  law — or  accuse  them  of  sin  committed  in 
God's  presence — nor  have  they  any  care  or  fear  of  God's  righteous 
judgment  abiding  on  them. 

See,  then,  my  dear  children,  what  a  state  of  sin  is  this  !  How 
inevitably  it  must  bring  guilt  and  condemnation  on  your  soul.  If 
you  are  saved,  you  can  only  be  saved  by  this,  that  there  is  some 
person  to  stand  in  your  place,  to  become  responsible  for  you — to 
answer  to  God  for  your  sins,  and  to  fulfil  as  your  Surety  the  law 
you  have  broken,  and  give  you  a  righteousness  which  you  have 
not  of  your  own. 

See  then,  the  blessedness  of  having  that  glorious  Saviour,  who 
came  on  earth,  to  become  a  child  to  be  "wac?e  of  a  woman^niade 
under  the  lawP  Gal.  iv.  4.  From  the  moment  you  were  born, 
you  owed  obedience  to  the  law,  and  the  blessed  Jesus  was  born 
that  He  might  pay  obedience  to  the  law  from  the  moment  of  His 
birth  ;  so  "  Jesus  increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor 
loith  God  and  man."  Luke  ii.  52.  He  was  "  the  Jioly  child  Jesus,'^ 
Acts  iv.  27,  30 — the  spotless  child  Jesus.  There  is  but  one  in- 
stance, in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  seems  to  have  been  charge- 
able with  an  act  of  neglect  to  His  mother  and  His  reputed  father 
— that  was  this,  when  they  went  up  with  Him  to  Jerusalem,  and 
He  remained  behind  after  their  departure.  When  they  returned, 
and  were  looking  for  Him,  and  they  found  him  in  the  temple,  and 
Mary  said  : — ■ 

"  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us,  behold  thy  father  and 
I  have  sought  thee  sorrowing  ?" 

Do  you  recollect  our  Lord's  answer  7  "  How  is  it" — said  He — 
"  that  ye  sought  me,  ivist  ye  not  that  Itnvstbe  ahont  my  fathers 
business  ?"  Luke  ii.  48,  49.  "  That  I  must  be  occupied  in  the 
service  of  my  Father,  you  might  have  known  that  I  could  not  be 
occupied  in  anything  else,  than  in  the  service  of  my  Father  and 
my  God."  That  was  an  appeal  to  His  mother — an  appeal  to  her 
knowledge  of  Him  before  God  and  man,  that  she  had  such  con- 
stant and  uniform  experience  of  His  obedience  primarily  to  God, 
and  subordinately  to  her,  that  she  might  have  felt  certain  He 
could  only  be  engaged  in  the  business  of  His  Heavenly  Father. 

Oh !  What  a  blessed  thing  it  is,  that  children  have  the  child 
Jesus  as  their  Surety  to  answer  for  them  !  that  little  children  have 
the  child  Jesus  to  stand  between  them  and  God,  through  all  the 
stages  of  their  sins. 

How  old  are  you  ?  However  young  you  may  be — remember, 
Jesus  was  the  same  age. 

You  are  a  sinner,  in  every  stage  of  all  your  life.  Jesus  was 
righteous,  from  the  manger  to  the  cross.  You  are  condemned — 
justly  condemned  as  a  sinner.  Christ  came  to  save,  he  is  the 
Lord  your  Righteousness,  as  a  child,  as  well  as  the  Lord  my 
Righteousness  as  a  man.  "  This  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall  be 
called,  THE  Lord  our  righteousness,"  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  In  what- 
ever stage  of  sin  you  are  —at  whatever  time  of  life  you   are — 


512  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPESIANS. 

Christ  must  be  your  only  righteousness  before  God,  "  Who  of  God 
is  made  unto  us  Wisdom,  and  Righteonsness,  and  iSa?ictiJication, 
and  Redemption,^''  1st  Cor.  ii.  30. 

What  a  blessed  consolation  that  we  have  such  a  Saviour  as 
this !  Alas !  dear  children,  if  you  are  not  looking  to  Christ — if 
you  are  not  brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  all  your  hope  of 
salvation.  Then,  this  command  of  God,  "Honor  thy  father 
AND  THY  MOTHER,"  if  there  was  no  other  commandment  in  the 
whole  Bible,  this  one  command  must  cast  you  into  everlasting 
death  ;  you  are  lost  under  this  one  law,  if  you  are  not  looking  to 
Jesus. 

Think;  what  a  blessed  encouragement  it  is  to  you  to  look  to 
Jesus,  that  He  was  '•'•made  of  a  ivoman,  made  under  the  law,^^ 
and  that  He  was  '■'■  tlie  holy  child  JesusJ^  We  are  told,  " /«  all 
things  it  behoved  hitn  to  be  viade  like  unto  his  brethren,  that  he 
7night  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high-priest,^'  Heb.  ii.  17,  and 
He  was  like  His  brethren  as  a  child,  as  He  was  like  them  as  a 
man.  Remember,  whatever  you  read  of  the  holiness  and  purity 
and  perfection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — whatever  you  hear  of 
Christ  as  a  man,  remember,  he  was  the  same  as  a  little  child — 
the  holy,  spotless  Lamb  of  God.  Oh  !  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is 
for  you  to  have  such  a  Saviour ! 

Now  then,  my  dear  children,  if  you  are  really  looking  to  that 
Saviour  and  Redeemer — when  you  feel  disobedience  to  your  pa- 
rents in  your  own  hearts — when  you  find  yom-  own  will  rebellious 
against  their  commands,  much  more  if  you  are  led  to  do  any  act 
contrary  to  those  connnands — then  you  will  come  to  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  and  pray  to  Him  for  the  pardon  of  your  sins — you  will 
bring  that  rebellion  of  your  heart — that  wickedness  of  your  will, 
by  faith  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  you  will  look  to  Him  for  salvation — for 
deliverance  and  pardon  for  your  sin,  and  you  will  come  to  Him  for 
strength,  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  obey  your  parents— you  will 
feel  thankful,  that  your  blessed  Saviour  has  delivered  you  from  the 
curse,  and  that  the  law  shall  not  condemn  you  ;  though  you  feel 
and  confess  you  break  it,  it  shall  not  condemn  you — Why  ?  because 
Christ  kept  it  for  you — Christ  fulfilled  it  for  you — Christ  obeyed  it 
for  you — and  died  for  your  sin — it  shall  not  condemn  you  ;  ^^For 
Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
believeth.^'  Rom.  x.  4. 

Now,  my  dear  children,  consider  how  very  important  this  is, 
there  are  several  of  you,  that  can  fully  understand  what  I  am 
saying.  The  time  when  children  become  responsible,  so  that  they 
are  condemned  before  God  for  their  offences,  unless  they  look  unto 
Jesus,  that  time,  I  say,  we  cannot  tell — we  cannot  tell  how  soon. 
I  believe  that  all  children  that  are  called  from  this  world,  before 
they  are  held  responsible  and  condenmed  for  their  own  iniquity, 
are  all  washed  in  the  precious  blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God  who 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  I  believe  that  all  such  shall 
swell  that  countless  multitude,  and  join  in  the  everlasting  song  of 
'•'•Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  pmver,  be  unto  him,  that 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  513 

sitteth  upon  the  throne^  and  unto  the  Lamb,  forever  and  ever." 
Rev.  V.  13. 

But  though  we  do  not  know,  and  dare  not  pretend  to  define,  at 
what  time  children  become  accountable  to  God,  and  are  condemned 
for  their  sins,  if  you  read  some  histories  of  those  who  have  been 
early  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  would 
seem  that  they  are  early  held  accountable,  and  condemned  both 
in  conscience  and  in  fact.  For  it  is  quite  clear,  that  when  children 
can  see  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  and  fly  to  Him  as  the 
refuge  for  their  souls — it  is  quite  clear,  that  at  that  time  they 
could  not  do  so,  unless  they  were  conscious  of  their  guilt  and 
wickedness — unless  they  feel  that  their  souls  are  justly  condemned 
for  their  rebelhon  before  God ;  and  every  rational  being  who  knows, 
in  this  world,  that  his  soul  is  justly  condemned  for  his  rebellion 
against  God,  must  say  amen  to  the  sentence  of  that  condemna- 
tion, which  he  shall  hear  pronounced  from  the  mouth  of  the  Judge 
of  Heaven  and  earth. 

Here  too  you  see,  the  Apostle  is  addressing  believing  children, 
"Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord,"  in  all  things 
that  they  command  you,  according  to  the  will  and  Word  of  God : 
"obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord,  for  this  is  right." 
There  is  one  rule  for  all — all  things  that  your  parents  command 
you  to  do,  not  contrary  to  God's  law. 

This,  I  think,  might  serve  to  supply  to  many  young  persons  a 
standard  of  their  conduct  in  many  things  about  which  they  may 
be  in  doubt.  There  are  many  young  persons,  who,  as  they  are 
growing  up,  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus, 
and  whose  parents  are  ignorant  of  the  Gospel — there  are  many 
such  cases,  and  these  young  persons  are  very  often  at  a  loss  to 
know  what  they  shall  do,  when  their  parents  wish  them  to  act  in 
a  way  that  is  contrary  to  their  conscience.  They  are  desirous 
often,  especially  that  their  daughters  should  go  into  scenes,  and  to 
places  of  public  entertainment,  where  they  feel  that  a  Christian 
ought  not  to  go — where  they  feel  that  a  servant  of  God  is  out  of 
their  place  and  character — where  they  feel  they  cannot  consist- 
ently or  in  faith  ask  God's  blessing  or  presence  with  them  there ; 
and  they  are  very  often  in  distress  of  conscience,  "  What  shall  I 
do?  my  parents  wish  me  to  do  so  and  so,  and  it  is  quite  contrary 
to  my  conscience,  and  to  my  sense  of  duty  to  God,  and  I  feel 
quite  miserable."  I  have  known  several  young  friends  of  my 
own — -I  do  not  know  whether  there  are  any  here — who  are  in  dis- 
tress about  this. 

Well,  the  rule  is  clear:  "obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord." 
If  your  parents  want  you  to  do  anything  which  your  Bible  teaches 
you,  is  contrary  to  God's  will ;  then  you  must  obey  God,  rather 
than  man — that  is  your  plain  path  of  duty.  And  if  children  do 
so  in  a  right  spirit — do  so  as  Christians — if  children  make  their 
parents  know  and  feel,  that  they  do  so,  not  setting  themselves  up 
against  their  authority — not  because  they  wish  to  wound  them — 
or  to  refuse  obedience,  not  only  to  any  command,  but  any  wish  of 


514  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

theirs — and  that  it  is  pain  to  them  to  be  obhged  to  disobey  them 
in  anything — and  if  their  parents  see  that  they  act  thus,  as  a 
point  of  conscience  before  God — and  if  they  speak  with  the  respect 
and  tenderness  that  they  ought  to  do,  on  the  subject,  and  show, 
on  all  other  occasions,  the  alacrity  of  loving  and  dutiful  obedience, 
as  they  ought — they  will  find,  in  all  probability,  from  experience, 
that  their  difficulties  will  all  vanish.  For,  if  it  be  true  even  of  an 
enemy,  how  much  more  of  a  parent?  ^'When  a  mail's  ways 
please  the  Lord,  he  maketh  even  his  enemies  to  he  at  peace  with 
hirnP     Prov.  xvi.  7. 

Sometimes,  it  may  not  be  so.  I  have  a  dear  friend,  who  was 
turned  out  of  her  father's  house,  on  the  wide  world,  at  eighteen  years 
of  age,  because  she  would  serve  her  God  !  She  was  left,  with  some 
small  sum  that  was  her  own,  to  earn  her  bread.  She  went  out, 
like  him  of  old,  from  her  kindred — she  set  up  a  school,  and  she 
kept  her  school  as  a  servant  of  God  ;  and  the  Lord  blessed  her. 
and  the  Lord  brought  many,  under  her  teaching,  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  There  are  many  who  are  in  glory,  who 
received  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  tbrough  her ;  and  there  are  many 
now  alive  who  can  stand  up  and  call  her  blessed,  and  who  know 
that  they  received  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  from  her 
teaching.  The  Lord  has  blessed  her.  too,  as  to  worldly  things ; 
she  is  at  ease  in  the  world — she  has  retired  from  her  office,  with  a 
competence  to  support  her  declining  years — and  she  now  spends 
her  time,  as  she  can,  in  endeavoring  to  teach  the  children  of  the 
poor  around  her,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus.  The  Lord  blessed  her  more  than  all,  in  allowing 
her  to  see  both  these  parents  who  had  turned  her  out,  die  in  the 
faith  of  Christ.  Whenever  persons  do,  in  the  service  of  their 
Heavenly  Master,  what  they  ought  to  do,  the  Lord's  blessing  will 
rest  upon  them.  Therefore  "  Children,  obey  your  parents 
IN  THE  Lord:  for  this  is  right.  Honor  thy  father  and 
mother;  which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise  ; 
That  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  live 
long  on  the  earth." 

Now  this  passage,  beside  other  important  truths  supplies  a  clear 
and  conclusive  answer  to  the  very  false  ungodly  principle,  that 
abounds  among  many  who  make  a  high  profession  of  the  Gospel ; 
;ind  who  say,  that  the  Law  is  not  the  rule  of  life  for  believers. 
They  say,  "  These  ten  commandments  were  commandments 
given  to  Moses ;  but  the  Moral  Law  is  not  the  rule  of  life  for  be- 
lievers ;  we  are  to  take  our  rule  of  life,  not  from  the  Moral  Law, 
but  from  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel."  This  principle  is,  in  every 
title  absurd — as  if  there  was  any  difference  between  the  Moral 
Law  and  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel;  or  as  if  God  gave  one  law, 
as  a  Moral  Law,  a  law  of  duty  to  the  Jews,  and  then,  another 
law  of  duty  to  Christians — as  if  what  was  sin  at  one  time,  was 
not  to  be  sin  at  another — as  if  the  moral  character,  the  govern- 
ment, the  law  of  God,  could  ever  vary.  Our  blessed  Lord  says, 
^'■Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  6l5 

pass  from  the  law,''^  What  law  ?  He  is  speaking  of  the  Moral 
Law,  ''till  all  be  fulfilled^'  Matt.  v.  18. 

But  here  we  see  the  Apostle — that  is,  the  Holy  Spirit  by  the 
Apostle,  quotes  the  Moral  Law — quotes  one  of  the  commandments 
of  the  Decalogue,  and  thus  asserts  the  Decalogue  as  the  rule  of 
life ;  and  quotes  this  command,  as  a  command  to  be  observed,  and 
the  promise  annexed  to  its  observance. 

Thus  also  in  Romans,  xiii.  9,  we  have  the  words  of  the  Deca- 
logue quoted,  "  For  this,  Thou  shall  not  commit  adultery,  Thou 
shall  not  kill,  Thou  shall  not  steal.  Thou  shall  not  bear  false 
loitness,  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there  be  any  other  com- 
m^andment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this  saying,  namely. 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. ^^  Here,  the  Decalogue 
is  quoted,  verbatim — and  yet,  these  persons  say — "  The  Law  is 
not  the  rule  of  life  !"  What  a  gross  perversion  of  Scripture  it  is  ! 
What  an  awful  thing  it  is,  for  sinners  to  set  up  their  own  whims 
and  fancies  against  the  plain  simple  light  and  letter  of  God's 
blessed  Word  !  It  is  because  too  many  will  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  httle  child — because  they  will  not  receive  God's 
truth,  in  its  plain  simplicity.  Men  choose  to  be  wise,  not  only 
above  what  is  written,  but  even  contrary  to  what  is  written.  And 
therefore  we  hear  so  many  novelties  and  absurdities  started  against 
the  plain  letter  of  God's  eternal  Word.  We  should  pray  to  be 
kept  from  these  evils — from  all  false  refinements,  and  vain  specu- 
lations— and  to  come  to  the  Scriptures,  with  this  prayer  in  our 
hearts,  "  That  which  I  know  not,  teach  Thou  meP  I  know  per- 
sons, who  hold  this  principle,  whom  I  believe  to  be  servants  of 
God,  who  endeavor  to  walk  in  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  which 
is  in  fact  Avalking  in  the  law.  But  although  they  may  be  kept, 
through  God's  mercy,  from  allowing  their  false  principle  to  break 
out  in  sin  in  their  own  lives — they  are,  nevertheless,  setting  up  a 
false  principle,  which  may  mislead,  and  does  mislead  others. 
Hence  the  doctrine  of  Antinomianism,  which  is  a  denial  that  the 
law  of  God  is  the  rule  of  life  for  believers.  And  this,  when  it  is 
acted  on,  carries  out  the  principle  that  is  objected  to  the  Gospel, 
by  gainsayers  and  blasphemers.  "  Let  us  continue  in  sin,  that 
grace  may  abound. ^^  Rom.  vi.  L 

I  have  heard  that  system  awfully  maintained,  by  those  who 
have  made  a  profession  of  believing  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Oh  ! 
it  is  very  needful  for  us,  to  pray  that  we  may  be  kept  walking 
steadily,  according  to  the  blessed  hght  of  God's  Holy  Truth.  It 
is  a  great  mercy,  to  be  kept  learning  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  and  not 
seeking  to  refine  away  and  speculate  on  God's  Word.  It  is  clear 
and  simple,  "A  lamp  unto  our  feet,  and  a  light  unto  our  paths." 
Psalm  cxix.  105. 

Therefore,  remember,  that  those  who  believe  the  Gospel  are 
called  to  walk  in  the  commandments  of  God.  How  plain  are  these 
words  "Children,  OBEY  your  parents  in  the  Lord  :  for 
THIS  IS  right.     Honor  thy  father  and  mother  ;  which 

IS  THE  FIRST    COMM  \  NDMENT  WITH     PROMISE;    THAT     IT    MAY 


516  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

BE  WELL  WITH    THEE,   AND    THOU  MAYEST    LIVE     LONG  ON  THE 

EARTH."  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  those  who  walk  in  the 
Lord's  ways,  will  always  find  God's  promises  fulfilled.  Now,  there 
is  a  very  remarkable  instance  of  this  in  Scripture,  Jeremiah  xxxv. 
There  you  find  the  Lord  saying  to  the  Prophet,  '•  Go  unto  the 
house  of  the  Rechabites,  and  speak  unto  them,  and  bring  tJteni 
into  the  house  of  the  Lord,  into  one  of  the  chambers,  and  give 
them  witie  to  drink ''^  Here,  observe,  the  Lord  commands  His 
prophet  to  go  to  the  Rechabites,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  house 
of  God,  and  give  them  wine  to  drink.  Now,  we  should  not  sup- 
pose, there  was  anything  wrong  in  that.  So  the  prophet  calls 
them,  and  brings  them  to  the  house  of  God — he  does  not  com- 
mand them  to  do  anything  wrong,  he  gives  them  wine  to  drink — ■ 
he  says,  "  Then  I  took  Jaazaniah  the  son  of  Jeremiah,  the  son 
of  Habaziniah,  and  his  brethren,  and  all  his  so7is,  and  the  whole 
house  of  the  Rechabites  ;  and  I  brought  them  into  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  into  the  cham,ber  of  the  sons  of  Hanan,  the  son  of  Igda- 
liah,  a  man  of  God,  which  tvas  by  the  chamber  of  the  princes, 
which  was  above  the  chamber  of  Maaseiah  the  son  of  Shallum, 
the  keeper  of  the  door  :  and  I  set  before  the  sons  of  the  house  of 
the  Rechabites  pots  full  of  wine,  and  cups  ;  and  I  said  unto  them, 
Drink  ye  toine. 

"  But  they  said,  We  ivill  drink  no  ivine  :  for  Jonadab  the  son 
of  Rechab  our  father  commanded  us,  sayhig,  Ye  shall  drink  no 
wine,  neither  ye,  nor  your  sons  forever :  neither  shall  ye  build 
house,  nor  soio  seed,  nor  plant  vineyard,  nor  have  any :  but  all 
your  days  ye  shall  dwell  in  tents  ;  that  ye  Tnay  live  m,any  days 
in  the  land  where  ye  be  strangers."  Jer.  xxxv.  2-7. 

This  Jonadab  the  son  of  Rechab,  was  a  servant  of  God  ;  for  if 
you  recollect,  in  the  history  of  Jehu,  when  he  was  anointed  king 
to  fulfil  the  Lord's  commands,  he  said  to  Jonadab  the  son  of 
Rechab,  "  Is  thine  heart  right,  as  my  heart  is  with  thy  heart  ? 
and  Jehonadab  answered,  It  is."  Then  Jehu  asked  him,  ^^Come 
with  me,  and  see  my  zeal  for  the  Lord."  2nd  Kings,  x.  15,  16. 
So  he  took  him  into  his  chariot,  and  he  accompanied  Jehu  in  ex- 
ecuting the  commands  of  God.  Jonadab's  heart  was  more  right 
than  Jehu's ;  he  was  a  true  servant  of  God,  and  he  commands 
his  children  thus,  and  you  see  how  they  obeyed  his  voice.  So 
they  proceed. 

*'  Thus  have  v)e  obeyed  the  voice  of  Jonadab  the  son  of  Rechab 
our  father  in  all  that  he  hath  charged  us,  to  drink  no  wine  all 
our  days,  we,  our  wives,  our  so7is,  nor  our  daughters;  nor  to  build 
houses  for  us  to  dwell  in."  Now  this  was  about  277  years  subse- 
quent to  the  time  that  Jonadab  accompanied  Jehu,  and  they  say, 
^'■neither  have  we  vineyard,  nor  field,  nor  seed:  but  we  have 
dwelt  in  tents,  and  have  obeyed,  and  done  according  to  all  that 
Jonadab  our  father  commanded  us.  But  it  came  to  pass,  that 
when  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  came  up  into  the  land, 
that  we  said,  come  and  let  us  go  to  Jerusalem  for  fear  of  the  army 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  517 

of  the  Chaldeans^  and  f 01^  fear  of  the  army  of  the  Syrians :  so 
we  dwell  at  Jerusalem^  v.  8 — 11. 

"  Then  came  the  loord  of  the  Lord  unto  Jeremiah,  saying; 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel ;  Go  and  tell 
the  men  of  Jitdah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  will  ye  not 
receive  instruction  to  hearken  to  m,y  words  ?  saith  the  Lord. 
The  words  of  Jonadah  the  son  of  Rechah,  that  he  commanded  his 
sons  not  to  drink  wine,  are  petfortned  ;  for  unto  this  day  they 
drink  none,  hut  obey  their  father^  s  commandment.  Notioithstand- 
ing  I  have  spoken  unto  you,  rising  up  early  and  speaking  ;  hut 
ye  hearkened  not  unto  meP  12 — 14. 

The  Lord  commands  the  Rechabites  to  be  brought  into  the 
Lord's  house,  that  their  example  of  obedience  to  their  father  may 
be  exhibited  to  the  whole  house  of  Judah,  and  that  the  house  of 
Judah  may  see,  that  while  these  men  are  obedient  to  the  com- 
mands of  their  father,  given  nearly  three  hundred  years  previously 
— the  whole  house  of  Judah  are  disobedient  to  the  command  of 
God  given  even  at  that  moment  by  the  Prophet — -hear  then  what 
the  Lord  saith  to  the  Rechabites : — 

"  Because  ye  have  obeyed  the  commandment  of  Jonadah  your 
father,  and  kept  all  his  precepts,  and  done  according  to  all  that 
he  cotnmanded  you :  therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the 
God  of  Israel;  Jonadah  the  son  of  Rechah  shall  not  want  a 
man  to  stand  before  nie  forever.''''  18,  19.  This  is  before  Christ 
about  607  years,  and  it  is  now  1837  years  after  Christ,  and  to  this 
day,  more  than  2400  years,  that  promise  of  the  Lord  stands  good. 
For  Jonadab  the  son  of  Rechab,  does  not  to  this  day,  want  a  man 
to  stand  before  the  Lord. 

In  the  journal  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wolfe,  he  informs  us  that  he  has 
met  the  Rechabites.  He  tells  us,  that  to  this  very  day,  they 
quote  the  words  of  the  Prophet — they  quote  the  promise  of  God 
to  their  fathers,  "  Jonadah  the  son  of  Rechah  shall  not  want  a 
man  to  stand  before  God  forever?'' — and  to  this  day  they  obey  the 
commandment  of  their  father,  to  drink  no  wine.  To  this  day,  the 
Rechabites  are  living  monuments  of  the  truth  of  this  promise ; 
and  the  descendants  of  Jonadab  shall  stand  as  God's  witnesses, 
when  the  descendants  of  that  people  to  whom  they  were  proposed 
as  an  example,  the  rebellious  Jews,  shall  be  brought  back  again, 
and  when  '■'■the  earth  shall  he  filled  loith  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.''''  Isaiah  xi.  9. 

Then  "Honor  thy  father  and  thy   mother,  that   it 

MAY  BE  WELL  WITH  THEE,  AND  THOU  MAYEST  LIVE  LONG  ON 
THE  EARTH." 

Here,  I  say,  is  a  remarkable  proof  of  the  truth  of  God's  Word, 
in  this  command.  This  instance  of  obedience  to  God's  Holy 
Law,  has  been  honored  by  God's  gracious  mercy  and  providence, 
fulfilling  those  promises  to  the  descendants  of  Jonadab,  the  son  of 
Rechab,  to  this  day. 

Well,  I  trust  that  this  subject,  of  the  obedience  of  children,  has 
been  profitable  to  us.     I  hope  it  is  profitable  to  you,  my  dear 


518  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

children  ;  and  that  you  will  attend  to  these  things.  Let  us  recol- 
lect it let  us  always  remember,  in  our  relation  of  children,  which 

we  have  passed  through,  that  the  oldest  individual  among  us,  as 
well  as  the  youngest,  has  reason  to  bless  the  living  God,  that 
Jesus  was  a  child — and  that  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  as  a  child, 
is  ^'■the  end  of  the  law  for  1'ighteousness,^^  to  every  believing  child. 
The  righteousness  of  Jesus  as  a  child,  and  the  precious  blood  of 
Jesus,  are  just  as  needful  to  deliver  our  souls  from  hell,  as 
children,  as  they  can  be  our  only  salvation  at  any  part  of  our  lives. 


FORTY-FOURTH     LECTURE. 


Efhesians  VI. — 4. 

"And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath :  but  bring  them  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 

Having  enjoined  on  all  children  who  belong  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  the  duty  of  walking  in  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  in 
obedience  to  their  parents.  The  Apostle  proceeds  to  impress  on 
all  Christian  parents,  their  correlative  duty  to  their  children. 

Although  there  be  but  one  verse  in  the  chapter  on  this  subject, 
it  is  yet  a  verse  of  the  most  ample  and  comprehensive  meaning. 
Let  us,  therefore,  consider  to-day,  this  admonition  of  the  Apostle 
to  parents,  in  connection  with  liis  admonition  to  children. 

"Ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath  : 
but  brinci  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord."  There  are  two  points  which  are  here  insisted  on  by  the 
Apostle,  in  his  admonition  to  parents,  (for  we  need  scarcely  remark, 
that  both  parents  are  included  in  it), — 

First — What  they  are  not  to  do,  "  Provoke  not  your  chil- 
dren TO  WRATH." 

Secondly— What  they  are  to  do — "  but  bring  them  up  in 

THE  NURTURE  AND  ADMONITION  OF  THE  LoRD." 

First,  "Provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath."  How 
does  this  admonition  happen  to  be  necessary  for  fathers  ?  Because, 
when  they  undertake  to  instruct  their  children — to  educate,  and 
train  them  up — it  is  an  evil  into  which  they  are  too  likely  to  fall, 
to  irritate  and  provoke  their  children  to  wuath.  We  are  vile  crea- 
tures— very  unwilling  to  render  obedience,  where  obedience  is  due 
from  ourselves  to  others — and  very  ready  to  exercise  authority,  and 
to  exact  obedience,  where  it  is  due  from  others  to  us.  And  thus 
there  are  these  tw^o  faults — two  extremes,  into  which  parents  are 
apt  to  run.  One,  neglecting  the  instruction  of  their  children — not 
bringing  them  up  with  steady  discipline,  as  they  ought  to  do — suf- 
fering them  to  be  idle  and  indolent — petting  them,  and  givmg  way 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  519 

to  their  tempers — their  wills — their  folUes — their  sins.  Another, 
when  they  do  endeavor  to  teacli  and  govern  them  ;  exercising  au- 
thority so  as  to  provoke  their  children  to  wrath,  by  correcting  them, 
when  they  displease  them  on  points  that  wound  themselves,  and  on 
occasions  that  interfere  with  their  own  authority,  and  that  excite 
their  own  feelings — and  not  with  a  calm  and  single  eye  to  the 
good  of  their  children,  and  with  reference  to  their  God. 

Children  easily  see  through  the  motive  for  correction.  They 
easily  see,  why  they  are  reproved  or  punished — they  are  very 
quick-sighted — they  will  instinctively  observe,  when  their  parents 
reprove  or  correct  them,  whether  it  is  done  in  a  sober,  calm,  tender, 
affectionate,  faithful  spirit — or  rather  in  an  angry  one — an  irritated 
temper — because  their  children  have  provoked  and  incensed  them,  by 
their  misconduct ;  and  that  because  they  are  provoked  and  incensed, 
therefore  they  correct  and  punish  their  offences.  This,  so  far  from 
producing  a  good  effect  on  a  child,  rather  stirs  up  its  wicked  tem- 
per against  its  parent,  and  excites  it  to  wrath.  And  this  appears 
to  me,  to  be  the  evil  against  which  the  Apostle  is  warning  parents, 
where  he  says,  "  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath." 

You  will  see  this  set  forth,  in  Hebrews  xii.  where  the  Apostle, 
speaking  of  the  chastening  of  parents,  adverts  to  this  evil.  He 
says,  verse  9,  "  We  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected 
tis,  and  ive  gave  them  reverence :  shall  loe  not  fnuch  rather  be  iti 
subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits,  and  live  ?  For  they  verily 
for  a  few  days  chastened  us  after  their  own  pleasure  ;" — for  their 
own  objects — ^for  their  own  views — perhaps  their  wills  or  tempers, 
as  seemed  good  to  them,  "  but  he  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be 
partakers  of  his  holiness."  You  perceive  the  contrast,  God  has 
but  one  view  in  the  correction  of  His  children ;  but  one  aim,  one 
object,  and  that  is,  "  our  profit."  Earthly  parents  have,  too  often, 
another  view,  and  that  is,  the  mere  maintenance  of  their  own  au- 
thority in  punishing  their  children,  or  avenging  on  them  the  wrong 
they  have  done. 

I  have  known  parents,  who  would  indulge  their  children  shame- 
fully, and  give  way  to  their  tempers  and  their  fancies,  or  their 
caprices,  and  allow  them  to  act  in  a  way  that  was  quite  intolerable  to 
others;  and  then,  when  those  children  would  exhibit  the  temper 
which  these  parents  had  cultivated,  towards  themselves,  and  would 
do  something  to  irritate — to  provoke  them — to  put  them  out  of  their 
way — then,  they  would  be  exceedingly  angry,  and  punish  their 
children  vindictively  for  this.  This,  so  far  from  doing  good,  quite 
destroys  the  principles  and  tempers  of  children.  And  therefore,  it 
is  a  very  good  plan,  if  a  parent  knows  that  his  own  temper  is 
hasty,  to  defer  reproof  or  chastisement  to  the  children  for  some 
time  after  the  fault  is  committed  ;  then  say  to  the  child,  "  Now, 
you  have  said  so  and  so,  you  have  done  so  and  so,  you  have  acted 
in  such  a  manner  as  you  know  provokes  my  displeasure  extremely ; 
but  I  shall  not  pronounce  sentence  of  punishment  upon  you,  for 
such  a  time— one,  two,  or  three  hours,  to-morrow,  perhaps — in  or- 
der that  you  may  see  that  I  do  not  punish  you,  because  you  dis- 


620  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

please  me,  or  because  I  am  offended  ;  but  that  I  punish  you,  after 
grave  and  sober  consideration,  for  your  own  sake,  for  your  own 
misconduct."  Now,  that  sort  of  punishment,  dehberately  inflicted 
in  that  way  on  a  child,  produces  an  efficient  and  lasting  effect— 
the  child  sees  and  feels,  this  is  for  its  good — the  child  sees  and 
feels,  that  the  parent  does  not  punish  it  from  excited  temper,  but 
with  judgment — soberly,  wisely,  faithfully — this  produces  due  effect 
on  the  mind  of  a  child.     "Ye   fathers,  provoke  not   your 

CHILDREN  to  WRATH." 

Besides,  exciting  their  tempers,  precludes  the  right  cultivation 
of  their  principles  or  their  affections.  The  child  will  always  re- 
spect and  love  the  parent  who  wisely  corrects  it,  far  more  than  the 
parent  who  indulges  it.  The  affections  of  a  child  will  be  more 
drawn  out,  as  reason  unfolds  and  judgment  is  formed — he  will 
necessarily  approve  and  love  that  parent  more,  because  the  love 
that  proceeds  from,  and  is  united  with  respect,  is  always  a  feeling 
stronger,  more  durable,  and  more  influential  on  the  heart,  than  the 
love  that  proceeds  merely  from  selfish  gratitude  for  weak  indul- 
gence. Therefore,  I  say,  children  will  love,  their  affections  will 
be  drawn  out  more  to  the  parent  who  corrects  them  wisely,  than 
to  the  parent  who  indulges  them  without  correction.  You  will 
always  see  what  is  called  a  petted  child,  turn  away  with  ill  temper 
and  disrespect,  from  the  parent  who  has  spoiled  it. 

But  with  the  prohibition,  "  Provoke  not  your  children  to 
WRATH,"  we  see. 

Secondly — the  command,  "  but  bring  them  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord."  They  should  be 
trained  according  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  Their  feelings  and 
affections  should  be  drawn  out  towards  God,  by  faithful  Christian 
instruction  in  His  Holy  Word.  Now,  if  you  provoke  their  tempers, 
in  your  mode  of  treating  them — you  excite  tiieir  feelings  against 
that  which  it  is  your  first  duty  to  cultivate  in  their  hearts;  you 
do  them  thereby  an  incalculable  injury.  You  should  endeavor  to 
draw  out  their  affections  to  God,  and  therefore  you  should  endeavor 
to  make  the  instruction  you  give  them,  as  little  calculated  to  call 
forth  any  opposing  feeling  as  possible.  There  is,  alas  !  enough  of 
natural  enmity  in  the  heart,  to  God,  without  cultivating  it,  by  in- 
judicious treatment.  This  is,  however,  a  subject,  in  the  detail  of 
which,  it  is  almost  impossible  for  any  preacher  or  lecturer  to  lay 
down  general  rules.  It  is  a  subject,  in  which  every  parent  will 
find  great  difficulty.  I  have  felt  great  difficulty  in  it,  myself  It 
is  extremely  difficult  to  give  to  religious  instruction,  all  the  weight, 
all  the  importance,  all  the  time  you  feel  it  requires  ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  not  to  give  it  so  much  as  to  injure  your  child's  mind, 
and  to  excite  disgust  or  dislike  to  the  very  truth  which  you  wish 
to  inculcate,  and  against  which  the  natural  mind  is  already  opposed. 

I  do  not  know  any  subject,  in  which  a  parent  requires  more 
wisdom;  and  I  could  not  pretend  to  instruct  you,  because  I  cannot 
instruct  myself  I  feel  I  want  instruction  from  God  ;  I  feel  I  re- 
quire continually  to  pray  to  God,  for  direction.     If  I  were  to  lay 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  521 

down  any  rule  on  the  subject,  the  circumstances  of  various  persons 
mi^ht  make  adherence  to  that  rule  unwise  and  injudicious.  Very 
difficult  t]uestions  might  arise  for  a  parent  to  determine.  No  indi- 
vidual can  lay  down  any  general  rule,  even  for  himself,  in  his  own 
family.  Every  regulation  must  be  modified  by  the  different  circum- 
stances both  of  parents  and  children.  Conduct,  wise  and  proper 
Avith  respect  to  one  child,  would  be  injudicious  and  improper  in  the 
case  of  another ;  while  one  requires  to  be  drawn  out — encouraged 
— brought  forward  ;  another  requires  to  be  held  back  and  repressed. 
So  we  may  say,  in  this,  as  in  all  our  duties,  "  Who  is  sufficient 
for  these  things  ?"     We  require  to  be  taught  of  God. 

And  I  would  say  to  those  children  who  are  here,  or  to  any  young 
persons  present,  who  may  perhaps  not  be  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ — I  would  say  to  you,  my  dear  young 
frien-ds,  consider,  if  your  parents  know  and  love  the  Gospel  of  Je- 
sus, and  if  you  know  in  your  own  hearts  that  you  are  not  religious, 
and  do  not  embrace  the  truth — I  say,  consider,  my  dear  young 
friends,  the  pain  and  difficulty  which  your  parents  or  teachers 
must  necessarily  feel,  in  dealing  with  you.  They  feel,  that  every- 
thing else  is  utterly  insignificant,  compared  to  God's  Word — -all 
your  learning — all  your  accompUshments — all  that  you  could  pos- 
sibly acquire,  is  like  the  dust  under  your  feet,  compared  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  you  do  not  know  him, 
you  know  nothing — if  you  shall  not  be  brought  to  know  Him,  '■'It 
were  better  that  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  your  neck,  and 
you  were  cast  into  the  depths  of  the  scd'^ — it  would  be  good  for 
you,  if  you  had  never  been  born.  If  your  parents  know  and  feel 
the  value  of  the  Gospel,  and  you  know  and  feel  it  not,  your  heart 
is  pulling  against  them,  and  straining  to  follow  the  world.  The 
world  wears  a  very  deceitful  aspect  in  your  eyes.  You  think  it  is 
all  pleasant — all  delightful — -and  that  if  you  were  in  such  and 
such  circumstances,  and  like  others  who  are  enjoying  it,  you 
would  be  happy.  Your  parents  know  it  is  a  delusion.  You  are 
anxious  to  go  one  way — they,  another.  Your  temper  is  excited, 
you  are  displeased,  when  they  do  not  give  way  to  you.  Now, 
consider  the  difficulties  in  which  your  parents  are  placed.  Con- 
sider the  great  responsibility  laid  on  them.  Consider  the  deep,  affec- 
tionate anxiety  of  their  hearts,  concerning  you.  If  you  had  a  pet 
lamb,  or  a  favorite  dog,  and  that  you  saw  it  endeavoring  to  go 
where  you  knew  it  would  be  devoured  or  torn — with  what  anxious 
efforts  would  you  endeavor  to  prevent  it ;  and  shall  not  your 
parents  feel,  when  they  see  the  child  of  their  love  rushing  into  the 
jaws  of  him,  who,  "a^  a  roaring  lion  loalketh  about,  seeking 
tohom  he  may  devour  ?"  1st  Pet.  v.  8.  Oh  !  what  an  awful 
responsibility  is  laid  on  young  people,  when  they  have  instruction — 
when  they  have  the  means  of  knowing  and  learning  the  Gospel — ■ 
when  they  have  parents  that  are  most  anxious  to  "  bring  them 

UP    IN    THE    NURTURE    AND    ADMONITION    OF    THE     LoRD"— and 

when  the  language  of  their  heart  is,  ^'•Depart  from  us,  for  we 
desire  not  the  knoivledge  of  thy  ways.^^     Oh  !  think,  my  young 


522  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

friends,  if  I  address  such,  how  awful  the  responsibihties  that  are 
daily  accumulatiiig  on  your  heads,  for  the  instruction  you  refuse 
to  receive,  and  the  admonitions  you  refuse  to  obey.  How,  when 
it  is  thus  presented  to  you,  can  you  answer  to  your  own  con- 
sciences ?  How  shall  3rou  answer  at  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ  ? 
'■^How  shall  you  escape^  if  you  neglect  such  great  salvation  ?" 
Heb.  ii.  3. 

The  Apostle  saith,  in  another  place,  ^'■Fathers^  provoke  not  your 
children  to  anger,  lest  they  he  discouragedJ^  Col.  iii.  21.  He 
gives,  you  perceive,  the  same  admonition,  and  gives  a  reason  for 
it,  "  lest  they  be  discouraged^  The  mode  in  which  religion  should 
be  set  before  children,  is,  as  it  really  is,  the  only  means  of  true 
happiness.  It  should  not  be  connected  with  unkind,  painful  con- 
comitants of  instruction — but  set  before  them,  as  if  it  were  equally 
your  pleasure  and  your  duty,  to  impart  to  them,  that  which  con- 
stitutes your  own  real,  solid  happiness. 

For  observe,  when  you  are  commanded  to  "bring  them  up 

IN    THE    nurture    AND    ADMONITION    OF    THE    LoFD,"  there    aiC 

two  things  you  must  consider.  These  are — First,  the  instruction 
you  are  to  convey  to  your  children.  Secondly,  the  example  you 
are  to  set  before  them.  It  is  in  vain,  to  tell  your  children  that  re- 
ligion constitutes  the  real  happiness  of  the  sinner,  if  your  children 
see  that  it  does  not  constitute  your  happiness — if  they  see,  that 
your  heart  really  takes  pleasure  in  the  world,  instead  of  the  things 
that  belong  to  your  eternal  peace.  How  can  they  believe  you, 
when  you  tell  them  that  true  religion  alone  constitutes  true  hap- 
piness— if  you  set.  by  your  example,  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way 
of  your  precept?  You  cannot  suppose,  that  your  children  will 
follow  your  precepts,  and  disregard  your  example ;  or,  that  you, 
can  convince  them,  by  setting  before  them  what  you  say  you  be- 
lieve, when  their  senses  contradict  your  precept,  by  what  they  see 
you  do.  Recollect,  that  their  hearts  are  all  naturally  inclined  to 
follow  the  example  that  would  lead  them  to  the  world,  and  disin- 
clined to  follow  the  precepts  that  would  warn  them  from  it ;  and 
if  your  example  draws  them  in  the  opposite  direction  of  your  pre- 
cepts, you  cannot  lead  your  children  to  God,  by  the  one,  when 
you   practically  lead  them  from  Him,   by  the  other.      "Bring 

THEM    UP    IN    THE    NURTURE    AND  ADMONITION    OF  THE    LoRD." 

These  two  terms  have  a  distinct  meaning.  "  Nurture,"  refer- 
ring to  the  principles  implanted  in  the  mind — the  truth  in  which 
they  are  to  be  instructed,  as  he  saith  to  Timothy,  ^^Nourished  up 
in  the  words  of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine.''^  1st  Tim.  iv.  6. 
"And  ADMONITION,"  reminding  them  continually  to  bring  these 
principles  and  truths  into  practice. 

Then  observe,  they  are  the  principles  and  practice  of  Divine 
Truth.  "  The  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 
Surely  if  the  proper  end  of  man's  existence  is  to  be  brought  into 
the  service  of  his  God,  the  proper  end  of  his  education  is,  that  he 
should  be  trained  for  that  service. 

Accordingly,  there  is  scarcely  any  command  in  the  Scriptures, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  523 

tliat  is  more  frequently  insisted  on  by  their  Divine  Author,  than 
the  instruction  of  children  in  "The  nurture  and  admonition 
OF  THE  Lord."  We  have  it  set  before  us,  in  Deuteronomy,  where 
the  Lord  speaking  by  Moses  to  the  children  of  Israel,  saith,  '■'■For 
what  nation  is  there  so  great,  that  hath  God  so  nigh  unto  them, 
as  the  Lord  our  God  is  in  all  things  that  tve  call  upon  him  for  ? 
and  what  nation  is  there  so  great,  that  hath  statutes  and  judg- 
ments so  righleoiis  as  all  this  laic  which  I  set  before  you  this 
day  !■  Only  take  heed  to  thyself  and  keep  thy  soul  diligently, 
lest  thou  forget  the  things  which  thine  eyes  haxie  seen,  and  lest 
they  depart  from  tluj  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life,  but  teach 
them  thy  sons  and  thy  son^s  sonsP     Deut.  iv.  7,  8,  9. 

It  is  utterly  impossible  we  can  be  anxious  to  teach  our  children 
that  which  we  disregard  ourselves.  A  mother  is  exceedingly  desi- 
rous that  her  child  should  excel  in  accomplishments — she  places  a 
high  estimate  on  them.  Accordingly,  she  will  spend  her  time,  her 
efforts,  her  labor,  her  money,  in  striving  to  have  her  child  well 
instructed  in  these.  Another  parent  is  anxious  that  their  child 
shall  excel  in  languages  and  sciences,  and  they  use  every  effort 
they  can,  to  have  their  children  instructed  in  these.  Others  again 
consider  it  of  primary  importance,  that  their  children  should  excel 
in  industry,  and  in  providing  for  themselves  in  their  profession,  or 
their  business,  whatever  it  may  be ;  and  you  see  parents  spend 
tiieir  anxieties,  and  all  their  energies,  to  instruct  their  children  in 
these  things.  Why? — Because  they  are  uppermost  in  their  own 
thoughts,  because  they  are  the  things  they  value  most,  on  which 
their  own  hearts  are  set,  in  which  their  own  time  is  occupied. 
The  mother  is  anxious  to  set  off  her  child  to  the  best  advantage, 
she  wishes  that  she  and  her  family  should  appear  well  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  The  father  is  very  anxious  that  his  son  should  be 
distinguished  in  literary  attainments,  and  make  great  progress  in 
the  learned  professions,  therefore  it  is  the  desire  of  his  heart  to 
spend  his  thoughts,  and  time,  and  money,  on  these.  The  mer- 
chant— the  shopkeeper — the  tradesman,  are  very  anxious  that 
their  children  should  excel  in  the  business  or  trade  to  which  he 
wishes  to  bring  them  up,  and  therefore  he  devotes  his  time  and 
labor  to  this.  But  if  the  parent  really  feels  that  God  and  his 
Truth — His  AVord — His  Law — His  Gospel — ^His  Salvation — His 
Service,  are  the  first  and  most  important  things  for  his  own  soul ; 
and  that  everything  else  is  comparatively  insignificant,  as  it  is ; 
he  will  impress  the  truth  of  God  on  the  heart  of  his  children,  and 
his  children  will  know  from  both  his  precept  and  example,  that  he 
does  count  it  the  most  important  thing  for  himself  and  for  them, 
that  it  is  the  first  desire  of  his  soul  to  fulfil  this    precept,  and 

to    "  BRINC4     THEM    UP    IN    THE    NURTURE    AND    ADMONITION    OF 

THE  Lord." 

Dear  friends,  what  signify  all  the  things  of  this  world  for  our 
children  ?  What  would  it  profit  if  our  children  possessed  all  the 
accomplishments  —  beauty  —  learning  —  talents  —  wealth  of  the 
world — what  are  they  all  ?     I  would  rather  see  ray  child  covered 


524  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

with  sores,  like  Lazarus — carried  from  door  to  door — desiring  to 
be  fed  with  crumbs  that  fall  from  the  tables  of  the  rich — I  would 
rather  see  my  child  thus,  and  enjoy  the  blessed  hope  that  his  soul 
was  leaning  on  Jesus — than  see  him  at  the  head  of  an  empire, 
and  have  the  misery  of  thinking  that  he  was  on  the  road  to 
everlasting  destruction.  Oh  !  think  of  this,  consider  this.  Alas  ! 
if  you  saw,  as  perhaps  you  may  have  seen  or  yet  may  see, 
your  children  laid  on  a  dreary  bed  of  illness,  if  you  saw  them 
lying  cold  in  death  before  you — if  conscience  tells  you,  and  bitter 
memory  ratifies  the  accusing  voice  of  conscience,  that  instead 
of  endeavoring  to  bring  your  children  to  God,  who  has  sum- 
moned them  away,  you  trained  them  up  for  the  world,  which 
they  have  left  to  darkness,  to  despair,  and  to  you — ^"  What  icill 
you  do  in  the  end  thereof  7^''  What  will  your  feelings  be?  When 
you  think  that  your  children  through  your  criminal  neglect,  may 
have  gone  to  everlasting  death — that  you  neglected  their  souls  ; 
and  that  all  your  anxieties  and  cares,  were  expended  in  laboring 
for  their  progress  and  advancement  in  this  wretched  world.  Alas  ! 
Alas  !  the  bitterness,  the  anguish  of  the  thought !  my  child,  Alas  ! 
my  child — my  lost,  neglected  child  ! 

But,  it  is  in  vain  to  talk  of  the  education  of  children,  if  the 
hearts  of  the  parents  themselves  are  not  impressed  with  true  re- 
ligion. Therefore  the  Lord  saith  again  in  Deuteronomy,  "  These 
words  which  I  command  thee  this  day  shall  he  in  thine  heart, 
and  thou  shalt  teach  thetn  diligently  unto  thy  children,  ajid  shalt 
talk  of  them  when  thou  slttest  in  thine  house ;  and  when  thou 
walkest  by  the  viay,  and  wlien  thou  liest  down  and  when  thou 
risest  up,  and  thou  shalt  hind,  them  for  a  sign  upon  thine  hand, 
and,  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  between  thine  eyes,  and  thou  shalt 
ivrite  thetn  upon  the  posts  of  thy  house,  and  on  thy  gates." 
Deut.  vi.  6—9. 

You  see,  you  must  have  the  truth  in  your  own  heart,  before 
you  can  impress  that  truth  on  the  minds  of  your  children.  Dear 
friends,  if  your  children  are  children  of  God,  the  Lord  will  take 
care  of  them.  If  my  children  are  children  of  God,  I  have  no 
anxiety  about  their  temporal  concerns ;  because  I  know  they  shall 
have  the  portion,  not  of  my  children,  but  the  portion  of  the 
children  of  the  King  of  kings — the  Lord  will  give  them  the  por- 
tion of  His  children — the  Lord  will  take  care  of  them — "  Jehovah 
JIREH."  The  Lord  will  provide — is  settled  on  them  for  an  everlast- 
ing inheritance.  All  things  are  working  for  their  good— everything 
is  ordained  for  their  happiness,  because  they  are  the  children  of  God. 

The  Lord  may  be  pleased  to  bring  them  low  in  the  world,  to 
bow  them  down,  to  afflict  them  with  difficulties  and  trials  ;  but  if 
He  does,  that  is  the  path  in  which  He  calls  them  to  glorify  Him, 
that  is  their  inheritance.  His  eye — His  hand — His  heart — are 
over  them.  His  power  and  love  are  engaged  in  their  behalf;  I  do 
not  care,  it  would  not  cost  me  a  thought  about  their  temporal  con- 
cerns, let  me  but  know  that  they  are  saints  of  the  living  God,  mem- 
bers of  the  King's  household.     And  if  I  commit  my  own  cares,  my 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  525 

own  soul,  all  I  value  in  time  and  eternity  to  the  hands  of  my  God, 
can  I  not  commit  my  children  to  Him  too  'I  All  the  happiness  I  have 
for  my  own  heart,  I  can  have  for  my  children,  (I  can  have  no 
happiness  in  the  earth  more  than  this)  if  I  am  able  to  look  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  my  Hope  and  Refuge.*  If  I  am,  I  know 
that  the  Lord  will  order  all  things  for  me.  I  may  be  encompassed 
with  trials  and  perplexities,  but  they  must  all  be  good  for  me, 
"  We  glory, ^^  saith  the  Apostle,  "  in  tribulation  also,  knowing 
that  tribulation  worketh  patience,  atid  patience  experience,  and 
experience  hope,  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed,  because  the 
love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  giveji  unto  us."  Rom.  v.  3,  4,  5. 

This  is  the  portion  of  the  Lord's  children,  they  are  provided  for 
in  time  and  in  eternity.  Oh  !  what  a  load  it  lifts  ofl'  Christian 
parents  !  what  a  mountain  it  rolls  off  our  hearts  !  Indeed  it  does  ! 
And  what  a  blessed  illustration  of  the  truth  that  "  Godliness  is 
profitable  for  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is 
and  that  which  is  to  comeP  1st  Tim.  iv.  8. 

And  then,  my  dear  young  friends,  consider  this  for  yourselves. 
If  you  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
'•'•  All  things  are  yours P  Your  hearts  may  be  delivered  from  all 
care  about  temporal  concerns ;  if  you  have  the  one  thing  need- 
ful, the  promise  is  express  and  direct,  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  youP  Matt.  vi.  33. 

If  you  are  brought  like  Mary  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  to 
choose  that  better  portion,  then,  it  "  Shall  not  be  taken  away  from, 
yoiiP  Luke  x.  42.  Oh  !  think  of  this,  and  what  is  the  compara- 
tive value  of  anything  else?  Can  you  say  of  anything  else  in 
the  world,  it  shall  not  be  taken  from  you  ?  What  is  it  ?  Youth  ? 
Beauty?  Accomplishments?  Health?  Wealth?  Fame?  Friends? 
Those  that  are  dearest  on  earth  ?  Life  itself?  Alas  !  all,  all, 
are  passing  away,  "  And  like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision,  leave 
not  a  wreck  behind." 

But  if  you  are  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  if  you  are  taught  to  choose  that  better  portion,  this,  this 
shall  not  be  taken  from  you  forever  ;  Christ  does  not  decay,  Christ 
does  not  fade  away,  Christ  does  not  vanish  like  a  shadow,  like  the 
things  of  time  and  sense.  Oh  !  no — Jesus,  the  Lord  of  glory,  is  an 
everlasting  treasure,  '•'■Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day 
and  forever P  Heb.  xiii.  6.  This — this  is  the  portion  for  our  sons, 
and  our  daughters,  even  '■'■The  unsearchable  riches  of  ChristP 
Then  consider  this  my  dear  young  friends,  and  "  Seek  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near^'' 
Isa.  Iv.  6.  This  is  His  promise,  and  this  is  His  testimony  :  "  / 
love  them  that  love  m,e ;  and  those  that  seek  ine  early  shall 
find  tne.  Riches  and  honor  are  with  me ;  yea,  durable  riches 
and  righteousness.  My  fruit  is  better  than  gold,  yea,  than  fine 
gold ;  and  my  revenue  than  choice  silver.  I  lead  in  the  way  of 
righteousness,  in  the  m,idst  of  the  paths  of  judgment ;  that  I 


526  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

may  cause  those  that  love  me  to  inherit  substance ;  and  I  will 
fill  their  treasures.''''  Prov.  viii.  17, 18, 19,  20,  21. 

The  Lord  shows,  that  the  instruction  of  children  is  so  import- 
ant that  He  gives  this  as  one  of  the  reasons  for  His  statutes  and 
His  ordinances,  H«  says  :  "  And  when  thy  son  asketh  thee  in  time 
to  come,  saying,  what  mean  the  testimonies,  and  the  statutes,  and 
the  judgments,  which  the  Lord  oar  God  hath  commanded  you^ 
The  Lord  supposes  the  children  of  the  Israelites,  to  see  as  they 
grow  up,  the  daily  sacrifices,  the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  the 
different  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  and  to  ask,  "  What  is  the  mean- 
ing of  this  sacrifice?  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ordinance?" 
"  When  thy  son  asketh  thee  in  time  to  come,  saying,  what  mean 
the  testimonies,  and  the  statutes,  and  the  judgments,  which  the 
Lord  our  God  hath  cominanded  you  7  then  thou  shalt  say  unto 
thy  son,  toe  were  PharaoKs  bond-men  i7i  Egypt :  and  the  Lord 
brought  us  out  of  Egypt  ivith  a  mighty  hand :  and  the  Lord 
showed  signs  and  wonders,  great  and  sore,  upon  Egypt,  upon 
Pharoah,  and  upon  all  his  household,  before  our  eyes :  and  he 
brought  us  out  from  thence,  that  He  might  bring  us  in,  to  give 
us  the  latid  which  He  sivare  unto  our  fathers.''^  Deut.  vi.  20.  21, 
22,  23.  They  were  to  instruct  their  children,  what  were  the  ori- 
gin, end,  and  object,  of  all  these  ordinances. 

We  see  the  same  thing  in  Joshua,  Avhen  the  Lord  commands  a 
man  of  every  tribe,  to  bring  out  twelve  stones,  a  stone  for  every 
tribe,  out  of  the  midst  of  the  river,  and  there  erect  these  stones 
into  a  monument;  He  says,  "  That  this  Tnay  be  a  sign  amo7ig 
you,  that  when  your  children  ask  their  fathers  in  time  to  come, 
saying,  lohat  mean  you  by  these  stones  7  Then  ye  shall  answer 
thetn,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before  the  Ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord  ;  when  it  passed  over  Jordan,  the  ivaters 
of  Jordan  loere  cut  off:  and  these  stones  shall  be  for  a  memorial 
unto  the  children  of  Israel  forever.'^  Josh.  iv.  6,  7. 

You  see  the  ordinances  that  the  Lord  appointed,  and  this  was 
one  especial  use  of  them,  that  they  should  be  always  a  means  of 
instructing  children,  and  teaching  the  ways,  the  truth,  and  the 
dealings,  of  the  Lord  with  his  people.  Thus  there  is  nothing  more 
strongly  set  forth  throughout  the  word  of  God,  nothing  more 
strongly  impressed,  on  the  people  of  Israel  than  this,  that  they 
should  teach  and  instriict  their  children,  diligently  in  the  ways  of 
the  Lord. 

And  as  it  belongs  to  the  Father  of  lights  to  enlighten  His  peo- 
ple, and  to  impress  on  them  the  deep  necessity  there  is  for  instruct- 
ing their  children  in  the  things  that  belong  to  their  peace  ;  so  it  is- 
one  of  the  first  aims  of  the  prince  of  darkness,  to  intercept  the 
light  of  truth  from  the  young  mind,  and  to  prevent  children  from 
being  brought  up  "  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
LORD."  We  have  a  melancholy  example  of  this  in  our  own  coun- 
try. Look  at  this  miserable  land — one  of  the  heaviest  blows,  that 
Satan  can  aim  at  the  existence  of  the  Christian  religion  in  a 
country,  is  to  prevent  the  children  from  being  taught  in  the  knowl- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  527 

edge  of  God.  See  how  he  has  succeeded  in  this  country  at  this 
moment,  so  as  to  set  up  a  system  of  National  Education — to  shut 
out  the  Ught  and  authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  from  the  schools 
and  cottages  of  the  poor — to  supersede  in  every  National  School, 
this  very  command  of  God;  and  to  secure  to  parents  under  the 
Papal  yoke,  the  pretended  right  to  disobey  ;  and  that  they  shall 
not  bring  up  their  children  "  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 

OF  THE  LORD." 

Now  as  it  is  God's  work  to  bring  up  children,  "  in  the  nur- 
ture   AND    ADMONITION    OF    THE    LORD,"  it    is    the    WOlk    of  the 

prince  of  darkness  to  prevent  it ;  because  if  the  youth  of  a  Nation 
are  brought  up,  "in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord" — if  children  are  educated  in  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth — 
if  God's  Holy  Word  is  made  the  standard  of  their  instruction,  we 
may  hope  and  expect  under  the  Divine  blessing,  that  true  religion 
shall  make  a  corresponding  progress  in  the  nation  ;  and  that  the 
nation  shall  consequently  derive  a  blessing,  from  God's  sacred 
truth. 

But  if  the  Word  of  the  Living  God  is  shut  out  from  the  instruc- 
tion of  a  nation,  the  necessary  consequence  must  be,  that  the  na- 
tion must  grow  up  in  ignorance  of  God  and  of  true  religion  ;  and 
therefore,  it  is  the  policy  of  the  enemy  of  souls  by  every  means, 
to  exclude  the  light  of  truth  from  the  soul.  Yet  the  cry  is  now, 
"  Educate,  educate  the  people,  let  knowledge  be  diffused  and  cul- 
tivated among  the  rising  generation,  to  the  utmost.  But  God's 
authority  shall  not  be  asserted — God's  Word  shall  not  be  made  an 
authoritative  standard  of  instruction  in  any  school — the  law  of 
the  school  shall  be,  that  every  child  shall  have  a  right  to  refuse 
subjection  to  the  authority  of  God."  That  is  in  plain  English,  let 
Satan  have  unrestricted  power  to  corrupt  and  pervert  the  minds 
of  children,  let  God's  government,  and  God's  authority  be  shut  out 
of  their  hearts.     That  is  the  plain  state  of  the  case. 

To  educate  the  human  mind  without  the  Word  of  God,  is  to 
cultivate  man's  intellect  at  the  expense  of  his  principles.  To 
improve  his  reasoning  faculties  at  the  expense  of  his  moral  quali- 
ties, is  to  increase  his  power  of  indulging  his  natural  evil  pro- 
pensities, to  the  exclusion  of  the  only  counteracting  power  of 
good. 

We  hear  on  every  side  the  common  cant : — ^"  Surely,  if  men 
will  not  receive  education  in  the  Bible,  it  is  better  to  give  tliem  the 
education  they  will  receive,  than  to  give  them  none  at  all.  Better 
to  educate  them  without  the  Bible,  than  to  leave  them  in  utter 
ignorance." 

No  principle  can  be  more  destitute  of  truth.  Intellect  cultivated 
without  religion  brings  man  nearer  to  the  devil.  It  gives  power 
and  activity  to  evil.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  name  men  of  this 
or  of  any  age,  exalted  by  their  talents  and  destitute  of  religion,  of 
whom  it  may  truly  be  said,  it  were  a  blessing  to  themselves  and 
their  country  if  they  had  never  learned  to  spell. 

Many  will,  I  know,  consider  this  a  barbarous  sentiment ;  they 


528  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

will  tell  us  that  the  refinement — the  improvement — the  very  civi- 
lization of  mankind  must  depend  on  education.  I  know  it ;  but 
when  religion  is  not  the  basis  of  that  education,  it  but  aggravates 
responsibility  and  guilt,  to  go  intellectually  and  learnedly  to  per- 
dition. 

Unsanctified  education — unsanctified  refinement — the  progress 
of  ungodly  men  in  arts  and  sciences  ;  but  gives  to  man  increased 
capability  and  power  of  promoting  evil  and  opposing  good.  So,  it 
is  seen  at  this  very  moment.  Never  was  irreligion  more  rife  in 
the  British  empire,  than  it  is  at  this  day.  Whatever  may  be  said 
of  the  increase  of  religion  among  individuals,  never  was  the  na- 
tion, as  a  nation,  more  awfully  irreligious,  than  it  is  at  this  moment ; 
and  there  can  be  no  greater  proof  of  it,  than,  not  merely  the  tole- 
ration, but  the  progress  of  that  one  wicked,  anti-christian  princi- 
ple— let  men  be  educated  without  the  Bible.  The  command  of 
the  mighty  God  to  parents  for  their  children  is,  "  bring  them  up 

IN  THE  NURTURE  AND  ADMONITION  OF  THE  LoRD."  The  Com- 
mand of  the  prince  of  darkness  is,  bring  them  up  without  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

God's  command  is,  "  Bring  them  up  for  me."  The  devil's  com- 
mand is,  "  bring  them  up  for  me" — and  if  they  are  brought  up 
without  religion,  the  devil  is  obeyed  ;  they  are  brought  up  for  the 
devil  and  not  for  God. 

Think  of  this,  my  friends  !  No  man  considers  the  subject  as  he 
ought  for  himself,  who  does  not  consider  it  as  anxiously  for  his 
country.  And  there  is  no  greater  proof  of  the  want  of  pure,  sound 
religion,  among  the  Protestants  of  Ireland,  than  the  passive  apathy 
with  which  they  have  sat  down  under  a  system  of  National  Edu- 
cation, that  shuts  out  God's  Eternal  Word  from  the  instruction  of 
the  children  of  their  country.  There  is  no  man,  who  deserves  the 
name  of  Christian,  whose  protest  ought  not  to  be  loud — whose 
voice  ought  not  to  peal  from  north  to  south,  and  east  and  west  of 
this  island,  against  a  system  so  dishonoring  to  God  as  this.  As- 
suredly, it  must  end  in  the  destruction,  the  utter  desolation  of  a 
land  which  dares  to  say — Jehovah  shall  not  exercise  the  authority 
of  His  Word,  to  instruct  and  rule  the  minds  of  the  inhabitants  of 
their  country.  Assuredly,  a  nation  that  casts  off  the  authority  of 
God,  may  well  begin  to  tremble.  Let  not  the  Protestants  of  this 
nation,  or  this  empire,  flatter  themselves  that  God  will  guard  the 
establishments  of  their  religion,  when  they  abandon  the  founda- 
tion of  that  Eternal  Word,  on  which  alone,  it  is,  or  ought  to  be, 
established.  Their  laws — their  institutions — their  properties — 
their  liberties — all  that  is,  or  can  be  dear  to  men,  shall  be  like  the 
driven  stubble  before  the  hurricane,  when  Jehovah  shall  lay  His 
hand  on  them  for  their  wickedness.  O  think  !  thus  saith  the 
Lord,  "  Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine  hands  he  strong,  in 
the  day  that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  1  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it, 
and  will  do  itJ^  Ezek.  xxii.  14.* 

*  The  Author's  sentiments  expressed  in  this  Lecture  in  the  year  1837,  continue  un- 
changed at  the  end  of  ten  years,  when  they  are  now  issued  from  the  press.     The 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  529 

How  men  are  to  "bring  their  children  up  in  the  nur- 
ture AND  ADMONITION  OF  THE  LoRD."  the  Sciipture  Icaves  us 
at  no  loss  to  determine.  The  Apostle  fully  instructs  us  in  2d 
Tim.,  and  now  observe  what  he  says,  he  addresses  his  beloved 
Timothy  thus : — ^'■Greatly  desiring  to  see  thee,  being  mindful  of 
thy  tears,  that  I  may  be  filled  xoith  joy ;  when  I  call  to  remem- 
brance the  unfeigned  faith  that  is  in  thee,  which  dwelt  first  in 
thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy  mother  Eunice  ;  and  I  am  'per- 
suaded that  in  thee  also.''''  What  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to  have 
a  pious  grandmother  and  a  pious  mother !  I  lost  my  mother 
when  two  years  old,  and  I  was  consigned  to  the  care  of  a  beloved 
grandmother,  a  servant  of  her  God.  She  brought  me  up  at  her 
knee ;  taught  me  much  of  this  blessed  Word  as  the  earliest  lesson 
of  my  childhood.  What  a  gracious  mercy  !  A  woman  may  be 
very  old,  very  infirm,  very  feeble — she  was  very  feeble  and  infirm  ; 
she  was  an  invalid  for  thirty  years  ;  she  could  hardly  move  across 
the  room  v/ithout  assistance ;  but  she  could  teach  me  the  Word 
of  God — she  could  teach  her  grandchild  to  commit  passages  of  the 
Holy  Scripture  to  memory ;  and  I  bless  those  sainted  lips  that 
taught  me  lessons  in  infancy,  which  I  remember  to  this  day. 

So  you  perceive  the  genuine  spirit  of  faith,  of  which  the  Apostle 
speaks  :  "  Which  dwelt  first  in  thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy 
mother  Eunice  ;  and  lam  persuaded  that  in  thee  also.''   2  Tim.  i.  5. 

Writer  is  convinced,  that  it  is  presumptuous  in  man  to  assume,  that  he  can  certainly 
specify  any  national  sin,  as  being  the  direct  cause  of  God's  judgments  being  poured 
but  on  a  nation.  In  truth,  unless  God  were  to  reveal  it,  it  can  scarcely  be  said,  with 
Scriptural  propriety,  that  any  one  given  sin  is  the  cause  of  them. 

The  sins  of  nations  as  of  ungodly  individuals,  are  not  the  mere  occasional  lapses 
of  those  who  are  servants  of  God,  but  the  workings  and  evidences  of  growintr  wicked- 
ness, and  increasing  alienation  from  Him,  which  mark  the  character  and  constitution 
of  the  national  mind,  and  of  which,  manifestations  of  greater  or  less  magnitude  appear 
from  time  to  time,  till  they  accumulate  to  fill  the  cup  of  a  nation's  guilt ;  and  the  Lord 
pours  out  His  judgments  wiien  the  measure  of  its  iniquity  is  full.  Herod  slew  James, 
and  apprehended  Peter  with  intent  to  slay  him  also :  this  murder  and  persecution  of 
the  Lord's  disciples,  might  justly  have  been  supposed  to  call  down  judgments  on  the 
murderer;  but  it  was  not,  till  the  pride  of  his  heart,  which  human  eye  never  saw, 
appropriated  to  himself  the  glory  due  to  God,  for  his  gift  of  eloquence,  that  the  meas- 
ure of  his  iniquity  was  filled  up,  and  the  hand  of  God  smote  him  with  worms. 
Acts  xii. 

But  it  is  most  just  and  lawful  for  ministers  of  Christ,  to  mark  out  and  specify  acts 
of  national  guilt,  which  are  calculated  from  their  iniquity,  to  call  down  judgments  on  a 
nation,  and  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  her  guilt,  which  have  a  necessary  tendency  to 
insult  the  Majesty  of  God.  and  to  provoke  the  Divine  vengeance. 

Of  such  a  nature,  the  Writer  is  conscientiously  satisfied,  is  the  Board  of  National 
Education  in  Ireland;  and  though  it  would  be  presumptuous,  and  he  thinks  untrue, 
to  specify  this,  which  is  but  one  among  a  series  of  great  and  growing  national  crimes; 
yet  he  thinks,  it  is  one  of  the  many,  which  have  provoked  the  Lord  to  stretch  out  His 
hand  in  judgment,  and  take  away  the  stay  of  bread  from  the  country. 

It  is  to  be  remembered,  that  in  that  very  year,  when  in  defiance  of  all  remonstrance, 
and  all  entreaties  for  Parliaaientary  aid,  in  promoting  Scriptural  Instruction  for  Ire- 
land, not  only  was  it  peremptorily  refused,  but  the  System  of  National  Education  was 
incorporated  in  this  country,  which  interdicts  the  authoritative  distribution  of  the 
"  Bread  of  Life"  in  every  National  School ;  and  establishes  a  counter  authority  to  in- 
terdict its  reception  by  every  child,  on  the  pretence  of  a  parental  right  to  do  so,  but 
really  to  maintain  the  power  of  Apostate  Rome. — It  is  to  be  remembered,  that  in  that 
very  year,  God  has  taken  away  the  means  of  support  from  the  people,  and  made  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land  to  feel  the  might  of  His  arm,  and  the  terror  of  His  righteous 
visitation. 

34 


530  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

And  how  was  Timothy  instructed  ?  We  read  in  the  third  chap- 
ter: ^^ Continue  thou  in  the  things  which  thou  hast  learned^  and 
hast  been  assured  of,  knowing  of  whom  thou  hast  learned  them ; 
and  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  knoimi  the  holy  scriptures,  v^hich 
are  able  to  make  thee  %vise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is 
in  Christ  JesusP  2  Tim.  iii.  14,  15,  16.  The  doctrine  of  the 
prince  of  darl<;ness  is,  that  "  experience  teaches  us  that  more  evil 
than  good,  resuUs  from  the  unrestricted  reading  of  the  holy  script- 
ures."* Hence  the  pretence  that  the  Bible  is  a  book  too  difficult 
for  a  child.  Yea,  hence  from  a  pretended  reverence  for  it,  it  is  too 
holy  to  be  tossed  about,  as  a  school  book.  Those  who  follow  the 
precepts  of  the  prince  of  darkness,  and  walk  in  his  ways,  they  say 
the  same  things,  and  act  on  them  too  ;  but  Jehovah  saith,  "  bring 

THEM  UP  IN    THE    NURTURE    AND    ADMONITION    OF    THE    LoRD," 

Jehovah  teacheth  how  this  is  effected  too,  ^'■From  a  child  thou 
hast  knoivn  the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  able  to  7nake  thee  loise 
unto  salvation  through  faith  ivhich  is  in  Christ  JesusP  What 
matter  what  the  world  or  the  prince  of  this  world — or  all  the  rulers 
of  the  darkness  of  the  world  say,  when  God  saith  so?  What  is 
the  answer?  ^'-Let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liarf'  Rom. 
iii.  4.  He  saith.  His  Holy  Scripture  is  able  to  make  children  wise 
unto  salvation,  His  Word  is  "the  nurture,"  His  Word  is  the 
"admonition  of  the  Lord." 

What  a  blessing  it  is  for  a  mother  to  train  up  her  child  in  the 
holy  Scriptures ;  to  nourish  up  her  child  in  the  word  of  the  Living 
God.  Oh  !  what  a  blessing  is  promised — and  what  a  blessing 
rests  upon  her  instruction  ! 

What  a  blessing  for  a  sister  to  teach  her  little  brothers  and  sis- 
ters the  Word  of  God  !  there  is  no  way  in  which  you  learn  more 
of  the  Scriptures  yourselves,  than  by  teaching  them  to  others. 
God  blesses  you :  "iJe  thai  watereth  shall  be  ivatered  also  hi?n- 
self^''  Prov.  xi.  25.  That  is  His  testimony,  and  His  testimony  is 
true,  and  you  shall  find  it  so,  you  shall  find  a  blessing  in  teaching ; 
for  in  teaching  others,  you  shall  be  taught  yourself  of  God,  the 
Lord  will  be  teaching  you  when  you  are  teaching  His  precious 
Word.  I  never  learned  more  of  Scripture  than  in  teaching  young 
persons  in  a  Sunday  School ;  and  you  will  find,  by  experience, 
that  a  blessing  rests  on  it. 

A  parent  or  a  teacher  cannot  teach  a  child  the  simplest  text  in 
the  Bible,  that  they  are  not  learning  a  lesson  they  require  as  much 
themselves.  You  have  God's  Word  to  encourage  you,  and  dear 
friends,  when  we  have  the  Lord's  Word  to  lean  on,  with  what 
confidence  may  we  go  on  in  anything?  Let  us  have  but  the 
Lord's  Word — the  Lord's  testimony — the  Lord's  assurance  of  any- 
thing on  earth,  and  We  may  go  on  straight  forward,  without  caring 
or  thinking  of  what  man  says,  or  looking  to  the  right  hand  or  to 
the  left.  ^'Thus  saith  the  Lord,^^  that  is  enough.  On  that  we 
may  venture  all  in  time  and  all  in  eternity.     Therefore  O  ye 

*  See  Rule  IV.  of  the  Papal  Index  Lib.  Prohib. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  531 

parents!  "bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
OF  THE  Lord."  This  divine  instruction  is  to  the  mind,  as  nour- 
ishment from  the  mother's  bosom  to  the  child,  thus  saith  the 
Apostle :  "^5  ne^v  born  babes  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  i/jord, 
that  ye  may  grow  thereby^''  1  Pet.  ii.  2,  as  a  babe  grows  from  t  be 
nourishment  it  draws  from  its  mother's  breast ;  so  the  soul  grows 
from  the  nourishment  it  derives  from  God's  Word — '■'■Desire  the 
sincere^'  (that  is  the  pure,  unadulterated)  "  milk  of  the  word  that 
ye  may  grow  thereby.''''* 

Now  the  growth  of  a  child — the  strengthening  of  a  child  is 
gradual,  continual,  but  imperceptible  to  the  child  ;  so  the  growth 
in  spiritual  strength  and  spiritual  knowledge  through  the  Word  of 
God  is  gradual ;  it  is  imperceptible  to  the  person  who  is  receiving 
nourishment,  but  still  it  is  certain,  they  are  still  growing.  The 
child,  at  the  end  of  a  year,  or  two  years,  will  be  able  to  see  and 
feel  that  it  can  walk,  and  can  do  many  things — that  it  has  strength, 
much  greater  than  it  had  one  or  two  years  before,  though  on  no 
one  given  day,  could  the  child  feel  it  had  gained  strength  by  the 
nourishment  of  that  day.  So,  persons  who  feed  on  ^'^  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  loord^''  will  be  able  to  feel  that  they  have  derived  power 
— strength — refreshment  from  its  divine  and  life-giving  nutriment, 
though  they  cannot  feel  its  sensible  increase  on  each  successive  day. 

When  you  open  your  Bible,  and  read  your  allotted  portions,  you 
may  not  feel  you  have  derived  any  spiritual  strength  or  made  any 
spiritual  progress; — nay,  you  may  feel  directly  the  reverse — you 
may  feel  it  has  been  a  sealed  book  to  your  soul,  and  yet,  if  you  are 
a  child  of  God,  you  are  making  progress  all  the  while. 

How  can  that  be?     I  will  tell  you  how. 

You  open  your  Bible,  as  perhaps  you  often  do,  and  you  sit  down 
to  read — and  you  read — and  you  close  your  Bible,  and  you  find— 
what?  that  you  have  not  derived  one  particle  of  profit  from  a  sin- 
gle word  you  have  been  reading — nay,  that  you  have  not  been 
able  to  apply  your  mind  to  it,  or  to  give  it  the  least  attention,  that 
your  heart  has  been  wandering  after  some  vanity,  or  folly,  in  which 
you  really  feel  no  interest — you  awaken  as  it  were  from  a  wan- 
dering dream,  and  you  feel  but  self-conviction  and  condemnation 
as  all  the  profit  that  you  have  derived  from  reading  your  Bible. 

*  I  cannot  but  record  here,  as  I  heard  it  from  a  brother  Clergyman,  a  specimen  of 
that  struggle  which  the  powers  of  dariiness  are  carrying  on  in  unhappy  Ireland. 
aided,  I  lament  to  say,  as  the  National  Board  and  the  Endowment  of  Maynootli 
testify,  by  those  who  ought  to  be  the  last  to  patronize  and  promote  the  reign  of  igno- 
rance and  falsehood,  through  the  instrumentality  of  spiritual  taskmasters,  againsfthe 
poor  Roman  Catholics,  who  are  longing  for  the  hght  and  Uberty  of  God^s  blessed 
truth. 

A  Priest  was  threatening  a  poor  Roman  Catholic,  who  he  was  informed,  presumed 
to  have  a  Bible  in  his  possession,  and  told  him  amongst  other  reasons,  why  he  had  no 
right  to  have  it,  that,  "  He  had  no  business  with  the  Bible,  for  St.  Peter  said,  it  was 
not  the  Word,  but  the  milk  of  the  Word  he  ought  to  have" — and  he  confirmed  his 
assertion  by  this  text,  1st  Pet.  ii.  2.  "  I  know  that  well,  please  your  Reverence  " 
rephed  the  poor  man,  "  but  for  fear  the  milk  should  be  adulterated.  I  like  to  keep  the 
cow  that  gives  it  with  me  in  the  house."  Neither  Popish  Priests  nor  those  who  help 
them,  can  be  able  to  keep  such  a  people  long  in  spiritual  slavery,  if  those  who  are  the 
servants  of  God,  will  be  faithful  to  use  the  talents  entrusted  to  them. 


532  LECTURES    ON    Tilt    EPIIESIANS. 

"  Alas  !"  you  say, — "  Wljat  have  I  been  thinking  of?  I  cannot 
bring  iny  mind  to  apply  even  to  a  single  chapter  of  my  Bible,  my 
vacant  eye  has  been  floating  over  the  page,  Vv^iiile  my  heart  has 
been  wandering  like  the  fool's  eye  to  the  ends  of  tiie  earth.  1  have 
read  my  Bible  only  to  condemn  me,  I  have  derived  no  benefit  from 
this  blessed  word  at  all." 

Such  may  be  your  exercise— such  I  know  has  often  been  my  own. 

Well  now,  can  I  truly  say  in  this,  I  have  derived  no  benefit  from 
this  painful  exercise  ?  no  profit — no  instruction  from  the  Bible  ? 
jiay,  but  on  the  contrary — much  benefit — much  experimental 
knowledge  of  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Bible. 

How  so?  How  can  this  be?  Because  that  Bible  tells  you, 
"  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked, 
who  can  know  it  'P  Jer.  xvii.  9.  Now  you  have  been  learning  the 
truth  of  this  lesson  of  your  own  wicked  vile  heart,  and  you  have 
been  learning  practically,  from  experience  however  painful,  the 
truth  of  God's  Word,  as  to  the  vileness  of  that  heart ;  and  even  in 
that  way,  when  you  feel  you  have  derived  no  profit  from  the  Bible, 
you  have  derived  great  profit,  because  you  have  learned  your  own 
wickedness,  and  helplessness,  and  that  you  can  do  nothing,  with- 
out the  Spirit  of  God, — that  you  may  read  your  Bible  over  and 
over,  and  at  the  end  be  as  ignorant  as  when  you  began,  if  you  are 
looking  to  your  own  wisdom  and  leaning  on  your  own  understand- 
ing. You  have  learned  that  the  Word  of  God  is  a  dead  letter 
without  the  Spirit  of  God  to  teach  you  to  know  it — that  you  must 
look  to  God,  Paul  might  preach  to  you  the  very  words  you  read, 
but  God  must  open  your  heart,  as  he  did  that  of  Lydia,  to  attend 
to  them.  All  your  strength  must  be  derived  froin  God,  and  you 
must  learn,  by  experience,  that  the  very  Bible  itself  is  a  useless 
book  unless  God  the  Holy  Ghost  brings  the  truth  of  that  Bible 
home  to  your  heart  and  conscience.  Therefore  you  are  learning 
a  great  and  important  lesson  when  you  learn  the  corruption — the 
ignorance — the  impotence — the  folly  of  your  own  sinful  heart. 

But  to  return,  "  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition OF  THE  Lord."  You,  my  dear  friends,  who  may  be  dis- 
couraged in  teaching  your  children,  in  sowing  the  seed ;  and  who, 
often  with  an  aching  heart,  shut  your  Bible,  and  sigh  and  say, 
''  Alas  !  my  dear  child,  I  endeavor  to  teach  him  the  word  of  God ; 
but  I  see,  I  cannot  make  the  least  impression  at  all,  he  is  just  as  far 
from  God  as  ever,  I  am  unhappy  and  miserable  about  liis  state." 

Ah,  my  friend !  you  learn  both  from  yourself  and  your  child, 
that  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  water ;  "  But  God  giveth  the 
increase,^''  1st  Cor.  iii.  6,  you  learn  the  important  lesson  of  your 
own  unprofitableness  for  your  children,  as  well  as  for  yourself ;  and 
you  learn,  that  you  must  come  to  God  for  every  blessing  for  their 
souls,  as  for  your  own.  But  still  go  on  in  faith,  and  sow  the  seed. 
How  often  they  that  sow  in  tears,  shall  reap  in  joy. 

As  the  root  of  the  lily*  sleeps  in  its  bed  of  earth,  through  all  the 

•  This  image  cannot  but  be  familiar  to  those,  who  have  read  the  beautiful  lines,  on 
the  lily,  by  the  author  of  Psyche. 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPIIESIANS.  533 

winter  ;  and  while  many  a  storm  blows  over  it,  and  while  it  sleeps 
as  dead,  and  never  puts  forth  a  bud  till  spring-time  comes — yet 
then  the  silken  leaf  bursts  forth,  in  vegetative  life  and  beauty — 
then  it  unfolds  its  snowy  petals,  in  the  vernal  sun  ;  and  He  who 
clothes  it  testifies  that  "  Even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory,  was  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  theseP  So,  dark,  unpromising,  and  cheerless, 
may  be  the  wintry  season,  in  which  the  seed  a  parent's  care  and 
love  has  sown,  may  lie  to  all  appearance  dead  in  the  cold  and 
sterile  heart ;  but  He  who  can  alone  give  vegetative  life  and  power, 
who  clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field,  and  causeth  the  earth  to  bring 
forth  and  bud,  can  in  His  own  spring-time  speak  the  word ;  and 
then  the  blessing  shall  be  given — and  then  the  fruit  of  all  the  care 
and  love  shall  appear — and  then  though  years  may  have  elapsed 
— yea,  though  the  parent  may  never  live  to  see  the  blessing  here, 
though  they  may  not  see  it  even,  till  the  morning  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  yet  then,  even  then,  the  blessed  fruit  of  a  parent's  anxious 
care  and  trouble,  shall  burst  to  light  and  life  ;  and  the'  seed  sown 
in  tears  in  time,  shall  spring  up  into  glory  for  eternity.  There- 
fore, "bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  op 
THE  Lord." 

I  forget  where  I  read  the  story  of  a  pious  minister,  a  faithful 
servant  of  God,  who  had  three  sons,  and  he  had  taken  great 
pains  with  these  three  sons,  and  he  saw  no  fruit  whatever,  no 
blessing  attending  his  labors  ;  and  they  were  a  grief  to  him  as  long 
as  he  lived.  He  died,  and  all  his  sons  came  to  visit  him  on  his 
death-bed.  They  saw  their  father  die.  It  pleased  God  that  he 
should  die  under  a  cloud,  his  mind  was  not  at  liberty,  he  was  not 
able  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  any  sort  of  sensible 
joy,  he  was  rather  sad  and  depressed,  and  expired  in  this  unjoyous 
frame  of  mind.  His  sons  saw  this,  and  while  they  were  sitting 
in  the  room  where  their  father's  corpse  was  lying,  one  said  to  the 
others, 

"  If  our  father — such  a  man — such  a  servant  of  God  as  he  was 
— if  he  has  died  without  joy,  without  sensible  consolation,  how 
shall  we  meet  death,  Oh  !  what  will  become  of  us  ?" 

God  blessed  that  one  solemn  reflection,  to  the  hearts  of  these 
three  sons  ;  and  that  which  all  the  instruction  of  their  father  could 
not  convey  to  them  in  all  his  life,  the  cloud  that  was  thus  sent  a 
messenger  of  mercy,  at  his  death,  brought  home  to  their  con- 
sciences ;  and  they  were  brought  to  think,  and  brought  to  repent, 
and  brought  to  Christ,  by  seeing  their  father  die,  without  comfort 
in  the  prospect  of  death.  So  go  on,  "  hi  the  morning  sow  thy 
seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not  thine  hand :  for  thou 
knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper,  either  this  or  that."  Eccles.  xi.  6. 
Thou  canst  not  tell,  whether  God  will  bless  it  morning  or  evening ; 
for  He  alone  can  do  so.  "  Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters :  for 
thou  shall  find  it  after  many  days."  Eccles.  xi.  1.  Go  on,  in- 
struct your  children,  "  BRING  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
ADMONITION  OF  THE  LoRD,"  iiistruct  them  diligently  in  the  truth, 
and  keep  them  continually  in  mind  of  it. 


534  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,, 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  important  truths  connected  with 
this  sacred  duty,  which,  if  time  permitted,  I  might  bring  under 
your  consideration,  and  I  hope  you  do  not  think  we  have  dwelt 
too  long  on  the  subject.  It  is  exactly  the  same  with  ministers  as 
with  parents,  and  every  person  who  teaches  divine  truth.  We 
are  nothing — we  have  nothing — we  know  nothing — we  can  do 
nothing ;  but  if  we  are  enabled,  in  simplicity,  to  learn,  to  think, 
to  speak,  and  to  walk  according  to  God's  truth ;  God,  who  can  do 
all  things,  can  bless  our  humble  efforts.  He  can  both  enable  us 
to  teach  His  truth,  aud  He  can  bring  home  the  truth  we  teach  to 
our  congregations,  and  the  truths  they  teach,  home  to  the  hearts 
of  their  children. 

I  trust  the  Lord  will  bless  these  remarks  to  those  who  hear  this 
day,  and  enable  us  to  endeavor  to  bring  up  our  children,  or  those 
who  stand  towards  any  of  us  in  any  similar  relation,  whether  we 
are  parents,  guardians,  or  teachers,  "  in  the  nurture  and  ad- 
monition OF  THE  Lord." 

May  the  Lord  teach  and  help  us  to  do  so,  and  impress  on  our 
hearts  the  solemn  responsibility  of  having  God's  Word  as  the 
standard  of  all  instruction  for  ourselves,  our  children,  and  for  our 
country. — Amen. 


FORTY-FIFTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI. — 5,  6,  7. 


"  Servants  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh,  with 
fear  and  trembling,  in  singleness  of  your  heart,  as  unto  Christ;  not  with  eye-service, 
as  men-pleasers ;  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart  ; 
with  good  will  doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men." 

We  come  next  to  consider,  the  duty  of  Christian  servants. 
''Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  mas- 
ters according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and  trembling, 
IN  singleness  of  your  heart  as  unto  Christ." 

"  Verily,  Godliness  is  profitable  for  all  things,  having  promise 
of  the  life  that  noio  is,  and  of  that  ivhich  is  to  comeP  1  Tim.  iv.  7. 
Consider  here,  that  the  persons  addressed  in  this  are  believers — 
true  Christian  servants ;  for  these  exhortations  could  not  be  ad- 
dressed to  any  who  were  not  servants  of  Christ.  These  words : 
"  in  singleness  of  your  heart  as  unto  Christ."  these, 
can  only  be  addressed  to  those  who  belong  to  Christ.  "  The  saints 
and  faithful  brethren  at  Ephesus,^'  whether  husbands  or  wives 
masters  or  servants,  parents  or  children,  these  are  the  persons  ad- 
dressed through  this  Epistle.     It  is  as  vain  to  press  on  unchristian 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  535 

servants,  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  on  Christian  principles,  as 
on  children,  parents  or  masters,  who  are  not  Christians.  You 
cannot  enforce  moral  precepts  on  unconverted  sinners,  from  Christ- 
ian motives  ;  they  do  not  understand  them — they  cannot  put 
them  into  practice.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons,  while  we  are  con- 
tinually upbraided  for  it,  why  we  do  not  enforce  moral  duties  in- 
discriminately on  our  flocks.  We  know  that  a  great  proportion 
of  those  who  hear  us  are  not  competent  to  perform  moral  duties. 
Moral  duties  they  ought  to  perform,  obedience  to  God's  law  is 
necessary — the  first  duty  of  man.  But  how  false  to  flatter  his 
pride,  and  strengthen  him  in  his  natural  presumption  and  ignor- 
ance, by  teUing  him  that  as  a  fallen  sinner  who  has  violated  it, 
he  can  possibly  be  able  to  recover  himself  by  its  observance ;  or 
to  delude  him  with  the  hope  that  he  may  be  able  to  do  so.  I 
must  repeat,  if  it  were  the  thousandth  time,  that  the  first  lesson 
to  teach  him  is,  that  he  is  condemned  under  the  law  for  not  ful- 
filling it ;  and  until  he  is  brought  out  of  that  state  of  condemna- 
tion, through  Him  who  died  for  the  guilty,  into  a  state  of  peace 
with  God,  he  caimot  perform  one  acceptable  duty.  You  might  as 
well  tell  a  dead  body  to  discharge  the  functions  of  life,  as  tell  a 
dead  soul  to  discharge  the  duties  of  a  Christian.  Therefore,  I 
say  whatever  duties  are  enjoined,  or  whoever  be  the  persons,  mas- 
ters or  servants — you  nuist  be  Christians,  before  you  can  act  on 
Christian  principles,  or  discharge  one  duty  acceptably  to  God. 
Education  will  not  make  you  Christians,  outward  instructions — 
means — ordinances — sacraments  will  not  make  you  Christians, 
nothing  can  make  you  so,  but  the  power  and  Spirit  of  God,  bring- 
ing home  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  to  your  souls  ;  then,  when 
born  again,  when  born  of  the  Spirit,  made  children  of  God  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  then,  and  not  till  then,  you  are  Christians 
in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

If  we  teach  not  thus,  we  are  not  faithful  ministers  of  Christ. 
Therefore,  if  you  are  not  at  peace  with  God,  if  you  are  not  look- 
ing to  Jesus,  as  the  rest  and  refuge  of  your  souls,  do  not  deceive 
yourselves,  with  the  vain  imagination,  that  you  can  ever  advance 
one  step,  in  the  way  of  salvation,  by  your  efforts,  to  perform  the 
moral  precepts  of  the  law  of  God  ;  you  cannot  do  it — it  is  a  way  in 
which  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  blind  themselves,  and  go 
on  blindly  to  eternal  death,  salving  their  consciences  with  their 
efforts  to  perform  their  duties  to  God,  while  they  are  really  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,  unpardoned — without  peace — without 
hope — without  God  in  the  world. 

Therefore  as  this  precept  refers  to  servants,  remember  it  must 
be  to  servants  as  believers  in  the  Gospel,  they  must  be  servants 
of  Christ,  so  I  say  that  "  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things^ 
having  the  jyrottiise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is 
to  co?Jie."  And  Oh !  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is,  if  a  Christian 
master  have  Christian  servants  !  What  a  comfort  it  is  to  have  a 
servant,  whom  you  have  good  reason  to  know  to  be  a  child  of  God, 
so  that  you  can  regard  them,  not  as  a  servant,  but  as  a  brother  in 


536  LFXTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Christ,  or  a  sister  in  Christ !  what  a  blessed  privilege  it  is  to  have 
those,  as  members  of  your  household,  who  are  "  Fellow-citizens 
with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God,^^  chap.  ii.  19,  to 
whom  you  are  bound,  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  fellowship,  and 
Christian  love,  Avith  whom  you  hope  to  pass  an  eternity  of  bless- 
edness as  fellow  servants  of  ihe  King  of  kings.  Therefore  to  such 
persons — to  such  servants  as  these,  you  see  the  command  of  God 
to  discharge  their  duties,  comes  as  a  privilege  and  blessing.  "  Ser- 
vants, BE  OBEDIENT  TO  THEM  THAT  ARE  YOUR  MASTERS,  AC- 
CORDINCt  to  the  flesh,  with  FEAR  AND  TREMBLING,  IN  SIN- 
GLENESS OF  YOUR  HEART  AS  UNTO  Christ."  Now  here  is  an 
important  truth  brought  before  us,  that  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  while 
it  brings  men  in  all  relations  of  life,  into  the  closest  bond  of  Christ- 
ian and  brotherly  union  and  love,  and  places  them  in  one  sense 
completely  on  a  level  before  God,  does  not  in  the  slightest  degree 
break  in  upon,  or  dissolve  the  bond  of  social  order.  The  child  that 
is  a  Christian  child,  is  a  brother  with  his  parents,  they  are  brethren, 
they  are  one,  they  are  united  as  brethren  together  in  Christ.  But 
the  bonds  of  duty — the  parental  authority — the  filial  subjection 
are  not  in  the  least  degree  weakened  by  this,  but  rather  strength- 
ened, the  subjection  of  obedience  is  strengthened.  It  is  true  in- 
deed, it  flows  from  love.  The  authority  of  the  Christian  parent 
is  the  authority  of  love — the  obedience  of  the  Christian  child,  is 
the  obedience  of  love — but  still,  the  duty  remains  unbroken.  So 
again,  the  Christian  servant — the  Christian  master  or  mistress — 
are  brethren,  they  are  sisters,  they  love  one  another,  in  the  bonds 
of  Christian  fellowship.  So  the  Apostle  very  beautifully  sets  be- 
fore us  in  his  Epistle  to  Philemon,  where  he  speaks  of  Onesimus, 
his  slave,  who  had  run  away,  and  whom  the  Apostle  Paul  sends 
to  his  master  with  this  most  beautiful  Epistle,  no  longer  now  as  a 
Pagan  slave,  but  as  a  Christian  brother.  "  For  perhaps,  he  there- 
fore departed  for  a  season,  that  thou  shouldest  receive  him  for- 
everP  How  beautifully  this  shows  that  the  very  sins,  into  which 
the  poor  sinner  falls,  the  Lord  can  make  them,  in  His  own  won- 
drous providence,  the  means  of  bringing  that  sinner  into  his  fold 
forever.  His  offence  in  running  away  as  a  fugitive  slave  from  his 
master,  by  which,  under  the  Roman  law,  he  had  forfeited  his  life, 
and  deserved  to  be  crucified — that  very  offence  was  overruled  by 
God,  as  the  means  of  bringing  him  within  the  reach  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ,  proclaimed  to  him  by  the  Apostle  Paul ;  and  he  sent 
him  immediately  back  to  his  master,  Philemon.  See  the  effects 
of  the  Gospel ;  he  had  been  a  blind  idolatrous  Pagan — a  fugitive 
slave — he  hears  the  Gospel — God  enlightens  him  to  believe  it — 
and  then  the  first  act  of  his  life,  is  to  discharge  his  duty  to  God 
and  to  his  master,  he  sees  his  error — he  acknowledges  his  sin  ;  and 
the  immediate  effect  of  the  Gospel,  is  to  lead  him  to  come  directly 
back  to  his  master,  and  to  return  to  the  discharge  of  his  duty. 
Back  he  comes :  but.  Oh  !  what  a  change  the  Gospel  has  wrought 
in  the  relation  between  him  and  his  master  ;  so  the  Apostle  saith, 
"  Perhaps  he  departed  for  a  season,  that  thou  shouldest  receive 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  537 

him  forever  ;  not  7iow  as  a  servant,  hut  above  a  servant,  a  brother 
beloved,  specially  to  me,  but  liow  inuch  more  unto  thee,  both  in 
the  flesh  and  in  the  Lord,"  Philemon,  15,  16  ;  especially  beloved 
of  me  as  my  own  child — ray  own  son  in  the  faith,  but  how  much 
more  of  thee  as  his  master  so  long,  and  now  as  his  brother. 

With  what  exquisite  taste,  if  we  may  use  the  exjDression  as  ap- 
plied to  words  of  inspiration,  does  the  Apostle  write  here  to  Phile- 
mon. There  is  not  I  will  affirm  within  the  whole  compass  of 
human  language,  a  more  perfect  specimen  of  exquisitely  eloquent 
and  finished  taste,  than  this  Epistle  of  Paul.  See  how  he  em- 
bodies all  the  power  of  the  love  of  the  Gospel,  in  the  sentiment  in 
which  he  commends  Onesimus  to  Philemon.  "  Not  now  as  a  ser- 
vant, but  above  a  servant,  a  brother  beloved,  specially  to  me,  but 
how  much  more  unto  thee,  both  in  the  flesh  and  in  the  L,ordP 
You  see  then  the  Gospel  does  not  dissolve  the  bonds  of  duty : 
therefore  he  saith  to  servants,  "be  obedient  to  them  that 

ARE     YOUR  masters,  ACCORDING     TO    THE    FLESH,  WITH     FEAR 

AND  TREMBLING."  Hc  does  iiot  mean  that  they  should  be  in  a 
state  of  fear  and  trembling,  or  unhappiness  in  the  service  of  their 
masters  ;  but  that  they  should  have  a  respectful  and  humble  fear, 
of  both  doing  their  duty,  and  offending  against  their  master.  For 
you  see  it  is,  "  in  singleness  of  heart  as  unto  Christ." 
Which  shows  that  as  brotherhood  does  not  dissolve  the  bonds 
of  order  and  obedience,  so  that  obedience  does  not  dissolve  the 
bonds  of  Christian  love.  The  Christian  love  that  necessarily 
springs  up  between  master  and  servant,  from  their  union  in  Christ 
does  not  dissolve  nor  relax  the  bond  of  subjection  in  the  one,  or 
authority  in  the  other.  So  the  Gospel  does  not,  in  any  degree, 
tend  to  weaken  the  bonds  of  social  order.  This  is  a  very  great 
mistake,  and  much  to  be  guarded  against,  when  those  in  the 
humbler  classes  of  life,  think  they  may  presume  on  their  Christian 
fellowship,  so  as  to  forget  the  station  which  the  Lord  has  been 
pleased  to  allot  them.  Or  when  those  in  the  higher  ranks  of  life, 
think  that  they  should  leave  the  duty  of  their  appointed  sphere, 
so  as  to  abandon  the  position  in  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  place 
them.  Such  principles  are  in  flat  contradiction  to  the  whole 
course  and  tenor  of  the  Scriptures,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
tament. God  is  the  Author  of  order,  and  not  of  confusion.  So- 
ciety is  held  together  by  order.  Government — both  in  public  and 
domestic  authority,  and  subjection  in  all  stations  of  life,  the  Gos- 
pel does  not  dissolve,  but  strengthens  and  establishes  in  them  all; 
and  as  in  this  passage,  in  all  the  relative  duties,  makes  the  dis- 
charge of  those  duties,  both  in  authority  and  subjection,  a  test 
and  evidence  of  the  conduct  and  character  of  a  Christian,  to  his 
Heavenly  Master. 

Whenever  there  is  a  departure  from  this,  there  is  a  departure 
from  the  Word  of  God.  Therefore  you  see,  when  Satan  sets  up 
a  system  of  irreligion,  and  when  you  see  a  contempt  of  religion 
in  the  world,  you  see  also  that  contempt  of  religion,  accompanied 
with  a  contempt  of  order — of  discipline — of  authorit}'-  and  subjec- 


538  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

tion.  So  you  see,  at  this  moment,  that  is  the  very  principle  that 
is  threatening  to  dissolve  the  framework  of  society,  striking  at  the 
very  root  of  all  social  order  ;  and  tending  to  bring  on  that  time, 
which  I  believe  is  nearer  than  we  think :  of  which  our  Lord  tells 
us,  such  a  time  was  not  since  the  world  was,  and  never  shall  be. 
You  see  a  tendency  to  the  confusion,  the  awful  confusion,  the  tre- 
mendous anarchy  that  shall  precede  the  outpouring  of  God's  judg- 
ments, throughout  the  world  at  this  very  moment,  in  that  very 
principle,  that  authority  is  to  be  despised  and  trampled  on — men 
are,  as  the}^  call  it,  to  govern  themselves — the  government  of  man, 
as  the  institution  of  God,  is  to  be  abolished — and  the  government 
and  authority  of  Jehovah's  Word  is  to  be  made  light  of,  and  aban- 
doned. 

You  see,  in  every  part  of  Scripture,  that  principle  is  completely 
opposed  by  the  authority  of  God.  Here,  in  families,  when  you 
see  individuals  brought  together,  masters  and  servants,  in  the  com- 
mon bond  of  Christian  love— you  perceive  they  are  especially  com- 
manded, to  discharge  their  duties  to  each  other,  as  Christian 
brethren,  and  you  see  that  order,  subjection  and  authority  are  to 
be  carefully  preserved — the  servant's  duty  is  to  preserve  his  subjec- 
tion ;  as  the  master's  duty  is  to  preserve  his  authority,  but  both  as 
unto  Christ,  "be  obedient  unto  your  masters,  in  single- 
ness OF  your  heart,  as  unto  Christ." 

Now  you  see  what  a  principle  of  obedience  is  here  given,  and 
let  us  recollect  that  in  all  our  relations  in  life  we  are  to  be  in  sub- 
jection. Every  one  is  in  subjection— we  must  be  so.  Children 
are  in  subjection  to  their  parents — servants  are  in  subjection  to 
their  masters — masters  and  families  are  also  in  subjection  to  all  the 
constituted  authorities,  and  therefore,  the  principle  of  obedience  is 
to  be  the  same  in   all.     It  is  to  be  in  all  "in  singleness  of 

HEART  AS  unto  ChRIST." 

There  is  one  single  principle  that  should  regulate  and  govern 
the  sinner's  heart,  and  that  is  this,  that  he  should  discharge  his 
duty  to  his  fellow  man  as  unto  his  God.  It  is  not  because  he 
desires  to  please  man,  it  is  not  because  he  desires  to  flatter  or  grat- 
ify man,  but  because  he  desires  to  serve  and  please  his  God  in 
singleness  of  heart.  There  should  not  be  any  mixture  of  motives. 
A  mixture  of  motives  generally  leads  to  expediency.  If  servants 
wish  to  please  their  masters,  to  court  their  favor,  then  "  the  fear 
of  man  bringeth  a  snare"  and  if  their  masters  or  mistresses  be 
persons  who  have  not  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  to  please 
them,  would  be  perhaps  to  displease  God;  therefore  that  would 
lead  a  servant  to  shuffling  in  his  duty  to  God,  it  would  lead  him 
to  a  sort  of  compromise  in  which  he  would  not  have  a  single  eye 
to  his  Heavenly  but  to  his  earthly  master.  It  is  a  system  of 
pleasing  man  that  leads  men  in  all  stations  of  life  to  accord  with 
ungodly  and  unchristian  policy,  they  have  not  a  single  eye,  a 
single  heart,  they  do  not  desire  to  serve  God,  Jehovah's  service  is 
not  the  object  at  which  they  aim,  but  pleasing  men,  therefore, 
"  the  fear  of  man  hringeth  a  snare,'''  and  also  bringeth  a  curse  ; 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  539 

for  llie  result  is,  that  God  is  thrown  off,  and  man  is  set  up  as  the 
ruler  of  the  heart,  and  the  being  to  be  pleased.  Whenever  that 
is  the  case,  contempt  and  niiser}'^  must  follow,  in  all  stations  in 
life,  from  a  family  to  an  empire. 

•'In  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART  AS  UNTO  Christ,"  that  is  the 
standard  for  every  one,  by  which  to  regulate  their  duties,  in  all 
situations.     I  have  known  Christian  servants,  who  did  their  duty 

"  IN   SINGLENESS  OF  HEART  AS   UNTO  ChRIST." 

I  have  known  Christian  servants,  to  deal  faithfully  with  their 
masters ;  and  refuse  to  do  what  was  contrary  to  the  will  of  God, 
I  have  known  them  to  set  a  faithful  example  to  their  masters, 
because  they  could  not  please  them,  without  disobeying  the  will 
of  God.  I  had  a  servant  once  myself,  whom  God  was  pleased  to 
bring  to  the  knowledge  of  His  Gospel,  in  my  service,  with  whom 
circumstances  obliged  me  very  reluctantly  to  part.  He  hired  after- 
wards into  the  family  of  an  English  gentleman  of  propertj^,  and 
lost  an  excellent  situation,  as  far  as  emolument  was  concerned ; 
because,  when  his  master  went  to  London,  he  peremptorily  refused 
to  say,  that  he  or  his  mistress  were  not  at  home,  when  he  knew 
they  were.  They  foolishly  lost  a  servant  who  did  his  duty  to 
them  as  unto  God.  And  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is  when  a  ser- 
vant has  that  principle  in  his  heart !  So  if  we  have  that  single- 
ness of  heart,  if  we  desire  to  please  God,  our  object,  our  heart's 
desire  will  be  to  serve  Him  and  to  serve  any  authority  under  which 
we  are  placed,  in  singleness  of  heart  as  unto  Christ. 

Then  3^ou  see  what  a  blessing  the  Gospel  brings  to  servants  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duties,  "  not  with  eye  service  as  men 
PLEASERs,"'  not  merely  when  your  masters  or  mistress's  eye  is 
over  you,  but  as  unto  God.  A  child  or  a  servant  that  is  merely  a 
man-pleaser  will  do  what  they  think  they  ought  to  do,  if  the  eye 
of  the  parent  or  master  is  over  them  ;  but  as  soon  as  that  eye  is 
withdrawn,  there  is  no  influence  to  make  them  do  their  duty,  they 
idle,  they  will  not  do  what  they  ought  to  do.  But  where  God  is 
set  up  in  the  heart,  when  they  are  brought  to  believe  the  Gospel, 
and  are  become  children  of  God  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
then  it  is  "  not  with  eye  service  as  men  pleasers,"  it  is  not 
because  their  parent's  eye  or  their  master's  eye  is  over  them — but 
they  will  do  their  duty,  "  as  the  servants  of  |Christ  with 

GOOD  will,   doing  THE  WILL   OF  GoD  FROM  THE   HEART." 

That  is  the  promise  of  the  Lord,  Psalm  xxxii.,  where  he  saith, 
^'- 1 IV ill  guide  thee  with  mi?ie  eyeP  When  the  believer  cometh  to 
Christ  and  saith,  '•'■Thou  art  my  hiding  j)lace,  thou  shalt  preserve 
me  from  trouble^  thou  shalt  compass  me  about  with  songs  of  de- 
liverance f^  Psalm  xxxii.  7.  Then  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Dost  thou 
come  unto  me  ? — Then  thou  shalt  not  come  in  vain" — The  Lord 
answereth,  '•'/  will  instruct  thee  and  teach  thee  in  the  way  wherein 
thou  shalt  go,  I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye,"  Psalm  xxxii.  8;  or, 
as  the  margin  reads  it,  "/  will  counsel  thee,  mine  eye  shall  be 
upon  theeP  A  servant,  who  is  a  man-pleaser,  will  do  his  service 
for  his  master ;  or  a  child,  who  is  a  man-pleaser,  will  obey  the 


540  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

command  of  his  parent,  just  when  the  eye  of  the  master  or  parent 
is  upon  them.  But  when  thebehever  remembers  that  promise,  "/ 
will  guide  thee  with  ?nine  eye,"  or,  "mine  eye  shall  be  upon  thee," 
that  is,  "  Thou  shaU  remember  that  thy  Lord  is  looking  on  thee, 
thou  shalt  remember  thou  art  pleasing  me,  serving  me," — then  this 
leads  him  to  serve,  "in  singleness  of  heart  as  unto 
Christ," — this  leads  him  to  "do  the  will  of  God  from  the 
heart."  For  he  remembers  that  the  eye  that  looks  on  him,  was 
closed  in  death  for  him — that  blessed  head  was  bowed  in  death 
for  his  salvation — that  glorious  Lord,  to  whom  he  runs,  as  to  a 
hiding  place,  is  the  same  who  hath  loved  him,  and  given  Himself 
for  him.  So  the  eye  that  guides,  is  the  eye  of  his  Redeemer.  He 
is  not  his  own — he  is  bought  with  a  price,  and  that  price  was  that 
Redeemer's  precious  blood. 

Therefore,  Oh  !  believer,  remember  thy  Lord's  eye  is  over  thee, 
thy  Redeemer's  eye  is  following  thee,  thy  Shepherd's  eye  is 
watching  thee,  and  then  thou  shalt  go  on,  not  with  eye  service, 
as  pleasing  man,  but  heartily  as  unto  God  even  as  the  servants  of 
Christ. 

You  see  what  security  this  gives  for  obedience,  universal  obedi- 
ence, and  willing  obedience. 

For  universal  obedience. — Because  wherever  the  sinner  is, 
when  he  is  enabled  to  remember  that  his  Lord  is  near,  there  he 
remembers  the  principle  of  his  duty. — What  is  that  principle? — 
Love. 

Therefore  his  obedience  is  a  willing  obedience. — If  a  parent  or 
master  is  loved,  they  will  be  willingly  obeyed,  but  then  mere 
earthly  affection  is  fleeting,  fickle,  selfish,  and  therefore,  that  love 
is  at  best  very  unequal  and  inoperative  ;  for  although  a  child  may 
love  a  parent,  or  a  servant  a  master,  they  love  themselves  more, 
the  selfish  love  of  the  heart  is  stronger  than  their  love  to  others. 
But  where  "  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  unto  us,^^  Rom.  v.  5,  this  draws  out 
the  sinner's  love  to  his  Lord,  then  there  is  "good  will,  doing 
service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men."  There  is  uni- 
versal obedience,  for  the  Lord  is  everywhere — and  willing  obedi- 
ence, for  it  is  the  obedience  of  love — and  that,  not  to  man  but 
unto  God. 

What  a  blessing  then  it  is,  to  cultivate  our  privileges  !  God  is 
graciously  pleased  to  make  the  correlative  duties  of  this  life,  and 
the  discharge  of  those  duties,  a  blessing  to  us.  And  thus  the  Lord 
makes  the  exertion  of  a  Christian  master  or  mistress,  who  faith- 
fully labors  for  the  salvation  and  enlightening  of  their  servants, 
the  means  of  conferring  important  blessings  upon  themselves ! 
Not  that  this  is  a  Christian's  motive — it  is  no  part  of  the  motive 
—but  I  only  say,  that  the  Lord  does  make  the  correlative  duties 
of  life  a  blessing,  to  those  who  faithfully  discharge  them. 

There  are  not  many  here,  in  the  situation  of  servants ;  but  I 
address  masters  and  mistresses.  Now  I  ask  you,  do  you  take  pains, 
to  instruct  your  servants  in  the  things  that  belong  to  thoir  eternal 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  541 

peace,  so  that  the  piinciples  of  their  obedience  may  be  Christian 
principles  ?  Do  you  endeavor  to  instruct  your  family  in  the  Word 
of  God  ?  Have  you  family  prayer  ?  Have  you  the  worship  of 
God  in  your  household  ?  If  you  have,  do  you  merely  go  through 
it  as  a  sort  of  duty  ?  Do  you  call  your  servants  into  prayer — and 
having  so  done,  and  having  certain  duties  performed,  morning  and 
evening,  do  you  then  think  no  more  about  it  ?  Or  do  you  really 
endeavor  to  impress  the  Word  of  God  upon  the  hearts  of  those  who 
are  members  of  your  household  ? 

Consider,  you  have  a  most  solemn  duty  to  discharge.  You  have 
a  great  responsibility  laid  upon  you.  Why  are  you  in  the  situa- 
tion of  master  or  mistress  ?  Why  has  God  been  pleased  to  place 
you  in  a  sphere  of  life,  in  which  you  can  have  persons  to  serve  you, 
instead  of  being  yourselves  servants  ?  Who  hath  made  the  differ- 
ence between  you  and  the  servant  of  your  household  ? — between 
you  and  the  beggar  in  the  street  ?  "  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ 
from  another^''  in  temporal  things  as  well  as  spiritual?  Why 
were  you  born  in  a  sphere  of  life  in  which  you  can  employ  others, 
instead  of  being  put  into  a  sphere  of  life  in  which  you  should  labor 
for  your  bread '}  God  has  placed  you  there,  and  God  has  given 
you  means,  opportunities,  and  talents,  and  you  are  responsible  to 
Him  for  them.  He  has  given  you  additional  talents,  and  additional 
responsibilities,  if  you  know  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  You  know  there 
is  a  heavy  responsibility  laid  on  your  soul,  that  you  should  en- 
deavor to  instruct  those  who  are  placed  under  your  care — that  you 
should  endeavor  to  lead  them  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ.  Has 
He  led  you  to  the  knowledge  of  Himself  that  you  should  be  care- 
less of  others  ? — that  you  should  be  careless  of  the  eternal  salvation 
of  your  fellow-sinners,  even  of  those  who  are  placed  in  your  house- 
hold ?  Oh  !  consider  this  !  How  shall  you  answer  to  God,  if  you 
neglect  your  duty  ?  How  can  you  expect  others  to  discharge  their 
duty  to  you,  when  you  neglect  your  duty  to  them?  Are  you  occu- 
pying the  sphere  in  which  God  has  placed  you,  if  you  leave  those 
around  you  uninstructed,  untaught  in  His  holy  Word  ? 

What  wonder  is  it,  that  those  who  call  themselves  Christians — 
Protestants — are  in  such  a  wretched  miserable  state  as  they  are, 
when  there  is  such  a  total  failure  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty  to 
God,  and  their  duties  to  their  fellow-men  ! 

There  are  many  persons — many  of  our  poor  fellow-sinners,  Ro- 
man Catholics,  who  think  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  read  the  Bible 
without  the  interpretation  of  their  church — it  is  a  sealed  book  to 
them.  But,  alas !  what  multitudes  there  are  who  speak  of  the 
Bible — who  boast  that  it  is  their  rule  of  faith — who  vaunt  that  it 
is  their  privilege,  as  Protestants,  to  read  the  Sacred  Volume,  and 
that  it  is  the  standard  of  their  Church,  and  so  on.  But,  alas  !  it 
is  neither  the  standard  of  their  faith  and  hope,  nor  of  their  lives 
and  practice.  It  is  not  the  standard  of  the  instruction  they  wish 
to  receive  themselves,  nor  to  convey  to  others.  What  use  are  their 
boasted  privileges  to  them  ?     They  are  nothing  but  an  increase  of 


542  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

judgment,  an  accumulating  weight  of  guilt  and  condemnation  on 
their  heads. 

An  awful  responsibility  is  laid  on  those,  who  make  a  profession 
of  the  true  religion,  in  this  country.  I  firmly  believe,  if  God  does 
not  pour  out  a  spirit  of  repentance,  and  of  a  deep  sense  of  our  great 
respousibiUty  upon  us — if  we  do  not  make  an  effort  to  discharge 
our  duty  faithfully  before  our  God — I  do  believe,  the  awful  retri- 
butive sentence  for  our  neglect,  will  be  poured  out  in  judgment  on 
the  head  of  this  country ;  and  on  none  more  than  on  the  masters 
and  mistresses,  who  bear  the  name  of  Protestants,  who  neglect  to 
instruct  those  around  them,  and  dependent  on  them,  tenderly, 
faitlifuUy,  sincerely,  and  affectionately,  in  the  word  of  God.  Think 
what  a  blessing  it  is,  if  we  are  brought  to  know  the  privilege  of 
masters  and  servants  being  Christians — being  all  servants  of  God. 
If  we  knew  the  value  of  the  principles  of  the  Gospel  for  our  own 
souls,  we  would  surely  be  desirous  to  communicate  that  Gospel  to 
our  fellow-sinners.  We  must  be  so.  Think  then,  Oh  !  think  of 
your  privileges — your  responsibilities — and  your  duties — lay  them 
to  heart.  If  there  be  any  of  you  whose  conscience  testifies  that  you 
neglect  them,  consider  what  I  have  been  saying  to  you  to-day ;  your 
conscience  tells  you  it  is  true.  Begin  now,  make  it  a  suljject  of 
prayer.  Do  you  know  the  value  of  Christ,  for  your  own  soul  ? 
Then  if  so,  endeavor  to  communicate  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  all  your  household^to  your  children — to  your  ser- 
vants— to  all  your  poor  dependants.  Reflect  what  opportunities 
you  have,  and,  consider  what  a  blessing,  what  a  glorious  privilege 
it  is,  to  be  instrumental  in  leading  one  sinner,  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  See  how  Paul  rejoices  over  Philemon,  and  over  Onesimus 
his  runaway  slave.  When  Paul  was  a  prisoner,  the  Lord  brought 
this  poor  slave  to  him,  by  His  gracious  providence,  and  brought  him 
by  the  Apostle's  instrumentality  to  himself;  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
inspired  and  preserves  on  record  this  letter  to  Philemon,  this  blessed 
letter,  about  this  poor  slave  in  this  book ;  and  shall  we  profess  to 
call  ourselves  Christians,  and  say  we  have  no  regard  for  the  souls 
of  our  servants  ? 

If  I  address  any  servants  here,  what  a  blessed  privilege  you  have, 
if  you  be  indeed  Christians,  to  be  exhorted  thus  to  your  duty,  "  not 

WITH  EYE   SERVICE  AS  MEN  PLEASERS  ;    BUT  AS  THE   SERVANTS 

OF  Christ."  Oh  !  think  what  a  privilege  it  is,  to  be  the  servant  of 
Christ !  a  servant  of  the  King  of  kings  !  Persons  may  be  poor  and 
humble  servants — in  a  poor  and  humble  station  ;  but  then  if  they 
are  servants  of  the  Living  God — Oh  !  what  a  glorious  privilege  it 
is  ! — How  often  are  servants  anxious  "  to  better  themselves"  as 
their  phrase  is,  and  to  think  if  they  could  get  out  of  their  present 
master's  service,  and  get  into  a  higher  place,  with  more  wages, 
they  would  be  better,  and  that  the  higher  they  get,  the  better  they 
are.  How  sadly  disappointed  do  they  often  find  themselves.  But 
Oh !  if  a  servant  is  a  servant  of  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  this  is  indeed  the  highest  privilege  to  be  attained ;  to  be  a 
servant  of  Christ,  is  to  be  higher  than  the  kings  of  the  earth — a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS.  543 

servant  of  Christ,  is  in  His  glorious  time  to  be  a  king — to  have  a 
crown  of  glory  '*  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away." 

Whose  servant  are  you?  Oh  !  if  the  person  is  able  to  answer. 
"  I  trust  I  am  a  servant  of  the  Living  God."  Or  who  is  your 
master?  If  he  can  say  tlie  Lord — the  Lord  of  lords — what  state, 
what  throne  on  earth,  is  equal  to  a  station  such  as  this — what 
dominion  in  the  compass  of  the  world  is  equal  to  that  blessed 
privilege,  to  be  "  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God 

FROM  the  heart." 

Then,  what  a  burden  it  takes  oft'  our  heart,  when  we  are  ena- 
bled to  serve  God — -when,  whatever  we  do.  we  desire  to  do  it  to 
the  Lord  ;  we  do  not  care  whether  this  person  or  another  person  is 
looking  on  us — we  care  not,  we  regard  not  the  inspection  of  man. 
Our  Heavenly  Master  who  saith,  '■'■  I  ivill  guide  thee  with  mine 
eye,"  is  watching  over  us,  and  it  is  therefore  our  desire  to  do  our 
duty  to  our  God.  If  this  be  so,  our  duty  will  be  done— joyfully 
done.  The  child  will  not  say, — "  My  parent's  eye  is  over  me" — 
the  servant  will  not  say, — "  My  master  is  watching  me."  It  is 
enough  to  say — "  My  Lord's  eye  is  over  me — I  am  desiring  to  serve 
my  God,  my  Heavenly  Master."  When  this  is  the  case,  what  a 
burden  then,  I  say,  it  takes  off"  the  heart.  We  care  not  to  please  men 
— but  simply  desire  in  singleness  of  heart  to  serve  our  Lord  and 
Master.  How  this  relieves  our  heart  from  irksome  toil !  Duty  is 
no  longer  a  burden,  it  is  our  privilege,  our  pleasure.  The  service 
of  God  constitutes  our  happiness. 

This  is  what  David  says, — "  /  will  walk  at  liberty^^^do  you 
remember  the  reason  he  gives  ?  "  For  I  seek  thy  'precepts^''  Psalm 
cxix.  43.  "  I  will  walk  at  liberty^  for  I  seek  thy  preceptsJ^  I  desire 
to  do  thy  will,  and  therefore  I  walk  at  liberty.  "  He  that  coinmit- 
teth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin ;"  when  we  have  a  task  that  we  do 
not  like  to  perform,  but  desire  to  do  something  else,  and  yet  are 
obliged  to  do  that  task— that  is  the  greatest  slavery  in  the  world. 
But  when  the  task  is  one  we  lay  out  for  ourselves  to  do,  that  we 
wish  to  do — that  we  delight  to  do — then  it  is  no  more  a  task,  it  is 
a  pleasure — we  are  free — we  freely  do  what  we  wish  to  do — and 
when  what  we  wish  to  do  is  our  duty,  the  obligation  to  duty  is 
freedom.  The  concidence  of  will  and  duty  is  the  highest  happi- 
ness and  liberty  of  man. 

That  man  is  always  free,  who  desires  to  serve  the  Lord.  Oh  ! 
what  a  blessed  privilege  it  is !  Think  of  this,  and  your  hearts 
will  be  set  at  liberty  when  you  are  brought  to  serve  your  God. 
You  will  obey  in  every  station  of  subjection,  "  Not  with  eye 
service  as  men  pleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ, 

DOING  the  will  OF  GoD  FROM  THE   HEART." 

And  now,  dear  friends,  though  we  may  not  be  servants,  there 
are  many  relations  in  which  we  may  seek  to  discharge  our  duties, 
striving  to  please  others,  and  so  far  as  this  is  according  to  the 
Lord's  will,  it  is  well  to  do  so  ;  but  in  whatever  sphere  of  life  we 
are,  if  we  have  "singleness  of  heart  as  unto  Christ,"  then 


544  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

our  duty  becomes  our  privilege,  and  it  is  the  truest  enjoyment  of 
our  lives. 

Then  what  a  blessing  it  is,  in  all  our  different  relations — in  our 
different  spheres  of  life — if,  instead  of  seeking  to  change  or  alter 
them — we  remember,  we  are  just  in  the  sphere  in  which  God  has 
placed  us.  The  natural  mind  is  forever  saying,  like  a  discontented 
servant,  "  If  I  was  in  other  circumstances — in  a  different  condition 
from  that  in  which  I  am — then  I  would  discharge  my  duty  better," 
This,  as  we  considered  on  a  former  occasion,  is  a  delusion  of  the 
enemy  of  our  souls — he  wishes  to  make  us  murmur.  We  are  in 
the  sphere,  in  which  the  Lord  has  placed  us.  Let  us  remember 
this,  if  we  be  His  children,  then  in  singleness  of  heart,  let  us  serve 
our  God.  Depend  on  it,  it  is  in  His  service,  and  not  in  any  pecu- 
liar station  of  life,  that  true  happiness  is  to  be  found.  I  trust  you 
see,  there  is  an  important  lesson  to  be  derived  by  all,  from  these 
instructions  to  servants,  because  you  perceive  that  the  same  principle 
is  carried  out  into  every  situation,  "with  good  will,  doing  ser- 
vice AS  UNTO  THE  LORD,  AND  NOT  UNTO  MEN,  KNOWING  THAT 
WHATSOEVER  GOOD  THING  ANY  MAN  DOTII,  THE  SAME  SHALL 
HE   RECEIVE  OF    THE    LoRD,  WHETHER    HE    BE   BOND  OR  FREE." 

We  shall  have  to  consider  more  on  this  subject,  and  refer  more  to 
the  duties  of  masters  and  servants. 

May  the  Lord  apply  what  has  been  said  to  all  our  hearts,  that 
we  may  be  enabled  in  every  situation  of  life,  in  all  our  stations, 
whether  of  subjection  or  authority,  to  have  a  single  eye  to  the 
Lord's  glory,  to  please  all  who  are  placed  in  autliority  over  us,  so 
far  as  our  service  may  consist  with  the  service  of  our  God  !  that  is 
the  scope  and  boundary  of  all  human  obedience,  and  of  the  happi- 
ness of  man ! 


FORTY-SIXTH     LECTURE. 


Efhesians  VI.— 7,  8,  9,  10. 


"  With  good  will  doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men :  knowing  that 
whatsoever  good  thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of  the  Lord,  whe- 
ther he  be  bond  or  free.  And,  ye  masters,  do  the  same  things  unto  them,  forbearing 
threatening :  knowing  that  your  Master  also  is  in  heaven  ;  neither  is  there  respect  of 

Eersons  with  him.     Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  ol' 
is  might." 

We  resume  in  the  7th  verse  the  subject  of  the  Apostle's  exhor- 
tation to  servants,  "  with  good  will  doing  service,  as  to  the 
Lord,  and  not  to  men."  How  different  true  religion  is,  from 
every  form  of  that  which  is  false  !  not  more  different  in  the  princi- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  545 

pies  which  it  inculcates  ;  than  in  the  doctrine  it  teaches — not  more 
different,  in  the  motives  it  implants,  than  in  the  opposition  that 
there  is  between  the  Gospel,  which  proclaims  salvation  freely  to 
sinners,  through  the  "  Redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesusj"  and  all 
the  various  religions  of  man,  which  under  every  shape  and  form, 
set  up  the  false  and  wicked  principle,  that  man  is.  to  be  saved  by 
something  which  he  is  to  do  for  his  own  soul.  True  religion,  in 
not  more  different  as  opposed  to  all  false  systems,  in  any  other 
point,  than  it  is  in  this  ;  that  the  practical  prmciples  of  genuine 
obedience  to  God,  are  brought  by  it  into  the  heart  and  conduct  of 
man,  in  every  relation  of  life.  Every  unconverted  sinner  takes  up 
his  religion,  at  certain  stated  times,  whether  he  be,  for  example, 
Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic.  When  the  time  comes,  for  going 
to  his  place  of  worship,  then,  that  is  his  time  for  his  rehgion — he 
will  go  there.  When  the  time  comes,  for  going  to  the  sacrament 
— he  will  go  there.  When  the  time  comes  for  going  to  any  stated 
public  ordinance,  he  will  go  there.  Perhaps,  if  he  carries  his  re- 
ligion a  little  farther  than  some  persons,  he  may  have  stated  times 
for  family  prayer.  Every  true  servant  of  God  ought  to  have 
family  worship  ;  but  several  have  family  worship,  who  are  not 
servants  of  God  ;  but  all  such  individuals,  as  soon  as  their  religious 
exercise  whatever  it  be,  is  over — as  soon  as  they  quit  their  church 
— their  stated  public  ordinance — their  stated  form,  for  the  time — 
then  their  religion  is  over,  then  they  go  back  to  the  world  again. 
While  he  is  in  the  world,  he  is  of  the  world.  While  he  is  at  his 
religion,  he  is  religious.  When  he  is  serving  God,  as  he  calls  it — 
then  that  is  his  time  for  serving  God,  that  is  the  time  for  this  occu- 
pation— Then,  when  this  is  over,  the  rest  of  his  time  is  for  busi- 
ness— ^pleasure — enjoyment,  there  is  a  time  for  everything,  he  says, 
whatever  it  be,  and  quotes  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes,  to  support  him. 
While  engaged  in  the  duties  of  religion — that  is  the  time  for  re- 
ligion ;  but  when  engaged  in  his  business  or  amusement,  religion 
is  not  to  intrude  there,  that  is  not  the  place  for  religion,  religion 
would  be  gloomy  there. 

If  you  speak  to  a  man  who  is  ignorant  of  the  Gospel,  he  will 
say,  "  Oh,  surely,  one  cannot  be  always  thinking  of  these  things, 
we  must  be  doing  our  business  sometimes.  I  really  have  not  time 
to  be  always  talking  of  religion."  Another  person  will  say,  "  Oh^ 
this  is  no  time  for  such  solemn  subjects,  there  is  a  time  for  every- 
thing, everything  in  its  proper  place."  This  is  the  language  of 
the  un regenerate  heart. 

Now,  true  religion  is  not  more  different  from  this  ignorance,  in 
principle,  than  in  practice  ;  because  it  brings  its  principles  into  all 
times,  circumstances,  occupations,  and  relations  of  life.  Wherever 
a  man  is,  if  he  is  indeed  a  servant  of  God,  his  religion  is  with 
him.  Whatever  he  is  occupied  about,  whatever  time  he  is  en- 
gaged in  other  services,  that  is  the  time  for  his  religion  too.  He 
has  no  business  with  anything,  where  he  cannot  have  his  God 
with  him.  He  has  no  business  in  the  discharge  of  any  duty  in 
which  the  service  of  his  God,  is  not  the  principle  on  which  that 

35 


546  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

duty  is  to  be  discharged.  There  is  not  a  more  certain  truth  than 
this,  that  a  man  who  is  not  truly  religious  at  all  times,  is  never 
truly  religious  at  any  time.  Religion  is  an  inseparable  part  of 
the  character  of  the  behever.  It  is  an  occasional  part  of  the  occu- 
pation of  an  unregenerate  sinner.  The  religion  of  such  a  man  is 
like  the  assun«ed  loyalty  of  a  rebel,  he  acts  the  part  at  certain 
stated  times,  and  for  certain  purposes,  and  when  the  performance 
of  the  part  is  over,  he  returns  to  his  natural  character :  a  man 
who  is  really  loyal,  will  have  his  loyalty  in  his  heart,  in  his  own 
home,  as  much  as  in  the  palace  of  his  sovereign. 

Now,  my  dear  friends,  consider  this.  See  how  religion  is 
brought  in  this  chapter,  into  all  the  relations  of  life,  the  husband — 
the  wife — the  parent — the  child — the  master — the  servant. — On 
what  principles  are  all  the  relative  duties  to  be  performed?  On 
the  principle  of  love  to  their  God.  God  is  to  regulate  the  duties, 
between  husband  and  wife — between  parents  and  children — be- 
tween masters  and  servants — between  friend  and  friend — bet\veen 
neighbor  and  neighbor.  God  is  to  be  the  Regulator  of  all  their 
conduct  in  all  religious,  political,  social,  and  domestic  relations. 

When  this  is  really  the  principle  of  tlie  heart,  there  you  see  true 
religion;  so  tiiat  as. for  instance,  in  the  relation  of  which  we  are 
.speaking  to  day,  whatever  the  servant  is  doing,  no  matter  what 
it  is,  no  matter  how  he  is  occupied,  if  he  is  employed  in  the  most 
trivial  or  menial  occupation,  whatever  it  be,  he  is  to  remember  this 
principle:  "with  good  will  doing  service  as  to  the  Lord, 
AND  not  to  men."  This  is  the  word  of  Him  who  ^'Tonk  upon 
Him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  Phil.  ii.  7,  for  our  sakes — this  is  the 
word  of  Him,  in  v/liom  there  was  no  sin,  who  says,  '^ I  have  set  the 
Lord  always  before  me:  because  He  is  at  my  right  hand,  I  shall 
not  be  moved."  Psalm  xvi.  8.  Mark  then,  how  impossible,  how 
utterly  impossible  it  is  to  bring  this  principle  into  operation  in  any 
heart,  except  the  heart  of  a  genuine  Christian.  When  we  are 
afraid  that  God  is  angry  with  us — when  we  are  at  enmity  with 
God — when  we  are  striving  and  working  like  slaves,  to  save  our 
souls — when  we  blindly  imagine,  that  the  good  which  we  think 
we  do  on  one  occasion,  atones  for  the  sins  and  omissions  of  another, 
or  makes  us  acceptable  with  God — when  therefore  we  hate  God, 
because  our  conscience  tells  us,  we  have  not  done  enough  even  to 
satisfy  our  own  convictions — when  this  is  our  religion,  and  this  is  the 
religion  of  every  unconverted  man,  how  can  we  bring  this  principle 
into  practice  ?  Impossible  !  totally  impossible  !  This  is  the  reason 
why,  when  an  unconverted  man  has  done  with  the  business  of 
religion,  he  has  done  with  God  for  the  day.  Therefore,  love  to 
God  is  never  brought  as  a  practical  principle  or  motive,  into  his 
life.  Christ  must  first  be  in  our  heart,  and  dwell  in  our  heart. 
"TAe  love  of  Christ  constraineth  ns,"  saith  the  Apostle,  2nd  Cor. 
V.  14,  we  must  have  ^'■Peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  Rom.  v.  1.  We  must  be  able  to  look  to  God,  as  a  recon- 
ciled God  and  Father  in  Christ ;  and  then  the  service  of  God  is 
easy  ;  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you"  saith  Christ,  "  my  yoke  is  easy, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  547 

and  my  burden  is  ligkt,^^  Mat.  xi.  29,  30.  Why  is  it  easy  ?  Be- 
cause it  is  a  yoke  of  love.  A  yoke  of  love  is  always  light.  We 
can  bear  any  burden,  when  we  are  harnessed  to  it,  so  to  speak, 
with  a  yoke  of  love.  So  Christ  saith,  in  those  verses,  "TaAre  7np 
yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls,  for  ?ny  yoke  is  easy 
and  my  burden  is  light.''''  Therefore,  when  we  love  Christ,  we 
can  have  Him  in  our  hearts,  our  thoughts,  and  whatever  our  ser- 
vice be,  to  our  fellow  men,  we  know  and  feel  the  principle  :  "  with 

GOOD  WILL   DOING   SERVICE,   AS  UNTO  THE  LoRD  AND  NOT    UNTO 

MEN,"  and  the  Apostle  gives   a  general  principle,  as  a  reason, 

"knowing,  that  whatsoever  good  thing  any  MAN  DOETH, 
THE  SAME  SHALL  HE  RECEIVE  OP  THE  LoRD,  WHETHER  HE  BE 
BOND  OR  FREE." 

Now,  we  have  here  a  principle  brought  before  us,  which  is  impor- 
tant for  us  to  consider.  "Knowing  that  whatsoever  good 
thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of  the 
Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free." 

Now,  an  objection  arises  immediately,  in  the  mind  of  the  unen- 
lightened sinner.  "Do  not  you  see  here,"  he  says,  "we  are  to 
receive  for  every  good  thing  we  do,  and  if  we  are  to  receive  for  every 
good  thing  we  do,  how  can  you  say,  that  the  good  things  we  do  are 
not  essential  to  our  salvation  ?  Are  not  these  the  words — "  whatso- 
ever GOOD  THING  ANY  MAN  DOETH,  THE  SAME  SHALL  HE  RE- 
CEIVE OF  THE  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free?" 

This  brings  us  again  to  the  principle  which  I  so  often  endeavor 
to  impress  upon  your  mind,  that  you  must  consider  to  whom  this 
is  addressed.  Do  you  mean  to  draw  a  conclusion  from  this,  that 
the  Apostle  is  here  speaking  to  unconverted  men;  and  that  there- 
fore, whatsoever  good  thing  unconverted  men  do,  they  shall  receive 
of  God  ?  I  answer  to  that,  there  is  no  such  thing  in  the  Bible,  as 
an  unconverted  man  doing  any  good  thing,  for  it  is  written  of  the 
whole  race  :  "  There  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  oneP  Psalm 
xiv.  3.  It  is  expressly  declared,  "  They  that  are  in  the  flesh,  cannot 
please  GodP  Rom.  viii.  8.  "  Without  me'''  saith  Christ,  "  ye  can 
do  7iothing ?''  John  xv.  .5.  And  that  is  one  of  the  means,  whereby 
sinners  blind  themselves  continually,  in  reading  the  Scripture,  they 
do  not  consider  to  whom  the  various  parts  of  Scripture  are  ad- 
dressed. Look  again  at  this  Epistle.  To  whom  is  it  addressed  1 
^'To  the  saints  whicli  are  at  Ephesus,  and  to  the  faithful  in  Christ 
JesusJ^  Chap.  i.  Read  again  what  we  have  gone  over  as  to  their 
spiritual  state.  ^'Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings,  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ,  according  as  he  hath  chosen  ns  in  Him, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  Him  in  love,  having-  predestinated  us  unto 
the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to 
the  good  pleasure  of  His  rcill,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His 
grace,  loherein  He  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved,  in  whom 
ice  have  redemption  through  His  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 


LECTURES   ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

according-  to  the  riches  of  His  graced  Chap.  i.  3 — 7.  Such  was 
their  state — now  look  at  their  faith.  '•'•In  luhom  ye  also  trusted^ 
after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  triitli^  the  Gospel  of  your  salva- 
tion, in  ivho/n  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  ivith  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  promised'  Cliap.  i.  13.  Again  see  their  former 
and  present  state  :  '■'■God  who  is  rich  in  fnercy,  for  His  great  love 
wherewith  He  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  hy  grace  ye  are  saved,  and 
hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heaveidy 
■places  in  Christ,  that  in  the  ages  to  come  He  might  shoio  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  His  grace,  in  His  kindness  to  us  by  Christ  Jesus. 
For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves, it  is  the  gift  of  God,  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should 
boastP     Chap.  ii.  4 — 9. 

Look  through  ail  the  Epistle,  see  what  characters  these  persons 
were  :  and  here  is  all  the  difference,  between  the  moral  duties  im- 
pressed on  him  who  is  a  servant  of  God  ;  and  the  vain  ideas  that 
men  who  are  not  His  servants  conceive  of  their  own  powers. 
How  can  another  man's  servant  do  the  work  of  your  house  1  no 
more  can  he  who  is  a  servant  of  Satan,  do  the  work  of  God.  Our 
Lord  is  explicit  on  this  point :  "  No  man  can  serve  two  masters, 
for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other,  ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon,''''  Matt.  vi.  24. 

Works  are  throughout  the  Scripture,  declared  to  be  the  test  of 
man's  salvation,  '■  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  the 
body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.^^ 
This  is  the  universal  testimony  of  the  Scripture.  Works  are  de- 
clared to  be  the  test  of  man's  salvation,  before  God  and  before  man. 
But  works  that  men  call  good,  or  that  are  comparatively  so,  no 
more  can  purchase  man's  salvation,  than  those  that  confessedly  are 
wicked.  Let  us  come  to  facts,  and  examine  the  principle.  Who 
for  example,  will  deny,  that  honesty  is  better  than  theft — truth  than 
falsehood — sobriety  than  drunkenness — liberality  than  covetous- 
ness  ?  But  these  virtues  can  no  more  save,  or  help  to  save  the 
soul,  than  the  vices  that  are  opposed  to  them  ;  because  the  man 
who  is  most  honest,  most  true,  most  sober,  and  most  liberal  on 
earth,  is  still  a  sinner  before  God — he  can  no  more  stand  the  test 
of  God's  law,  than  the  man  whose  character  is  most  opposite  to 
his  own,  the  best  he  can  do  must  condemn  him,  if  God  were  to 
enter  into  judgment  with  him.  He  must  fly  to  the  Blood  of  his 
Redeemer,  as  his  ransom ;  and  to  the  righteousness  of  his  Re- 
deemer, as  his  only  merit. 

But  here  is  the  point.  The  believer,  accepted — ^justified — ^ac- 
quitted — ^"  accounted  righteous  before  God,  only  for  the  merits  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  faith,  and  not  for  his  own  works  or  de- 
servings" — ^Art.  X.,  washed  from  all  his  sins,  by  the  precious  blood,. 
and  clothed  in  the  full  merit  of  the  spotless  righteousness  of  Christ 
— standing   complete   in   Christ^ — pure   and   accepted   in   Him — 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  B99 

*'  Without  stpot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing''^  is  brought  into  the 
glorious  relationship  of  acceptance,  adoption  and  sonship,  with  hi« 
God.  Tlien  the  works  of  that  man  are  done  entirely  on  a  new 
principle — the  whole  of  his  morals  are  transported  to  a  new  foun- 
dation— not  one  act  is  done  to  save  his  soul,  he  never  performs  a 
work  with  the  hope  that  it  can  save  him,  or  deliver  him  from  hell, 
he  never  does  an  act  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God  ;  his  whole 
hope,  all  his  joy,  and  all  his  salvation  is  this,  that  Christ  has 
wrought  salvation  for  him.  What  then  is  his  principle  of  action? 
Love  to  his  Lord.  He  loves  his  Lord,  and  therefore  he  serves 
him.  Hence  his  works  are  necessarily  taken,  as  the  test  of  judg- 
ment of  his  soul — as  the  genuine  proof  of  his  being  a  servant  of 
God.  This  is  the  motive  given  to  His  disciples,  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  "  If  you  love  7ne,  keep  my  commandinents,^^  John  xiv.  15. 
Hence  too  he  saith,  ''  Whosoever  shall  give  yon  a  cup  of  water  to 
drink,  because  ye  belo?ig  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  mito  you,  he  shall 
not  lose  his  reward^  Mark  ix.  4L 

Now,  mark  this.  There  is  not  an  unconverted  sinner  on  earth, 
that  ever  did,  or  ever  will  give,  as  much  as  a  cup  of  cold  water, 
to  another  fellow-sinner,  because  he  belongs  to  Christ.  A  man 
that  does  not  believe  the  Gospel,  has  not  the  slightest  notion  of 
any  such  relationship,  as  that  of  belonging  to  Christ,  nor  of  any 
such  principle  of  conduct.  Such  men  may  give  food,  raiment, 
money,  to  their  fellow-creatures ;  and  many  of  them  do  so  largely, 
liberally,  abundantly.  But  why  ?  Some  of  them  do  it,  that  it 
may  help  to  obtain  salvation,  in  their  ignorant  perversion  of  the 
text  that  "  Charity  covereth  a  nndtitude  of  sins,^^  because  they 
think  they  are  to  be  rewarded  for  it.  Some  because  they  are  of 
a  liberal,  generous  disposition.  Some  from  feeUngs  of  compassion, 
to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  poor — there  are  various  motives.  But 
to  give  it  to  a  fellow-sinner,  a  fellow-disciple,  "  because  they  belong 
to  Christ,"  and  from  love  to  Christ,  such  a  principle  never  entered 
their  head — they  could  not  do  it— they  have  no  idea,  not  the 
slightest  conception  of  that  bond  of  union,  that  unites  the  disci- 
ples of  Jesus  to  each  other,  and  to  all  their  fellow-sinners.  "  Be- 
cause they  belong  to  Christ .'" — nay,  that  is  very  often  the  reason 
why  a  man,  ignorant  of  the  Gospel,  would  turn  such  a  person  away 
from  his  door ;  they  would  perhaps  call  them,  or  at  least  consider 
them  methodists,  canters,  hypocrites,  yea,  even  those  who  were  gen- 
erous and  kind  to  worthless  characters,  who  would  give  charity  to 
others  abundantly,  would  do  so.  I  remember  well  when  such  were 
my  own  feelings — I  hated  what  I  thought  a  hypocritical  affectation, 
of  being  more  religious  than  others.  All  men  who  are  ignorant  of  the 
Gospel,  dislike  the  religion  of  Christ.  They  cannot  endure  to  hear 
it  asserted  that  all  their  charity,  and  all  their  gifts,  and  all  they 
can  possibly  bestow,  can  do  nothing  for  their  salvation,  that  "  all 
their  righteousnesses  areas  filthy  rags"  before  God,  unable  to  cover 
the  nakedness  of  their  poor  souls ;  and  that  they  can  afford  them 
no  ground  of  hope,  before  the  bar  of  Christ.  Their  real  opinion 
and  principle  is,  that  their  works  are  to  be  adduced,  for  the  justifi- 


550  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS, 

cation  of  their  persons,  instead  of  the  proof  of  their  faith,  as 
being  justified  by  the  Lord  Jesus.  They  do  not  hke,  nay,  they 
hate  that  doctrine.*  They  do  not  hke  to  be  told,  much  less  do 
they  know,  that  they  "  are  wretched^  and  miserable^  and  j)oor, 
and  blind,  and  luiked^'  Rev.  iii.  17.  They  will  not  hear  Christ's 
counsel,  "  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  Jire,  that 
thou  niayest  be  rich  ;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou  inayest  be 
clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear^ 
Rev.  iii.  18.  They  know  not,  alas  !  that  the  only  hope  of  their 
acceptance  must  be,  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  the  crucified 
and  risen  Saviour.  Therefore,  all  such  persons  so  far  from  gain- 
ing a  reward  for  all  their  morality  and  all  their  religion,  are  merely 
whitewashing  the  sepulchre  of  a  blind,  unrenewed,  proud,  ignorant, 
self-righteous  heart.  Such  were  all  the  works  of  the  Pharisees  in 
our  Lord's  day  ;  and  such  are  the  works  of  every  Pharisee,  from 
the  day  of  our  Lord  to  the  present  moment.  But  such  works  can 
never  stand  the  test  of  God's  judginent,  because  the  whole  princi- 
ple on  which  they  are  done  is  false.  Love  to  Christ  is  no  part  of 
their  motive — they  know  not  for  what  to  love  Him — they  are 
afraid  of  Him,  and  tremble  at  the  very  thought  of  His  coming. 
And  such  works,  so  far  from  being  adduced  as  a  test  of  their  faith, 
the  very  motive  of  their  performance  is  a  proof  of  their  unbelief. 
They  do  not  prove  the  soul  to  be  in  a  state  of  salvation,  but  they 
prove  it  to  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation  ;  to  be  alienated  from 
God  and  in  utter  ignorance  of  Him. 

But  not  so,  the  believer,  "  Knowing,  that  whatsoever  good 

THING  ANY  MAN   DOETH,  THE   SAME   SHALL   HE   RECEIVE  OF  THE 

Lord,  whether  he  bk  bond  or  free."  There  is  not  a  single 
act  done  by  such  a  servant  of  God ;  there  is  not  a  single  work 
done  from  love  to  his  Master,  however  small  it  be,  that  the  Lord 
does  not  receive,  accept  and  reward ;  and  therefore  eternal  life  is 
spoken  of  in  that  sense  as  a  reward.  '■•God  is  not  unrighteous  to 
forget  your  work  and  labor  of  love,  which  you  have  showed  for 
his  name  sake,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to  the  faints,  and  yet 
do  minister.''^  Heb.  vi.  10.  But  observe  this,  that  in  order  to  make 
it  a  work  of  this  character,  the  principle  of  the  work  is,  that  so  far 
from  thinking  it  good,  the  believer  considers  it  defiled  and  worth- 
less, and  not  fit  to  be  named  in  the  presence  of  God  ;  the  best 
thing  he  could  do,  he  brings  to  be  washed  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  Therefore,  whatever  he  does,  whatever  labor  he  goes  through, 
whatever  alms  he  bestows,  whatever  he  does  for  his  fellow-creatures, 
or  for  his  God,  in  his  own  estimation  of  it,  it  is,  as  indeed  in  itself  it 
is,  vile  and  worthless,  and  not  fit  to  be  presented  in  the  presence 
of  his  God.     He  feels  that  he  must  cast  it  all  into  the  fountain 

*  This  is  the  very  vital  essence  of  Popery,  their  whole  religion  is  built  on  the  anti- 
christian  principle ;  that  man  is  to  be  justified  by  his  works,  moral,  ceremonial,  sacra- 
mental, penitential,  &c.  Hence,  the  whole  system  is  antichristian  ;  whether  the  word 
is  taken  as  implyinsr  that  which  is  opposed  to  Christ,  or  put  in  the  place  of  Christ ;  and 
this  is  the  foundation  of  the  whole  Tractarian  heresy — hatred  of  the  fundamental 
principle  of  the  Gospel,  that  a  sinner  is  justified  only  and  fully,  by  the  righteousness 
and  blood  of  our  glorious,  and  ever  blessed  Redeemer. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  551 

opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness,  and  that  it  must  be  washed  in  the 
blood  of  his  Redeemer.  This  is  the  principle  of  the  believer  for 
all  his  works. 

We  see  this  clearly  illustrated  in  Matthew  xxv.,  where  our 
blessed  Lord  brings  forward  all  the  nations  as  arrayed  on  His  right 
hand  and  on  His  left,  on  the  day  when  He  shall  come  in  judg- 
ment, "  When  the  tSo?i  of  man  shall  come  in,  his  glory,  and  all 
the  Holy  Angels  with  him  ;  then  shall  he  sit  iipon  the  throne  of 
his  glory,  and  before  him  shall  he  gathered  all  nations,  and  he 
shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  the 
sheep  from  the  goats,  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right 
hand  hut  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto 
them  on  his  right  hand,  come  ye  hlessed  of  my  Father,  inherit 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  tDorld^ 
Now  mark,  he  makes  their  works  the  test  and  proof  of  their  sal- 
vation,— ^'■For  I  ID  as  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  -meat:  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took 
me  in :  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me :  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came 
unto  me." 

Now,  observe  the  answer  of  the  righteous :  "  Then  shall  the 
righteous  answer  him  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  loe  thee  an  hun- 
gered, and  fed  thee  7  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee  drink  7  when 
saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in  ?  naked,  and  clothed 
thee  7  or  when  saiv  we  thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  catne  unto 
thee  ?"  So  far  from  bringing  forward  anything  that  they  have 
done  as  the  ground  of  their  hope  ;  they  are  not  conscious  that 
they  have  done  anything  for  their  Lord ;  and  they  ask,  "  When 
did  we  do  so?"  Our  Lord  replies,  ^'■Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Inas- 
much as  you  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
hrethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  meP  You  have  evinced  your  love 
to  me  in  your  love  to  the  least  of  these  my  brethren.  So  far  from 
having  the  slightest  hope,  the  slightest  confidence  in  anything 
that  they  have  done,  they  think  they  have  done  nothing ;  but  the 
Lord  himself  brings  forward  their  works  as  the  manifestation  of 
their  character  as  His  servants,  and  adduces  their  love  of  Him 
evinced  in  their  conduct  to  the  humblest  of  his  disciples,  as  a  test 
and  proof  of  the  sinners  acceptance  before  God ;  because  it  is  a 
test  of  his  love  to  his  Lord  and  Master,  and  therefore  of  that 
•'Faith  ichich  ivorketh  hy  love,''^  Gal.  v.  6.  Therefore,  the  Apostle 
says,  "7/"  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  hiin  be 
Aiiathenia  Maran-atha,^^  1st  Cor.  xvi.  22.  Now,  no  man  can  love 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  the  sinner  that  knov;s  Him  as  the 
Refuge  and  Salvation  of  his  soul.  You  see  every  portion  of  di- 
vine truth  brings  us  back  to  the  simple,  '•'•Truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 
We  must  resolve  all  pure  light  of  doctrinal  and  moral  truth  into 
the  glorious  effulgence  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  ;  as  all  the 
light  that  illuminates  and  vivifies  the  earth,  converges  to  the  glo- 
rious orb  of  day. 

If  our  views  are  clear  on  the  simple  principles  of  Divine  truth, 
the  Bible  is  an  unsealed  and  open  book  to  us ;  and  if  we  are  blind 


562  LECTUEES    ON    THE    EPESIANS. 

and  ignorant  of  these,  it  is  all  shut ;  it  is  a  sealed  book  to  us.  We 
are  all  confused  and  dark  in  every  point  of  doctrine  and  every 
principle  of  morals.  Therefore,  how  important.it  is  in  reading  the 
Apostolical  Epistles,  and  perceiving  works  enforced  on  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  Christians — How  important  it  is  to  keep  in  view, 
that  persons  there  so  addressed  are  Christians  in  spirit  and  truth. 

Do  not  say,  "  Oh  !  we  are  all  Christians." 

None  of  you  are  so,  if  you  are  not  brought  to  Christ :  you  have 
a  name  to  live,  but  you  are  dead — you  are  not  Christians  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  if  you  are  not  really  looking  unto  Jesus.  If  you  are 
not  washed  in  the  blood  and  clothed  in  the  righteousness  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  you  are  looking  to  yourselves — to  your  own 
righteousness,  you  are  yet  in  your  sins — you  "  have  neither  part 
nor  lot  in  this  matter,^'  Acts  viii.  21. 

Consider  this,  Oh  !  consider  it  dihgently — meditate  on  it — ex- 
amine it — pray  over  it — lay  it  to  heart.  May  the  Lord  enable  us  all 
to  do  so !  May  we  consider  these  great  truths — for  these  are  the 
only  truths  to  live  by,  and  to  die  by,  ^'•Lookhig  unto  Jesus.^'  And  if  we 
are  indeed  looking  unto  Him,  then  let  us  know,  "that  whatso- 
ever GOOD  THING  ANY  MAN  DOETH,  THE  SAME  SHALL  HE  RECEIVE 

OF  THE  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free."  It  is  stated, 
that  for  every  good  thing  any  man  doeth,  he  shall  receive  a  re- 
ward. But  you  see,  that  the  object  of  receiving  the  reward,  is  not 
the  motive  for  his  action  ;  it  is  his  privilege  to  know  that  when  he 
is  indeed  "  Looking-  nnto  Jesus,'^  the  Lord  forgets  nothing  that  he 
does — He  neither  forgets  his  sins  to  blot  them  out,  nor  his  humblest 
services  to  reward  them ;  so  that  the  believer  may  rejoice  in  think- 
ing, that  if  it  be  but  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a  disciple  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  it  shall  in  no  wise  lose  its  reward. 

Therefore,  let  no  one,  if  he  is  ever  so  humble  or  poor  say,  alas  ! 
I  can  do  but  little.  Remember,  that  the  poorest  believer  in  the 
world,  laboring  in  the  humblest  sphere,  is  as  highly  esteemed  in 
the  eye  of  God,  if  he  really  is  serving  him  in  spirit  and  truth,  as 
the  person  who  is  laboring  most  conspicuously  in  His  service.  The 
humblest  member  of  any  congregation  is  just  serving  his  Lord  and 
Master,  if  he  is  a  faithful  servant,  as  much  as  perhaps  the  Minis- 
ter who  is  spending  his  life  in  laboring  among  that  flock.  Each  of 
them  is  living  and  laboring  in  that  sphere  in  which  his  blessed  Lord 
has  placed  him,  and  if  serving  faithfully,  is  serving  acceptably.  The 
humblest  work,  if  it  be  but  a  cup  of  cold  water,  is  just  as  much 
accepted  before  the  Lord,  and  just  as  much  rewarded  when  done 
on  the  principle  of  love  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  greatest  labor 
that  man  can  do;  for  we  can  do  nothing  but  as  the  Lord  gives  us 
power,  according  to  our  different  gifts  and  talents ;  we  can  do 
nothing  for  Him  but  just  what  He  bestows  on  us,  "  If  there  he  first 
a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and 
not  according  to  that  he  hath  not.''''  2nd  Cor.  viii.  12.  When  the 
Lord  was  pleased  to  give  a  widow  but  two  mites,  and  gave  her  a  heart 
to  cast  it  into  the  treasury  ;  she  cast  more  into  it  in  the  Lord's  estima- 
tion, than  all  the  rich  men  who  had  cast  in  of  their  abundance. 


3LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  653 

Therefore,  you  see  what  a  blessmg  that  principle  is  that  is  laid 
down  here  for  the  Christian  servant,  "  With  good  will  doing 

SERVICE  AS  unto  THE  LoRD  AND  NOT  UNTO  MEN",  KNOWING 
THAT  WHATSOEVER  GOOD  THING  ANY  MAN  DOETH,  THE  SAME 
SHALL    HE   RECEIVE    OF  THE    LoRD,   WHETHER    HE    BE    BOND    OR 

FREE."  Whatever  he  is  occupied  about — whatever  service  he  is 
doing-  for  his  master,  when  he  is  doing  it  faithfully,  earnestly, 
anxiously  wishing  to  do  it,  not  with  eye  service,  as  pleasing  men, 
but  as  unto  the  Lord ;  the  Lord  accepts  it  and  rewards  it  as  much 
as  any  service  of  his  master — it  is  equally  regarded  "whether 

HE  BE  BOND  OR  FREE." 

When  he  gives  himself  heartily  to  his  master's  service,  because 
he  desires  to  serve  the  Lord — ^he  gives  himself  in  his  sphere  to  the 
Lord,  and  whatever  he  does  on  that  principle — whatever  the  dis- 
charge of  duty  to  his  master  be,  as  unto  the  Lord  ;  the  poorest, 
humblest  service  he  renders  for  his  Heavenly  Master's  sake,  and 
for  his  Heavenly  Master's  glory,  is  as  much  accepted  before  the 
Lord  as  the  labor  of  that  master,  if  he  were  the  greatest  monarch 
in  the  world.  Think  of  this — what  a  privilege  it  is — ^think  with 
what  coniidence  the  humblest  creature  in  the  world  may  look  to 
his  Heavenly  Father,  and  be  satisfied,  that  whatever  he  does  for 
His  sake  is  graciously  accepted,  because  Jesus  has  died  for  sinners, 
and  he  is  looking  to  Jesus  as  the  hope  and  refuge  of  his  soul. 

"  The   SAME   SHALL   HE   RECEIVE  OF  THE  LoRD,  WHETHER  HE 

BE  BOND  OR  FREE." — So  the  Apostle  saith  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians,  "  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus ;  for  as  niany  of  you  as  have  been  baptised  into  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ, — there  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is 
neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female:  for  ye 
are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,'''  Gal.  iii.  27,  28.  ^^All  one,'' — -The 
master — it  is  his  privilege  to  look  on  his  servant  as  a  brother, 
when  they  are  brethren  in  Christ.  The  servant — it  is  his  privilege 
to  look  on  his  master  as  a  brother,  when  they  are  brethren  in 
Christ.  And  as  we  remarked  before,  while  they  are  brought  into 
this  relationship  to  God  and  to  each  other ;  so  far  from  dissolving 
the  tie  that  subsists  between  them,  or  deranging  the  order  of 
society ;  it  establishes  social  order,  on  the  only  principle  on  which 
it  can  be  firmly  established — the  service  of  God,  as  a  God  of  order, 
authority,  and  obedience,  as  both  derived  from  his  ordinance,  and 
to  be  exercised  for  his  glory. 

"And  ye  masters  do  the  same  things  unto  them,"  that 
is,  they  are  called  on  to  discharge  their  duty  to  you,  "  in  single- 
ness of  heart  as  unto  Christ," — "do  the  same  things  unto 
them"— discharge  your  duty  to  them  "  in  singleness  of  heart  as 
unto  Christ.'"  They  are  desired  to  do  their  duty  to  you,  '•'■not  with 
eye  service  as  men  pleasers ;"  therefore  you  are  to  do  your  duty 
to  them,  "  not  with  eye  service  as  men  pleasers," — -not  as  if  men 
were  looking  on  you  and  thinking  well  of  you — not  as  if  your 
servants  were  looking  at  you  and  gratified  with  your  conduct ;  but 
do  your  duty  to  them  as  remembering  that  your  God  is  looking 


554  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

upon  you.  If  they  are  to  do  service  to  you  as  "  doing  the  will 
OF  God  from  the  heart,  with  good  will  doing  service  as 
TO  THE  Lord  and  not  to  men,"  You  are  with  good  will  to 
exercise  authority  over  them  as  to  the  Lord  and  not  to  men. 

"  Do  the  same  things  unto  them." — As  they  are  called  upon 
to  discharge  their  duty  in  reference  to  God,  exercise  your  authority 
to  them  in  reference  to  God. 

"  Forbearing  threatening,  knowing  that  your  master 
also  is  in  Heaven." — Authority,  in  any  circumstance,  is  a 
dangerous  thing  to  entrust  to  a  poor  sinner.  Men  too  generally 
misuse  their  power.  Few  are  fit  to  be  entrusted  with  authority  in 
any  way.  Man  almost  always  abuses  his  power  at  some  times 
and  in  some  ways,  in  every  relation  of  life.  The  only  security 
against  the  abuse  of  his  power,  is  the  continual  remembrance  that 
he  holds  that  power  from  God,  and  the  deep  conviction  that  it  is 
his  duty  to  discharge  the  office  with  which  he  is  entrusted  as  unto 
God. 

For  example, — the  power  of  a  parent  over  his  child,  he  is  warned 
in  this  portion  of  Scripture  against  the  abuse  of  that :  ^^  Ye  fathers 
'provoke  not  your  children  to  wrathP  As  much  as  to  say,  you 
will  be  inclined  to  misuse  your  power  over  them — to  exercise  your 
authority,  not  with  a  single  eye  to  the  good  of  your  children,  but 
to  indulge  your  own  temper  and  provoke  your  children  to  wrath, 
instead  of  doing  them  good. 

Just  so,  in  the  case  of  the  power  of  masters — they  are  warned 
here  against  the  abuse  of  that  power — as  much  as  to  say,  that 
instead  of  "forbearing  threatening,"  and  remembering 
''that  your  master  also  is  in  Heaven,"  and  dealing  with 
your  servants  as  brethren  ;  you  will  be  inclined  to  exercise  your 
authority  tyrannically — to  threaten  them — to  exercise  your  power 
harshly  and  severely  over  them — that  is  the  natural  disposition  of 
your  heart,  and  you  ought  to  watch  against  it. 

"Forbearing  threatening." — Do  you  not  feel  naturally 
inclined  to  speak  and  act  toward  your  servants  in  a  manner  that 
you  ought  not  to  do,  when  they  provoke  you,  as  no  doubt  they  will 
provoke  you  with  their  disobedience,  their  neglect,  their  miscon- 
duct, their  lies,  their  drunkenness,  the  various  other  evils  into 
which  too  many  of  your  servants  fall  ?  Are  you  not  inclined  to 
exercise  authority  over  them  too  harshly  ? 

The  Apostle  here  supposes  the  relation  of  a  Christian  master 
and  Christian  servant ;  but  we  are  called  on  continually — unfor- 
tunately— alas,  to  exercise,  as  masters,  authority  over  servants  that 
are  not  Christians.  See,  how  God  is  pleased  to  make  the  acts  of 
men's  own  wickedness  fall  on  their  own  heads  !  If  the  Protes- 
tants— the  educated  Protestants  of  the  Protestant  Church  were 
Christians  in  spirit  and  truth  as  they  ought  to  be,  if  they  served 
their  God  according  to  their  privileges  as  they  ought  to  do,  if  the 
Rulers  of  this  Empire  in  the  Church  and  Government — the  States- 
men— the  Bishops — the  Clergy — the  Protestant  Landlords  of  this 
country  had  been  faithful  servants  of  their  God,  as  they  ought  to 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  555 

l)c,  the  poor  of  this  country,  both  Roman  CathoHcs  and  Protes- 
tants, would  not  be,  the  one — so  ig-norant  and  ungodly  in  a  true 
(Jhurch,  nor  the  other — so  wicked  and  buried  in  the  superstitions 
and  idolatries  of  a  false  Church,  as  they  are.  The  country  would 
not  be  as  it  is,  if  men  in  their  respective  spheres  did  their  duty  to 
tiieir  God  as  they  ought  to  have  done,  and  if  we  were  Christians 
as  we  ought  to  be.*  There  is  nothing  to  be  expected  in  individ- 
uals, families,  nations,  nothing  to  be  looked  for,  or  hoped  for  of 
good,  unless  men  are  brought,  individually  and  collectively,  to  be 
servants  of  the  living  God. 

But  then,  consider,  in  your  relation  and  in  your  duty  to  your 
servants  as  masters  and  mistresses — -consider,  how  this  principle  is 
forced  on  you  ;  you  are  to  remember,  that  "  your  master  also 
IS  IN  HEAVEN," — that  you  are  to  deal  with  your  servants  as  be- 
fore God  ;  and  let  me  again  advert  to  a  point,  which  I  endeavored 
to  impress  on  you  before — if  that  was  your  principle,  how  should 
you  act  towards  your  servants  7  What  should  be  the  first  thing 
that  would  occupy  your  mitid  with  respect  to  them?  Certainly 
this,  that  you  should  endeavor  to  bring  your  servants  to  the 
knowledge  of  their  Lord  and  Saviour.  If  you  know  the  value  of 
Christ  for  your  own  souls,  you  cannot  neglect  your  servants — you 
cannot  neglect  them  any  more  than  your  children — you  cannot 
neglect  those  who  arc  placed  in  subjection  under  you  ;  and  you 
can  have  no  better  test  of  your  own  practical  disregard  of  God  and 
His  truth  than  this,  that  you  disregard  the  souls  of  your  servants. 
Depend  upon  it,  if  there  be  any  of  you  here  who  are  disregarding 
the  souls  of  your  servants,  you  are  neglecting  your  own  soul. 
Depend  upon  it,  your  own  soul  is  in  an  awful  state  before  God— 
you  are  not  thinking  of  your  Lord  and  Master,  as  the  Refuge  for 
your  own  soul,  if  you  are  neglecting  the  souls  of  your  household. 
How  is  it  possible,  you  can  be  a  servant  of  Christ  at  all?  Think 
of  this, — if  there  be  any  among  you  to  whose  conscience  this  comes 
home,  who  have  neglected  the  salvation  of  your  servants,  let  me 
beseech  you  for  God's  sake,  remember,  "  your  master  also  is 

IN    HEAVEN,   neither    IS     THERE     RESPECT    OF    PERSONS    WITH 

HIM."  If  you  profess  yourselves,  as  you  do,  to  be  servants  of  the 
King  of  kings,  then  beware  that  you  deal  with  your  servants,  not 

*  The  Author  anticipates  that  perhaps  much  offence  may  be  taken  at  these  senti- 
ments, and  many  may  be  inchned  to  reprove  him  for  what  they  may  term  "unjust 
charges" — '■'presumptuous  assertions" — -'audacious  reproofs"  &c.  &c.  But  these  senti- 
ments were  uttered  before  God,  in  the  discharge,  as  he  beUeved,  of  his  solemn  duty  as 
a  minister  of  Christ.  And  when  committing  them  to  the  Press,  at  the  long  interval 
of  ten  years  afterwards,  he  soberly  considers  that  every  year  establishes  their  truth. 
The  only  question  for  him  to  determine,  is  not  '■  Who  icill  be  pleased?"  or  ■•  Who  will 
be  qff'ended?"  but  '■  What  i.s  truth  in  thk  sight  of  God  1"  and  therefore,  the  Author 
dares  not  to  cancel  what  he  believes  to  be  solemn  truth.  And  he  fears,  that  while 
many  are  inclined  to  attribute  the  judgments  of  God  on  this  land  exclusively  to  Popery — 
he  tliinks  the  guilty  neglect  of  duty — the  abandonment  in  theory  and  practice  of  the 
principles  to  which  they  are  pledged  on  the  part  of  Protestants,  both  in  the  Church 
and  State,  is  calculated  even  more  than  the  crimes  of  Popery,  to  provoke  the  displeasure 
of  Almighty  God.  Those  who  call  themselves  Protestants,  have  been  the  instruments 
of  carrying  out,  and  carrying  on  the  worst  evils,  and  the  worst  systems,  that  defile  the 
country  and  disgr  ice  the  British  Empire. 


556  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

as  unto  man,  but  as  unto  God  ;  that  you  endeavor  to  instruct  them 
as  you  vakie  your  own  salvation.  Be  assured,  you  shall  find  a 
blessing  to  yourselves,  in  endeavoring  to  convey  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth  to  them. 

What  vast  responsibility  is  laid  upon  you  !  Alas  !  alas  !  when 
one  thinks  of  masters  and  servants — parents  and  children  in  Hell, 
reproaching  one  another — drawing  forth  the  bitterness  of  everlast- 
ing remorse  from  the  abyss  of  fell  recriminating  recollections  ! ! ! 

"  I  was  so  long  in  your  house — I  was  so  long  in  your  service, 
or  still  more  awful,  I  was  your  child  and  you  told  me  nothing,  and 
taught  me  nothing  about  God — you  found  me  in  ignorance  and 
sin — you  brought  me  forth  in  sin — ^you  brought  me  up  in  sin — you 
kept  me — you  trained  me — you  left  me  in  ignorance  and  sin — 
here  you  are,  and  here  I  am." 

Oh  !  if  one  could  give  scope  to  the  horrors  of  imagination,  and 
suppose  parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants,  husbands  and 
wives,  who  had  lived  and  died,  serving  the  Devil  in  this  world,  with 
the  Bible  within  their  reach — the  Bible  unopened  in  their  houses 
— a  throne  of  grace  to  come  to — a  Saviour  inviting  them — ^Minis- 
ters entreating  them  to  look  unto  Jesus  ; — But  no,  they  will  despise 
all — tbey  will  serve  the  Devil  in  time,  and  they  are  cast  away  to 
serve  him  and  to  suffer  with  him  for  eternity  ! 

Oh  !  think,  what  an  awful  thing  it  is  for  sinners  to  be  living 
without  God  in  the  world,  in  whatever  relation  of  life  they  are  ! 
What  will  signify  all  your  occupations,  your  successes,  your  enjoy- 
ments, your  gains,  your  being  at  ease  in  the  world — ^what  matters 
it,  that  you  have  your  comforts,  your  houses,  your  servants  ;  that 
you  have  everything  in  neatness  and  in  order  around  you— that 
you  have  children,  relations,  friends,  more  than  all  that  your  heart 
can  wish,  while  you  are  living  without  God  in  the  world. — Christ 
is  not  in  your  heart,  or  in  your  houses — among  yourselves,  your 
children,  your  family,  your  servants, — in  your  drawing-room,  in 
your  closet,  your  kitchen, — "  What  will  you  do  in  the  end 
thereof  7'''' — ^Alas  !  alas  !  "  what  shall  it  profit  a  mail,  to  gaiji  the 
whole  iDorld  and  lose  his  own  soul ;  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  sonl  ?" 

Hear  the  word  of  God  : — "Ye  masters  do  the  same  things 
TO  them,  forbearing  threatening,  knowing  that  your 
master  also  is  in  Heaven," — this  is  addressed  to  Christian 
masters; — "Your  master  also  is  in  Heaven,  neither  is 
there  respect  op  persons  with  him."  What  a  solemn 
thought ! — This  is  one  of  the  many  things  we  cannot  realize  at 
all, — or  that  we  find  it  so  difficult  to  realize,  that  "  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  per  sons  P  Respect  of  persons,  we  are  so  justly,  in  a  cer- 
tain sense,  and  so  continually  imbued  with,  from  our  infancy,  that 
we  cannot  think,  that  the  sovereign  on  a  throne,  and  the  beggar 
on  a  dunghill,  are  just  exactly  the  same  before  the  Holy  God  ;  and 
that  they  shall  just  appear  the  same  before  the  judgment  seat  of 
Christ,  stripped  alike  of  their  robes  of  office  and  their  rags,  exactly 
in  one  character,  sinners  : — the  Kings,  Q,ucens,  Princes,  1  iords,  all 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  557 

the  great  men— and  the  mighty  men — and  all  beggars  on  the  earth, 
all  the  same  ! — no  respect  of  persons  ; — the  only  difference  between 
them  shall  be  : — the  ornaments,  the  respectabihty,  the  rank,  edu- 
cation, power,  learning,  opportunities,  all  the  gifts  that  God  gives 
to  men  to  exalt  them  in  this  world ;  these  shall  press  with  accu- 
mulated weight  of  responsibihty  on  their  souls.  The  only  difference 
between  them  shall  be,  that  a  heavier  judgment  shall  fall  on  the  head 
of  those  who  have  been  great  in  all  the  various  gradations  of  life  ; 
with  all  the  talents  committed  to  them  ;  and  who  have  trampled 
upon  and  neglected  all  the  means  of  usefulness,  and  all  the  gifts 
and  opportunities  that  God  had  blessed  them  with  on  earth.  It  is 
very  difficult  to  realize,  "neither  is  there  any  respect  of  per- 
sons WITH  HIM,"  very  difficult,  but  it  is  true— there  is  not  a  truth 
more  clearly  laid  down  in  His  Holy  Word. — Every  individual  stands 
on  a  level  with  his  fellow  man — Simier,  is  the  name  of  each,  and 
Rebel,  is  his  rank.  Then,  the  only — the  mighty — the  everlasting 
difference  is  this  :  whether  or  not,  he  is  among  the  redeemed  of  the 
Lord — brought  to  the  feet  of  Jesus — washed  in  the  precious  blood 
— and  clothed  in  the  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God. 

I  shall  just  read,  and  only  read  the  10th  verse  in  conclusion, 
because  the  Apostle  refers  us  in  it  to  the  only  ground  on  which  it 
is  possible  for  us  to  discharge  any  duty,  to  embrace  any  truth,  to 
trust  on  any  promise,  or  to  expect  any  blessing.  "Finally,  my 
brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
HIS  MIGHT," — as  much  as  to  say,  you  are  all  weakness — you  have 
nothing,  and  are  nothing  in  yourselves,  when  these  duties  are 
pressed  on  you ;  all  your  strength  can  be  derived  alone  from  God. 
"Be  strong  in  the  Lord," — you  must  be  "  in  the  Lord,"  be- 
fore you  can  "  be  strong  in  the  Lord," — you  must  be  in  Christ, 
before  you  are  stro7i^  in  Christ — you  must  be  looking  unto  Jesus 
— you  must  be  found  in  Jesus,  before  you  can  be  strong  in  him. 
Therefore,  to  believers  alone,  can  it  be  said,  "  be  strong  in  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might."  Well,  dear  brethren ! 
so  we  can  be  strong  if  we  are  looking  to  Jesus. — "  /  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ,  which  strerigtheneth  me,"  Phil.  iv.  13, 
saith  the  Apostle. 

May  the  Lord  apply  this  to  our  hearts,  and  enable  us  to  consider 
the  means  by  which  the  sinner  alone  can  "  be  strong  in  the 
Lord,"  even  by  putting  on  the  whole  armor  of  God.  May  the 
Lord  engrave  this  truth  on  our  hearts,  and  seal  instruction  on  our 
souls,  for  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 


FORTY- SEVENTH  LECTURE. 


Ephesuns  VI. — 10,  11. 


"  Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might.  Put 
on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the 
devil." 

We  merely  cursorily  touched  on  the  10th  verse,  in  our  last  Lec- 
ture. And  we  are  to  observe,  that  with  this  verse  begins  the  con- 
clusion of  this  address  from  the  Apostle  to  the  church  at  Ephesus, 
where  he  comes  to  the  close  of  all  his  exhortations  to  them,  as  he 
does  in  this  chapter. 

"  Finally,  my  brethren" — That  is,  in  conclusion — after  all 
I  have  written  to  you,  "Finally,  my  brethen,  be  strong  in 
THE  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might."  As  much  as  to 
say,— 

"  My  brethren,  I  have  now  entered  fully  into  the  glorious  sub- 
ject of  the  Gospel — the  redeeming  love  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  I  have  gone  back  to  the  everlasting  love  of  Jehovah 
to  His  Church.  1  have  shown  you  the  completeness  of  that  Church 
as  redeemed  in  Jesus.  "  Chosen  in  liim  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,^'  chap  i.  4.  I  have  gone  back  to  the  commencement  of 
your  own  spiritual  life.  I  have  shown  you  how  you  '■'■were  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins'^ — "  how  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy ^  for  his 
great  love  whereioith  he  loved  you,  even  when  you  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  cpiickened  you  together  with  Christ ;  [by  grace  are  ye 
saved)  and  hath  raised  you  up  together,  and  made  you  sit  to- 
gether in  heavenly  j)laces  in  Christ  Jesus,''^  chap.  ii.  1 — G.  I  have 
shown  you,  "  How  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  sometimes  xoere  afar 
off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ."  I  have  shown  you 
the  glorious  privileges  to  which  you  are  raised — "  No  more  stran- 
gers and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  loith  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God" — the  glorious  foundation  on  which  you  are 
built,  even  "  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus 
Christ,  himself  beifig  the  chief  corner-stone."  I  have  shown  you, 
how  you  have  been  hewn  out,  and  brought  as  living  stones  to  this 
foundation,  and  built  up  in  Him,  "  In  xohom  all  the  building  fitly 
framed  together  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,"  chap, 
xiii.  19 — 21.  I  have  shown  you  the  glorious  mystery,  "  Which 
in  other  ages  icas  not  inade  known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is 
now  revealed  unto  his  holy  Apostles  and.  Prophets  by  the  Spirit, 
that  {you)  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same 
body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ,  by  the  Gospel." 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  559 

chap.  iii.  5,  6.     I  have  prayed  for  you,  "  That  he  loould  grant  you 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  vAth  might, 
by  his  Spirit,  in  the  inner  man,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may 
be  able  to   comprehend,  unth  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth  and 
length,  and  depth  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ 
which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  ful- 
ness of  God,^^  chap.   iii.   16 — 19.      Having  shown  you  all  your 
wondrous  privileges,  and  prayed  for  all  these  blessings  upon  you,  1 
have  exhorted  you  to  "  Walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye 
are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-suffering, 
forbeariiig  one  another  in  love.^^     I  have  exhorted  you  to  "  En- 
deavor to  keep  the  nnity  of  the  k^piritin  the  bond  of  peace ^^  chap, 
iv.  1—3.     I  have  shown  you  the  glorious  privileges  that  belong  to 
each  of  you,  as  members,  different  members  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  that  in    all   your   several   places,  whatever   place   God  has 
appointed  you  in  that  body,  you  are  all  to  keep  your  places,  and 
"  Grow  up  unto  him  in  all  things,  lohich  is  the  head  even  Christ.'^ 
I  have  exhorted  you,  how  you  ought  to  walk  and  to  please  God — 
how  you  ought  to  '-Put  off]  concerning  your  former  conversation, 
the  old  man  which  is  corrupt,  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and 
to  be  renev)ed  in  the  spirit  of  your  minds^''  chap.  iv.  22,  23 — to 
put  off  all  your  sins,  and  vanities,  and  deceitfulness  in  which  ye 
walked  as  Gentiles.     I  have  called  you  to  holiness.     I  have  called 
you  to  put  away  every  evil  deed,  and  every  evil  word — to  "-Let 
no  corrupt  cojnmunication  proceed  out  of  your  9nouth,  but  that 
which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minister  grace 
unto  thine  hearers"     I  have  exhorted  you  "  Not  to  grieve  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  you  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 
demption," chap.  iv.  29,  30.     I  have  exhorted  you  to  "  Be  follow- 
ers of  God  as  dear  children,"  and  "  Walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also 
hath  loved  us,  and  given  himself  for  us"  chap.  v.  1,  2.     I  have 
called  you  to  remember  that  you  should  avoid  every  sin,  every  im- 
clean  act,  in  deed,  word,  and  thought,  and  that  you  should  "  het 
no  m,an  deceive  you  with  vain  words,"  as  that  ye  might  walk  in 
these,  and  still  be  of  Christ's  body ;  for  that  "  Because  of  these 
things,  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  on  the  children  of  disobedience." 
And  shall  the  members  of  Christ  have  license  to  commit  the  sins 
that  condemn  His  enemies  1 

"  I  have  exhorted  you,  in  all  your  several  relations  of  life,  as 
Husbands,  Wives,  Parents,  Children,  Masters,  Servants,  in  all  your 
various  circumstances  and  positions ;  I  have  exhorted  you,  and 
delivered  to  you  how  you  ought  to  walk,  to  serve  and  glorify  your 
Lord  and  Master:  but  after  having  done  all  these  things,  I  come 
to  the  close  of  all  my  testimony,  and  all  my  admonitions  to  you, 
and  now  remember,  that  in  all  these  things  you  are  weak — nay, 
utterly  impotent  in  yourselves  ;  unable  to  imderstand  any  princi- 
ple— to  comprehend  any  mystery — to  believe  any  truth— to  em- 
brace any  hope — to  enjoy  any  promise — to  perform  any  duty  that 
1  have  laid  before  you — and  that  all  your  strength  must  be  derived 


560  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

from   the    Lord.      Therefore,    "Finally,    my    brethren,    be 

STRONG   IN  THE  LoRD,   AND   IN  THE  POWER  OF  HIS  MIGHT." 

Oh !  what  an  important  exhortation  is  this,  with  which  to  close 
this  inspired  Epistle.  I  say,  what  an  important  exhortation  it  is ! — 
an  exhortation  commended  to  the  experience  of  every  Child  of 
God,  who  hast  ever  read,  or  understood  a  syllable  of  its  sacred 
truth.  For  there  is  one  lesson  we  are  continually  learning,  as 
long  as  we  are  being  trained  in  the  school  of  Christ ;  and  that 
lesson  is  this,  our  own  continual  weakness ;  our  utter  inabihty  to 
do,  say,  or  think  anything  for  our  God,  as  of  ourselves ;  we  are 
learning  the  lesson  which  the  Apostle  speaks  of,  when  he  says, 
"  Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  anything  as  of 
ourselves,  hnt  our  sufficiency  is  of  GodP  2nd  Cor.  iii.  5.  He 
does  not  merely  say,  to  do,  or  to  speak— hut  "  to  think  aiiything 
as  of  ourselves.^''  And  if  such  was  the  experience  of  the  Apostle, 
surely  such  must  be  yours  and  mine  !  I  do  believe,  if  a  Christian 
watches  himself,  that  there  is  not  one  night  he  lies  down  on  his 
bed,  if  he  reflects  on  his  actions,  words,  and  thoughts,  during  the 
day,  that  he  will  not  have  to  feel,  that  in  every  single  instance  he 
was  perfectly  weak  in  himself,  and  incompetent  to  any  good  ;  that 
in  fact  he  could  do  nothing — that  whenever  he  was  able  to  do 
anything — to  think  of  anything  aright ;  he  must  know,  and  feel 
more  and  more  daily,  that  it  could  come  alone  from  God.  There- 
fore, "Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord  and 

IN  THE   POWER  OF  HIS  MIGHT.'" 

There  are  two  points  to  be  considered  here :  first — our  own 
weakness ;  our  inability  to  do  anything  of  ourselves, — this  is  a 
subject  of  self-examination,  of  self-abasement,  leading  to  humilia- 
tion and  to  prayer.  The  second  thing  is — our  strength,  the 
strength  of  the  believer  in  Christ.  "Be  strong  in  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  power  of  his  might." — This  is  a  subject  of  rejoicing. 
Here  we  are  to  look  out  of  self — to  lift  our  eyes  above  self — to  look 
beyond  self — and  look  up  to  our  glorious  covenant  God. — "Be 
STRONG  IN  THE  LoRD," — as  much  as  to  say,  when  you  are  weak- 
est— remember,  strength  is  provided — your  help  is  laid  on  one  that 
is  mighty, — so  saith  the  Lord,  "/  have  laid  help  on  one  that  is 
TnightyP  Psalm  Ixxxix.  19.  Mighty  to  succor,  and  mighty  to 
save.  God  has  laid  our  help  on  Christ ;  therefore  when  he  saith, 
"Be  strong  in  the  Lord,"  think,  what  a  consolatory  reflection 
that  is  to  the  poor  believer — that  it  is  his  privilege  to  be  so — that 
his  Divine  Master's  strength  is  provided  for  him,  so  that  he  is  never 
to  be  discouraged  under  any  sense  of  his  own  weakness ;  because 
there  is  such  glorious  encouragement  for  him  continually,  and 
strength, in  the  power  of  his  Lord;  as  much  as  to  say, — remem- 
ber !  Oh  !  believer,  your  own  weakness — but  Oh  !  remember,  the 
strength  that  is  laid  up  for  you — ^remember,  what  is  provided  for 
you ;  you  are  weak  indeed,  but  Christ  is  strong,  though  you  are 
weak.  And  remember,  that  the  strength  that  is  provided  for  you 
in  all  these  things,  is  the  strength  of  omnipotence.  Therefore, 
"Be  strong  in  the  Lord."    Ah  !  dear  brethren,  this  is  a  very 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  561 

difficult  Ie>;son  for  us  to  leaiii ;  but,  the  Lord  teaches  it  to  us,  by 
many  a  hard  experience ;  for  vre  are  never  content  to  derive  our 
strength  from  God ;  we  are  always  ready  to  lean  more  or  less  on 
our  own  ;  and  if  we  find  we  have  any  spiritual  strength,  we  are 
just  as  apt  to  be  proud  of  it,  as  strong  men  are  of  their  muscular 
power,  the}"^  are  proud  of  their  strength,  and  they  call  it  their 
own — we  are  proud  of  our  spiritual  strength,  and  call  it  our  own ; 
and  therefore,  one  of  the  many  ways  we  are  often  taught  our 
own  weakness,  is  by  letting  us  feel  it — leaving  us  to  ourselves. 
There  is  no  way  in  which  a  sinner  is  more  immediately  taught 
his  own  weakness,  than  when  he  is  left  to  himself  We  are  like 
children  just  beginning  to  walk — the  parent  holds  the  child  by  the 
hand,  and  then  tlie  child,  confident  in  its  fancied  strength,  supported 
by  its  parent,  thinking  it  is  supporting  itself,  and  proud  of  its  own 
imaginary  power,  desires  to  walk  alone — it  is  left  to  make  the 
eifort  for  a  moment — it  falls,  and  cries  to  its  parent,  to  lift  it  up 
again.  This  is  exactly  the  state  of  a  self  righteous — weak — self 
confident  believer;  his  whole  strength  is  derived  from  the  support 
of  the  hand  of  his  God,  who  holds  and  keeps  him  by  his  power. 
Then  he  thinks  he  is  able  to  walk  alone — sometimes  he  is  left  to 
try  the  experiment,  he  does  so — then  he  learns  his  weakness,  by 
many  a  heavy  fall — many  a  severe  wound,  of  which,  perhaps,  the 
world  knows  nothing,  but  which  he  deeply  feels  within.  Does  he 
not? — Oh  believer !  have  you  not  felt  it  thus?  Have  you  not  had 
many  a  severe  fall,  that  no  one  ever  knew,  but  that  has  Avounded 
your  own  conscience?  Oh  yes!  your  own  experience  testifies 
what  grievous  falls  you  have  suffered — what  deep — what  heavy 
falls — wounding  your  conscience — bowing  down,  perhaps  your 
head  like  a  bulrush — making  you  cry  with  the  Psalmist,  '■'■My 
icounds  stink  and  are  corrupt  through  my  foolishness. — I  am 
troubled — I  ain  bowed  down  greatly ;  I  go  mouriiing  all  the  day 
long."  Psalm  xxxviii.  5,  6.  The  world  may  never  know  any- 
thing about  it ;  but  you  and  your  God  have  known  it.  The  cause 
is  your  own  pride — your  fancying  yourself  strong  in  your  own 
strength.  Do  you  recollect  how  the  Apostle  Paul  was  taught  and 
trained  in  this  school  of  trial  ? — Do  you  recollect,  wdiere  he  speaks 
of  the  spiritual  revelations  vouchsafed  to  him,  and  the  danger  of 
spiritual  pride  resulting  from  these?  He  says,  '■'■Lest  I  should  be 
exalted  above  measure,  through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations, 
there  ivas  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  ines.senger  of  >Satan 
to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure."  2nd  Cor.  xii.  7. 
Some  persons  consider,  that  this  was  some  bodily  affliction ;  but 
they  who  say  so,  seem,  I  think,  to  know  but  very  little  of  the  spir- 
itual experience  of  the  believer.  "^  thorn  in  the  flesh  T — "TAe 
messenger  of  Satan!" — It  is  much  more  probable,  it  was  some 
deep  temptation — some  hard  spiritual  trial — some  sin — some  strong 
besetting  sin,  under  the  power  of  which  he  groaned,  being  bur- 
thened.  This  is  often  the  case.  When  we  are  not  at  all  aware 
of  the  existence  of  some  particular  sin  in  our  hearts — some  temp- 
tation brings  it  out  at  once ;  and  Satan  sends  a  messenger  to  stir 

36 


562  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

it  up — to  stir  up  as  in  a  muddy  pool,  the  sin  that  hes  at  the  bottom 
of  the  heart. 

Some  men,  for  example,  may  think  their  tempers  very  much 
subdued.  But  an  irritation — a  provocation  they  did  not  expect, 
or  anticipate,  shows  them,  in  a  moment,  how  easily  they  may  be 
excited,  and  what  a  vile  temper  and  spirit  they  are  of,  if  the  Lord 
would  leave  them  to  themselves. 

Some  persons  imagine,  that  their  minds  are  abstracted  from  the 
world,  and  that  they  have  got  rid  of  covetousness,  or  of  ambition ; 
a  temptation  is  thrown  in  their  way,  they  run  greedily  after  gain — 
they  tremble  for  something  they  are  afraid  to  lose — tliey  are  dis- 
appointed in  something  that  they  expected  to  attain,  and  then, 
their  heart  is  brought  to  see  how  worldly,  and  how  full  of  covetous- 
ness or  ambition  it  is. 

Some  think  that  they  are  very  holiest — they  are  tempted  and 
overtaken  in  a  snare. 

Some  flatter  themselves,  that  they  are  very  pure  and  chaste — 
they  are  tempted,  and  are  taught  to  feel  how  unclean  they  are, 
and  that  there  is  no  health  in  them. 

Some  think  they  are  resigned  to  the  will  of  God  ;  they  are  soon 
taught  how  full  of  murmuring  and  rebellion  their  heart  is.  Thus, 
by  some  temptation — some  thorn  in  the  flesh — some  fall,  they  are 
brought  to  discover,  and  to  feel  their  vileness,  their  wickedness, 
their  weakness,  their  utter  impotence  to  stand  in  their  own  strength, 
or  to  do  anything  that  is  good. 

Then,  they  desire  to  get  rid  of  this — they  desire  to  conquer  it — 
they  hope  to  subdue  it.  So  did  Paul,  "jPor  this  thing"  he  says, 
"  /  besought  the  Lord  thrice  that  it  rtiight  depart  from  me," — 
this  trial, — this  temptation — this  thorn  whatever  it  was  ;  and  this 
is  what  the  believer  does — he  wants  to  get  rid  of  the  thorn. — • 
"  Oh  !"  saith  he,  "  if  I  could  get  this  sin  out  of  my  heart — this 
accursed  sin — if  I  could  conquer  it — if  I  could  get  my  heart  deliv- 
ered from  it — free  from  it,  what  relief,  what  a  mercy  it  would  be 
to  me  !"  Perhaps  he  prays  for  this  like  Paul,  that  it  may  depart 
from  him.  But  no  !  he  must  learn  a  lesson — he  must  learn  the 
lesson  that  Paul  learned ; — the  Lord's  answer  to  his  prayer  for 
deliverance,  was  this,  "  He  said  unto  me,  my  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee."  That  is,  it  is  not  in  the  departing  of  this  thorn  in  the 
flesh  that  you  are  to  take  comfort ;  it  is  not  in  this  that  you  are 
to  find  rest ;  you  must  find  it  in  my  grace — you  must  bring  the 
evil  to  my  grace — -you  must  come  to  the  blood  of  Jesus — you  must 
come  humbled,  bowed  down,  wounded,  as  a  helpless  sinner ;  it  is 
in  my  grace  alone,  you  can  find  rest  and  salvation,  and  not  in 
your  conscious  deliverance  from  your  own  trials,  and  your  own 
corruptions. 

Yes,  and  that  grace  is  the  only  means  by  which  corruption  can 
be  conquered ;  it  is  in  the  sufficiency  of  grace  alone,  that  we  can 
find  the  power  to  conquer  sin  ;  for  it  is  there  we  learn  to  be  strong 
in  the  Lord. — "  Thou  therefore,  rny  son,  he  strong  in  the  grace 
that  is  Christ   Jesus,"   2nd  Tim.  ii.  L      So  the  Apostle  saith, 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  563 

'^Grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knoivledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ:'  2nd  Pet.  iii.  18. 

If  this  thorn  had  departed  from  Paul,  he  would  have  thought 
he  he  was  strong  in  himself;  and  if  we  were  enabled  to  get  rid 
sensibly  of  the  corruptions  that  are  in  ourselves — to  conquer  our 
own  sins,  and  to  banish  our  own  iniquities,  we  should  imagine  we 
were  strong  in  ourselves,  and  we  should  be  proud  of  our  own 
strength  ;  but  we  must  learn,  that  it  is  in  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
alone,  that  we  can  find  power  to  conquer;  that  is,  in  the  humilia- 
ting prostration  of  ourselves  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  as  sinners.  To 
live  in  pardon  of  sin,  is  to  hve  in  victory  over  sin.  We  are  thiis 
learning  more  deep,  humiliating  lessons  of  our  own  vileness,  noth- 
ingness, weakness,  and  learning  to  live  out  of  self,  and  in  Christ — 
'•The  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  fiesh^''  saith  Paul,  "/  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God  who  loved  me,  arid  gave  himself  for 
me:'  Gal.  ii.  20. 

These  are  lessons,  dear  friends,  which  we  are  brought  to  learn 
through  many  deep  and  humbling  trials,  and  experiences  of  our 
own  evil  hearts.  The  more  we  learn  of  ourselves — our  own  weak- 
ness, helplessness  and  sin,  the  more  we  learn  that  which  our  Bible 
teaches  us  : — "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  des- 
perately wicked,  ivho  can  know  it  V  Jer.  xvii.  9.  We  think  we 
have  fathomed  our  hearts  to-day,  and  to-morrow  we  find  depths 
of  sin  within  them,  beyond  the  line  of  all  our  former  knowledge ; 
so  the  Apostle  learns  the  lesson  most  gladly  ;  "My  grace  is  suf- 
ficient for  thee,  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness:'  If 
we  had  any  strength  of  our  own,  we  would  call  it  our  own 
strength — we  would  glory  in  it,  as  in  our  own  strength.  But  God 
teaches  us  our  weakness,  that  we  must  learn  to  glory  in  His 
strength — in  His  grace,  to  rejoice,  not  in  ourselves,  but  in  our  God. 
"  We  are  the  circumcision  which  worship  God  in  the  Spirit ;  and 
rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh:'  Phil, 
iii.  3.  Learn  to  be  strong  not  in  yourselves,  but  in  your  Lord. 
"  Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord," — and  so 
the  Apostle  saith,  "  Most  gladly,  therefore,  will  I  rather  glory  in 
my  itifirtnities,  that  the  poioer  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me." 
2nd  Cor.  xii.  9. 

Oh  !  that  is  a  wonderful  lesson  for  a  sinner  to  learn — to  be  able 
to  feel  his  own  infirmities — his  own  sins — his  own  corruptions — 
his  own  wants ; — and  to  be  able  to  go  out  of  them  all,  into  the 
righteousness  and  blood — the  strength  and  power  of  Christ !  to  be 
nothing,  and  take  Christ  for  his  all.  It  is  then  he  is  taught  to  un- 
derstand experimentally  this  exhortation  :  "  Finally,  my  breth- 
ren, BE  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  op  his 
might." 

Consider,  then,  these  two  points :  your  own  weakness,  and  the 
strength  of  the  Lord ;  and  consider,  what  a  glorious  privilege  it  is 
for  the  believer  to  know,  that  that  strength  is  free — full — all-suf- 
ficient for  him — complete — perfect. — "  My  strength  is  made  per- 
fect in  weakness:'     Alas !  how  much  we  live  by  sense  I — how 


564  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

little  we  live  by  faith  ! — how  continually  we  are  apprehensive  of 
ourselves  ;  dreading— distrusting— doubting— faUing— because  we 
are  leanino-  on  our  own  will  and  understanding,  and  confiding  in  our 
own  strength.  But  if  we  are  brought  to  know  and  feel  our  own  weak- 
ness experimentally,  and  to  learn  to  lean  on  tlie  strength  of  Jesus — 
dear  friends,  that  is  the  real  life  of  faith.  Live  on  tlie  strength  and 
fulness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  that  is  the  faith  that  gives  iov(.- 
— that  is  the  love  that  gives  powder — that  is  the  power  that  moves 
and  actuates  the  man  ;  so  that  the  whole  of  a  believer's  hfe  ;  al! 
his  spiritual  life,  and  all  his  practical  life,  is  derived  from  the 
sfc-ength  of  his  Lord ;  and  living  in  that  strength,  he  is  "Strong 
IN  THE  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might."  Tlierefore, 
the  Apostle  saith,  "/  ca7i  do  all  things." — How?  '' Titrough 
Christ  vjhich  strengtheneth  me.''  Phil.  iv.  13.  If  we  are  really 
able  to  come  to  Christ  for  strength,  we  shall  be  able  to  do  all 
things  that  we  ought  to  do ;  and  we  may  rest  satisfied,  that  if  we 
find  ourselves  unable  to  do  what  we  ought  to  do ;  it  is  because  we 
are  not  coming  to  our  Lord  for  strength.  Therefore,  the  Apostle 
shows  in  detail,  how  we  are  to  be  strong  for  our  warfare.     "  Be 

STRONG  IN  THE  LoRD,  AND  IN  THE  POWER  OF  HIS  MIGHT  ;  PUT 
ON  THE  WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  GoD,  THAT  YE  MAY  BE  ABLE  TO 
STAND  AGAINST  THE   WILES  OF  THE   DEVIL." 

The  Apostle  then  commences  to  speak  of  the  power  of  the 
enemy,  with  whom  we  have  to  contend,  and  he  says,  "  Put  on 

THE  WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  GoD,  THAT   YE  MAY    BE  ABLE  TO    STAND 

AGAINST  THE  WILES  OF  THE  DEVIL."  He  here  represents  the 
life  of  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  under  the  image  of  Christian  Arn:ior. 
No  doubt,  you  have  often  seen  representations  in  pictures,  or 
statues,  of  the  armor,  or  perhaps,  you  have  seen  the  armor  itself, 
with  which  warriors,  in  ancient  times  were  covered  from  head  to 
foot,  when  they  went  out  to  battle.  The  Apostle  says,  "Put  on 
THE  WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  GoD."  Not  Only  tlie  amior,  but  "  the 
WHOLE  ARMOR ;"  wc  must  be  armed — we  have  need  of  armor  in 
every  part  for  the  battle  in  which  we  are  engaged.  The  ancient 
warriors  would  have  considered  that  they  were  totally  deficient  in 
preparation  for  the  field,  if  they  went  out  without  any  part  of  their 
armor.  If  they  went  out  without  their  helmet,  their  head  would 
be  unprotected — if  without  their  breastplate,  their  breast  would  be 
unguarded — if  without  their  shield,  of  course  they  would  be  alto- 
gether exposed  to  the  foe — if  without  their  greaves,  their  legs  and 
feet  would  be  vulnerable.  Whatever  part  of  their  armor  they  left 
behind,  they  would  be  so  far  unprepared  and  unfit  to  go  into  com- 
bat with  their  enemies  ;  therefore  he  saith,  "Put  on  the  whole 
ARMOR  of  God." 

The  armor  of  God  is  complete,  there  is  nothing  wanting.  It 
furnishes  the  warrior  from  head  to  foot.  It  covers  him  altogether. 
In  that  armor  there  is  no  imperfection,  no  weak  part,  as  there  was 
ill  the  armor  of  the  ancient  warriors.  You  remember  the  "  3Iaif. 
ivho  dreio  a  how  at  a  venture^  and  smote  the  King  of  Israel  be- 
tween the  joints  of  the  harness."  1st  Kings  xxii.  34. — There  are 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  565 

no  joints  in  the  armor  of  God.  It  is  complete  armor.  If  you  put 
it  on,  you  are  invulnerable  to  all  the  weapons  and  power  of  your 
enemies.  We  shall  see  this  I  trust,  if  we  are  spared  to  examine 
the  different  parts  of  the  armor  which  the  Apostle  enumerates  in 
the  rest  of  the  chapter.  But  let  us  mark  the  necessity  of  the  ex- 
hortation,— he  saith,  '•'  Put  on  the  whole  armor  op  God,  that 

YOU    MAY    BE    ABLE     TO     STAND     AGAINST    THE    WILES    OF    THE 

DEVIL."  He  here  sets  before  the  church  the  enemies  with  whom 
they  have  to  contend,  "  That  ye  may  be  able  to  stand 
AGAINST  THE  WILES  OP  THE  DEVIL."  Dear  frieuds,  the  greatest 
dangers  that  accrue  from  the  temptations  of  the  devil,  are  his 
wiles. — •'  l^nrely,  in  vain  the  net  is  sjxread  in  the  sight  of  any 
hird:^''  Prov.  i.  17.  The  man  who  goes  out  to  trap  game  or  birds, 
what  does  he  do?  He  covers  and  hides  his  trap,  so  that  the  ani- 
mals that  are  to  be  caught  may  not  see  it ;  he  covers  it  over  in 
such  an  artful  way,  that  the  animal  does  not  suspect  any  trap  or 
snare  is  laid  for  him  there.  If  the  animal  were  to  see  the  trap,  he 
would  never  be  caught,  he  would  Hee  from  it ;  therefore,  "  Surely^ 
in  vain  the  net  is  spread  in  the  sight  of  any  bird."  The  devil 
knows  this, — he  knows  how  to  catch  us,  better  than  the  game- 
keeper knows  how  to  trap  his  birds  ;  and  therefore,  he  lays  his 
snares  so  that  we  cannot  see  them.  If  we  could  see  the  evil  of  the 
sin  into  which  we  are  led — if  we  could  see  the  abomination  of  that 
sin  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  which  the  devil  tempts  us — if  we  could 
see  how  from  one  sin  we  are  gradually  led  on  to  another; — how 
one  false  step  tends  to  involve  us  in  a  precipitous  course  of  evil ; 
and  if  we  could  see  hell  yawning  at  the  end  of  that  course,  then 
no  one  would  be  led  into  sin.  If  we  could  see  the  reality  of  the 
spiritual  evil,  and  the  spiritual  judgments  that  are  annexed  to  that 
evil  by  God,  we  would  no  more  run  into  sin,  than  we  would  run 
into  a  fiery  furnace  ;  but  the  devil  deceives  us — he  does  not  allow  us 
to  see  that — he  does  not  allow  us  to  see,  either  the  real  nature  or 
the  end  of  sin  ;  he  says  it  is  not  evil — he  calls  it  good.  The  delu- 
sions that  Satan  practices  on  us,  he  covers  over,  so  that  we  cannot 
see  them  ;  we  cannot  see  the  end — the  issue  ; — we  cannot  see 
whither  we  are  going, — he  completely  blinds  and  deceives  us  ;  and 
just  exactly  as  a  lure  or  bait  is  placed  on  a  trap  by  the  person  who 
wishes  to  deceive  his  pray,  so  Satan  always  has  some  lure  to  pre- 
sent to  our  hearts,  that  he  knows  is  peculiarly  tempting  to  us. 
There  is  not  a  single  one  of  us  here^  for  whom  the  devil  has  not 
some  particular  lure  or  temptation,  which  he  knows  is  most  espe- 
cially suited  to  each  of  our  tastes.  He  will  supply  a  temptation 
that  will  gratify  the  vanity  of  one  person — -the  pride  of  another— 
the  palate  of  another — the  ambition  of  another,  and  so  on.  He 
will  set  his  snares — his  allurements  exactly  to  what  he  knows  to  be 
their  peculiar  inclination.  These  are  the  wiles  with  which  the  devil 
ensnares  us.  That  which  would  be  a  temptation  to  you  would  be 
none  to  me.  That,  which  would  be  a  great  snare  to  me  might  be 
none  to  you.  One  person  will  feel  inclined  to  run  into  a  sin,  for 
which  another  has  not  any  inclination.     No  person  is  prone  to  all 


566  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

sins.  Perhaps,  the  best  man  in  the  world  may  be  indined  to  some 
sort  of  excess,  from  which  the  very  vilest  of  the  human  race  is  en- 
tirely exempt.  All  have  their  peculiar  inclinations — their  besetting 
sins,  and  for  all  these,  the  devil  has  temptations  exactly  suited  to 
their  taste.     These  are  some  of  the  wiles  of  the  devil. 

But  there  is  no  way  in  which  the  devil  succeeds  more  effectually 
with  mankind,  than  by  tempting  them  to  the  disbelief  of  his  own 
existence  and  his  power.  Unbelief,  with  reference  to  the  devil,  is 
just  as  prominent  an  evil  in  the  human  heart  as  unbelief  with 
reference  to  God.  The  same  word  of  eternal  truth  proposes  to  our 
belief  the  facts  concerning  the  devil,  that  proposes  to  our  belief  the 
facts  concerning  God.  We  learn  the  devil's  character — power — 
wiles — temptations — and  success  with  the  human  race,  on  the 
same  authority  that  we  learn  everything  connected  with  God  the 
Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  the  rejection 
of  revealed  truth,  in  reference  to  the  devil,  is,  I  repeat,  as  marked 
a  proof  of  the  unbelief  of  the  heart,  as  the  rejection  of  revealed 
truth  concerning  God.  Both  alike,  are  a  rejection  of  God's  testi- 
mony— both  a  rejection  of  the  truth  of  His  written  word.  There- 
fore, all  unenlightened  men  who  know  not  the  Gospel,  are  just  as 
unbelieving  respecting  the  devil,  as  they  are  respecting  God. 
They  speak  of  Satan  as  a  sort  of  imaginary  being.  All  those  who 
believe  the  Gospel,  on  the  contrary,  have  their  belief  in  the  exist- 
ence, agency,  and  power  of  the  devil,  increased  in  direct  proportion 
as  their  faith  in  Christ  is  increased : — we  grow  in  faith,  in  all  that 
God  reveals  to  us  of  the  devil,  as  we  grow  in  faith  in  all  that  He 
reveals  to  us  of  Christ ;  we  gmw  in  the  knowledge,  faith,  and  ex- 
perience of  the  devil's  wickedness — of  his  power — of  his  devices— 
and  his  wiles — and  of  all  the  attributes  of  his  character  and  nature, 
as  we  grow  in  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  our  blessed  Lord  and 
Master,  in  the  experience  of  his  power  and  of  his  love.  And  tiiere- 
fore,  while  to  speak  experimentally  of  the  temptations  and  snares 
of  the  devil,  is  considered  by  the  ungodly  just  as  enthusiastical  or 
fanatical,  as  to  speak  experimentally  of  the  grace  and  love  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ — the  knowledge  of  these  things — the  knowledge 
of  the  devil,  is  just  as  experimental,  as  practical  and  true  in  the 
believer,  as  the  knowledge  of  his  Lord  and  Master. 

The  influences  and  power  of  tlie  devil  are  felt — they  are  known 
to  the  behever  as  experimentally  as  the  influences  and  power  of 
Uie  Spirit  of  God ; — they  are  known  thus. — You  cannot  perhaps, 
speak  of  some  particular  operation  in  your  own  mind,  as  contra- 
distinguished from  your  own  natural  corruption,  and  say — "This 
is  the  devil;"  just  as  you  cannot  speak  of  some  particular  opera- 
tion in  your  own  mind,  to  the  exclusion  of  your  own  will,  and 
faculties,  and  power,  and  say — "Tiiis  is  the  Spirit  of  God."  The 
spirit  and  power  of  the  devil,  and  the  Spirit  and  power  of  the  liord 
are  discernible  more  in  their  effects,  than  in  their  immediate 
operations  upon  us.  Thus,  our  Lord  saith, — "  The  wind  bloweth 
where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not 
tell  whence  it  conieth,  and  ii-hither  it  goeth  :  so  is  every  one  that  is 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  567 

horn  of  the  Spirit.'^''  John  iii.  8.  The  processes  of  spiritual  influ- 
ences and  operations  on  our  minds,  either  of  good  or  of  evil,  are 
as  unknown  to  us  as  tlie  beginnings  and  terminations  of  the  course 
of  the  wind  ;  but  tlie  effects  are  discernible  as  those  of  a  storm  or 
a  calm.  We  know  and  feel  the  influence  and  the  power  of  sin — ^ 
we  feel,  that  it  is  often  not  only  inv^oluntary,  but  against  our  will. 
We  feel,  that  "  ivheii  we  would  do  good,  evil  is  jjresent  with  us^ 
Rom.  vii.  21.  There  is  a  power — a  potent  influence — counteract- 
ing the  motions  of  good  within  us.  So  saith  the  Apostle  also : 
"  To  will  is  present  with  me  ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is 
good  I  find  notT  Rom.  vii.  18.  We  find,  thus,  when  we  kneel 
down  to  pray,  distracting  thoughts  are  brought  to  our  memory — 
diverting  illusions  before  our  imaginations,  over  which  we  feel  we 
have  no  possible  control,  but  which  quite  intercept  and  interrupt 
the  capability  of  prayer.  We  find  vividly,  brought  back  to  our 
recollections,  some  scenes,  follies,  vanities,  absurdities  of  days  gone 
by,  that  we  were  not  dreaming  of  when  we  knelt  down  to  pray; 
brought  too,  with  a  power  to  our  minds  that  we  cannot  possibly 
account  for,  when  it  is  against  our  will  and  our  prayer.  We  find 
some  foolish,  vain,  absurd,  ridiculous  ideas  suggested  to  us, — we 
feel  our  heart  going  forth  after  some  sinful  lust — some  silly  day- 
dream, perhaps  of  imaginary  happiness  or  misery.  Our  fancy, 
building,  (as  we  say)  some  "  castle  in  the  air."  We  feel  these  pre- 
sented to  our  minds,  like  the  shifting  of  scenes  in  a  theatre — and 
especially,  when  we  would  pray,  or  engage  in  any  spiritual  exer- 
cise, we  feel  this  to  be'  so.  I  will  venture  to  say,  that  there  is  no 
believer  present,  who  has  not  felt  it  to  be  so.  Alas  !  how  often 
have  I  found  myself  rising  from  my  knees,  and  saying  to  myself — 
"  Where  am  I  ?  Where  have  my  thoughts  been  wandering  ? 
Where  have  I  been  straying  from  my  God  \  I  knelt  down  to  call 
upon  my  Heavenly  Father,  and  my  mind  has  been  running  after 
some  foolish  train  of  thought,  that  turns  me  away  with  a  thousand 
trifles.  My  heart  has  been  wandering,  'like  the  fool's  eye  to  the 
end  of  the  earth.'  " 

Now,  without  at  all  extenuating  our  sin,  or  palliating  our  impiety 
and  corruption,  I  say,  this  is  the  power  of  the  devil.  This  is 
mingled  with  the  agency  and  influence  of  an  unseen  spiritual 
power,  that  is  more  or  less  at  intervals,  working  on  the  mind  ;  and 
especially  so,  at  the  very  time,  and  under  the  very  circumstances 
when  the  mind  would  most  desire  to  devote  itself  to  God.  I  ven- 
ture to  say,  that  you  have  never  felt  the  power  of  Satan  in  this 
particular,  more  exerted  on  you  than  at  that  very  time  when  you 
would  most  wish  to  be  delivered  from  it.  When  you  would  go  to 
prayer — when  you  would  sit  down  to  read  your  Bible — when  you 
would  desire  to  profit  by  a  sermon,  or  a  lecture — perhaps,  some 
word  spoken  even  by  the  minister,  by  whose  instructions  you  wish 
to  profit,  might  suggest  to  you  some  train  or  association  of  ideas. 
Nay,  it  may  be  the  case  with  some  here,  at  this  very  moment,  and 
when  you  next  turn  to  listen  to  the  subject,  you  find  you  had  lost 
everything  that  he  was  saying  in  the  intermediate  time — you  find 


568  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

your  attention  has  been  turned  after  some  other  vain  pursuit,  and 
that  the  subject  has  been  obHterated  from  your  thoughts. 

This  is  the  Lord's  testimony  concerning-  the  preaching-  of  the 
word.  Do  you  remember  what  He  saith  in  the  parable  of  ihc 
,  sower, — '■^^ome  fell  by  the  ivay-side ;  and  it  2(?as  trodden,  doivji, 
and  the  fowls  of  the  air  devoured  itP  And  then  He  explains  it, — 
"  Those  by  the  way-side  are  they  that  hear ;  tJien  coineth  the  devil, 
and  taketh  away  the  ivord  out  of  their  hearts,  lest  they  should 
believe  and  be  savedP  Luke  vin.  5,  12.  Now  I  say,  the  very 
same  testimony  that  teaches  you  to  believe  that  the  person  who 
spoke  these  words  was  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  life  and 
glory,  should  lead  you  to  believe  the  word  He  spoke  ;  and  that  the 
word  He  spoke  was  the  word  of  truth  concerning  Satan,  as  well 
as  what  He  saith  concerning  Himself  And  when  He  saith,  "the 
devil  Cometh,  and  taketh  away  the  word  out  of  their  heart,"  we 
must  believe  that  the  devil  does  come  and  take  the  word  out  of 
the  heart. 

Now  to  illustrate  this,  perhaps  some  of  you  may  have  come  here, 
as  no  doubt  you  have,  not  thinking  or  caring  aliout  the  power  of 
the  devil,  or  not  believing  in  his  influence  over  the  human  mind. — 
Now  if  you  go  away,  and  continue  to  disregard  and  disbelieve  it — 
if  you  say,  "  Oh  !  these  things  about  the  agency  of  the  devil,  can- 
not be  really  as  they  are  represented,  I  do  not  believe  that  the  devil 
has  any  power  over  my  mind,  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  the  devil 
had  any  power  or  influence  over  me."  If  you  say  or  think  this, 
I  say  then,  it  is  the  devil  that  leads  you  to  think  so.  He  does  not 
allow  you  to  receive  the  word  of  Christ  into  your  heart — he  takes 
it  away  like  the  seed  on  the  wayside.  This  is  one  of  his  wiles, — 
he  does  not  allow  you  to  see  or  believe  his  power,  as  the  man  who 
attends  a  decoy,  does  not  allow  the  wildfowl  to  see  him.  The 
"  strong  man  armed  keepeth  his  palace,  and  his  goods  are  in  peace." 
He  has  quiet  and  peaceable  possession  of  your  souls,  he  has  peace- 
able possession  of  your  conscience,  and  there  can  be  no  surer  proof 
than  the  fact,  that  you  do  not  know  or  fear  or  understand  his 
power,  at  least  to  a  certain  extent,  for  none  of  us  understand  it,  or 
fear  or  guard  against  it,  as  we  ought  to  do.  If  we  did,  we  would 
walk  through  the  world  as  men  would  walk  near  an  Indian  jungle, 
or  an  African  forest,  watcbing,  least  a  tiger  or  a  lion  should  spring 
out  on  them,  we  would  be  always  on  our  guard,  so  saith  the 
Apostle  Peter,  '■'■Be  sober,  be  vigilant,  because  your  adversary  the 
devil,  as  a  roaring  lion  vmlketh  about,  seeking  whom,  he  may  de- 
vour.'''' 1  Pet.  V.  8.  'Be  sober,  be  vigilant^  If  you  heard  there 
was  a  lion,  prowling  about  the  fields  in  this  vicinity,  if  you  Avent 
out  to  take  a  walk  in  the  fields,  and  that  it  was  impressed  on  your 
minds  he  might  be  near  you,  you  would  walk  very  cautiously,  if 
indeed  you  walked  at  all,  you  would  keep  your  eyes  very  carefully 
about  you.  Now,  there  is  a  lion  worse  than  the  fiercest  monster 
in  the  deserts  of  Africa,  that  '■'■  goeth  about,  seeking  whom  he  7nay 
devour y  The  Lord  commands  you  "  be  sober,  be  vigilant/^  for 
that  very  reason.     There  he  is  represented  as  a  roaring  lion,  going 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  569 

about,  and  ready  to  spring'  upon  his  prey.  Here  he  is  represented 
in  another  character.  We  read  here  of  "the  wiles  op  the 
jjkvil;"  here  he  is  a  wily  antag'onist  and  looic  at  the  power  as- 
cribed to  him,  and  the  fearful  odds  against  us — "we  wrestle 

NOT  AGAINST  FLESH  AND  BLOOD,  BUT  AGAINST  PRINCIPALITIES, 

AGAINST  POWERS,"  not  onc, — his  name  is  liCgion,  tliey  are  many  ; 

"against    THE    RULERS    OF    THE    DARKNESS    OF    THIS    WORLD." 

Tlie  rulers  of  darkness,  they  rule  in  darkness,  and  they  rule  by 
darkness, — "  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this 

WORLD,   against  SPIRITUAL  WICKEDNESS   IN  HIGH    PLACES,"  Or 

heavenly  places  "against  spiritual  wickedness  in  the  heavenlies," 
Satan  is  called  in  another  place,  as  you  recollect,  we  had  it  before 
in  cliap  ii.  2,  "  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 
noio  iDorketh  in  the  children  of  disohedienceP  This  name  implies 
his  subtlety  and  power,  he  is  called,  "  the  Prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air,^^  from  his  all-pervading  subtlety  ;  that,  as  there  is  no  place 
in  which  you  can  be,  which  can  exclude  the  intrusion  of  the  air ; 
so  there  is  no  place,  that  in  the  same  way,  can  be  able  to  keep  out 
Satan,  there  is  no  crevice  in  your  room  that  the  air  will  not  pene- 
trate ;  and  there  is  no  crevice  in  your  room — there  is  no  crevice 
in  your  heart,  that  the  devil  will  not  get  through — -no  moral  chem- 
istry can  seal  you  up  hermetically  from  the  devil.  As  he  is  called 
"  the  Prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,^'  in  the  2d  chapter,  so  here 
he  is  called  the  ^'•spiritual  wickedness  in  heavenhj  places^''  meaning 
in  the  regions  of  tbe  atmosphere,  the  regions  of  the  air  above  your 
head.  Have  you  ever  seen  a  hawk  or  kite  hovering  in  the  air — 
resting  on  the  wing — -looking  down  with  his  piercing  eye  on  all 
the  fields  beneath  him — ^watching  every  hedge  till  his  eye  fixes  on 
his  prey,  and  then  like  lightning  he  pounces  on  it?  Well,  his  eye 
is  not  half  so  quick,  or  his  wing  half  so  swift,  or  his  stoop  half  so 
rapid,  as  the  eye  and  wing  and  power  of  the  devil;  and  remember, 
this  is  just  exactly  how  Satan  rules  in  the  heavenly  places,  in  the 
regions  of  the  air,  watching  as  it  were  with  his  legions  of  fiends 
over  the  human  race.  And  Oh  !  how  often  he  darts  upon  us  !  and 
if  it  was  not  for  the  mighty  hand  that  sustains  and  shields  us — 
for  the  mighty  hand  that  keeps  the  people  of  God,  we  never 
should  escape  the  strength  and  subtlety  of  Satan.  But  our  God 
will  keep  us.  And  therefore  for  this  reason,  "  be  strong  in  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might  ;"  "  for"  he  saith  "  we 

WRESTLE  NOT  AGAINST  FLESH  AND  BLOOD,  BUT  AGAINST  PRIN- 
CIPALITIES, AGAINST  POWERS,  AGAINST  THE  RULERS  OF  THE 
DARKNESS    OF    THIS    WORLD,   AGAINST    SPIRITUAL    WICKEDNESS 

IN  THE  HEAVENLIES,"  as  if  there  was  a  continual  warfare,  a 
continual  conflict  going  on  between  the  soul  and  Satan,  as  there  is 
between  the  soul  of  the  believer  and  sin. 

Now,  consider  this— consider  the  enemy  with  whom  you  have 
to  contend — think  of  him — ^consider,  and  pray  over  these  verses. — - 
Pray  that  you  may  learn  to  believe  the  truth  concerning  the  dejt^il 
— that  is,  pray  that  you  may  believe  God's  testimony  concerning 
the  power — -the  malice — the  wickedness — the  wiles  of  your  enemy. 


570  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Pray  that  you  may  learn  to  believe  in  God — that  is — Pray  for 
faith  in  all  that  is  revealed  of  His  Divine  nature — character  and 
attributes — His  justice — His  holiness — His  raercy— His  love — His 
power — His  truth — His  great  salvation.  Pray  for  faith  in  all  that 
is  revealed  of  the  character  of  God ;  and  pray  for  faith  in  all  that 
is  revealed  of  the  character  of  Satan, — that  as  you  may  know  in 
the  one.  whom  you  have  to  avoid  or  to  resist — you  may  know  in 
the  Other,  whom  you  have  to  fly  to  and  to  trust ;  that  as  you 
may  know  in  the  one  who  is  the  enemy  of  your  souls,  you  may 
know  in  the  Other,  who  is  the  Refuge  and  the  Friend  of  sinners. 
The  more  you  examine — the  more  you  reflect  on  yourselves — the 
more  you  consider  God's  Word — His  Divine  testimonies  of  the 
character  and  power  of  Satan — the  more  you  will  see  what  need 
you  have  for  sobriety,  vigilance,  and  faith.  And  the  more  you 
know  of  the  power  of  Satan,  the  more  will  you  learn  to  feel  your 
need  of  the  armor  of  God — to  prize  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the 
riches  of  the  glory  of  Him  who  has  come  to  destroy  the  works  of 
the  devil.  Remember !  that  '■'■For  this  jnirpose  the  Son  of  God 
was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  tcorks  of  the  devil.^' 
1st  John  iii.  8.  And  therefore,  our  behef  in  the  very  work  of 
Christ,  includes  our  belief  in  the  workings  of  that  foe,  that  Christ 
was  manifested  to  destroy. 

May  the  Lord  enable  you  and  me  to  know — to  understand— to 
believe — to  watch  and  pray — and  to  stand,  as  we  have  such  need 
to  do  "acjainst  the  WILES  OP  THE  DEVIL,"  thiough  our  glo- 
rious Redeemer. — Amen. 


FORTY-EIGHTH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI.— 12,  13,  14. 


"  For  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against 
pov/ers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness 
in  high  places.  Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be 
able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand.  Stand  therefore, 
having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the  breastplate  of  righteous- 
ness." 

Before  I  commence  the  passage  on  which  I  have  to  speak  to- 
day, I  wish  to  make  a  few  observations  on  some  expressions  in  my 
last  lecture,  which  I  hear  were  misconceived  by  some  who  were 
present.  It  has  been  represented  as  very  extraordinary  doctrine, 
to  teach,  as  they  say,  faith  in  the  devil.  If  any  persons  have 
made  this  remark,  I  take  it  for  granted,  that  they  misunderstood 
the  subject.     Though  I  do  not  write  my  addresses  to  you,  I  hope 


LECTUKES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  571 

and  trust,  that  I  do  not  speak  unadvisedly, — I  desire  to  use  "-sound 
speech  that  cannot  be  condemned ^  And  I  might  have  conduded, 
that  I  had  failed  in  this,  and  that  I  had  not  sufficiently  explained 
myself,  if  I  had  not  the  n)eans  of  ascertaining  exactly  wiiat  I  said. 

But  I  have  received  from  the  reporter  who  attends  here,  an  exact 
transcript  of  my  words,  and  on  the  most  careful  consideration  of 
them,  I  must  say,  that  I  see  nothing  that  I  could  alter  in  the  sub- 
ject. On  the  contrary,  I  am  glad  that  it  has  fastened  on  the  minds 
of  any,  in  order  that  you  may  be  led  more  soberly  and  attentively 
to  consider  it. 

I  endeavored  to  impress  on  your  minds,  that  we  can  know  noth- 
ing of  the  character  of  Satan,  unless  what  God  has  revealed  to  us. 
Everything  we  learn  of  our  enemy,  we  learn  on  the  authority  of 
God.  Therefore,  to  believe  all  that  God  tells  us  of  that  enemy, 
against  whom  we  are  to  watch  :  and  of  whom  the  apostle  is  ex- 
pressly speaking  liere,  and  instructing  us,  that  those  who  believe 
in  Christ,  are  to  take  '•  the  whole  armor  of  God"  for  the  espe- 
cial purpose  of  being  "able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  op 
THE  devil."  To  believe — I  say,  in  Satan — that  is,  in  all  that 
God  reveals  of  him,  is  to  believe  God's  word, — God's  testimony, — 
God's  truth.  Nov/  I  am  glad,  that  you  should  think  of  this. 
There  is  no  subject  of  which  we  have  more  occasion  to  think. 
Even  now  while  we  are  speaking  of  it — while  we  are  reading  in 
God's  word  about  it,  the  enemy  is  busy  with  our  souls,  as  he  is  at 
all  times.  This  formidable  enemy — this  '■'Prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air" — this  '-Ruler  of  the  darkness  of  this  world," 
is  always  on  the  watch, — not  only  to  keep  those  fast  who  are  his 
servants,  but  to  pluck,  if  he  were  able,  those  who  believe  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  out  of  the  hand  of  their  Shepherd.  Therefore  I  am  glad, 
that  we  should  dwell  on  the  subject ;  we  have  great  reason  to  do  so. 

We  are  ignorant  of  the  devices  of  Satan,  by  nature,  just  as  we 
are  ignorant  of  the  character  of  God  and  of  Christ.  The  natural 
man  disbelieves  the  character  of  Satan,  just  as  much  as  he  disbe- 
lieves the  character  of  God  the  Father,  and  of  Christ ;  and  I  repeat 
what  I  told  you  before,  that  we  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
wiles  and  power  of  the  devil,  just  as  we  grow  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  grace  and  power  of  our  Lord ;  and  I  have  no  doubt,  the 
experience  of  every  true  child  of  God  practically  bears  out  this 
assertion.  I  told  you,  there  is  no  way  in  which  the  devil  succeeds 
more  eflfectually  against  the  human  race,  than  by  tempting  them 
to  the  unbelief  of  himself.  Unbelief  with  respect  to  the  devil  is 
just  a  similar  evil  in  the  human  heart,  as  unbelief  with  respect  to 
God,  because  it  is  the  same  word  of  eternal  truth,  that  proposes  to 
our  belief  the  facts  concerning  the  devil,  that  proposes  to  our  be- 
hef.  the  facts  concerning  God. — Is  it  not  so?  We  learn  the  devil's 
character — his  power — his  wiles — his  temptations — and  success 
with  the  human  race,  on  the  same  authority  that  we  learn  every- 
thing connected  with  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost  :  and  the  unbelief  of  the  heart  in  reference  to  the 
devil,  iust  as  the  unl)elief  of  the  heart  in  reference  to  the  charac- 


572  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

ter  of  God,  exhibits  an  evil  heart  of  unbehef,  as  in  both  instances 
we  reject  God's  own  testimony. 

How  could  we  possibly  receive  the  divine  revelation  concerning 
fallen  spirits,  or  the  fall  of  man? — How  the  various  testimonies  in 
all  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments  ?— The  trials  of  Job?— 
The  temptations  of  David? — The  lying  spirit  of  the  false  proph- 
ets?— The  temptations  and  miracles  of  our  blessed  Lord? — All 
the  predictions  concerning  Satan,  as  to  his  association  with  the 
man  of  sin? — -The  mystery  of  iniquity? — The  nature  and  power 
of  Antichrist — papal,  and  infidel,  or  both? — The  snares  and  temp- 
tations of  believers,  against  which  they  are  now  called  to  watch 
and  pray,  and  against  which,  as  developed  in  the  character  of  Sa- 
tan, they  are  called  on  as  here,  to  contend  in  the  whole  armor  of 
God  ? — How  could  we  understand  the  promised  blessings  of  future 
glory  m  this  world,  one  part  of  which  will  consist  in  the  binding 
of  the  enemy  of  mankind,  that  he  will  not  deceive  man  as  he 
does  now? — In  short,  how  can  we  either  understand  or  believe  the 
Bible  ? — How  can  we  believe  God,  if  we  do  not  believe  in  the  devil  ? 
— We  might  just  as  well  say,  a  general  or  a  soldier  is  not  called 
to  understand  and  believe  all  that  he  can  learn  of  the  character, 
positions,  plots,  and  machinations  of  the  foe,  against  whom  he  has 
to  contend  for  his  life;  as  that  the  Christian  is  not  called  on  to 
understand,  and  to  know,  and  to  have  implicit  faith  in  every  word 
of  God,  concerning  the  existence,  character,  nature,  power,  plots, 
and  malice  of  the  devil.  Therefore,  my  beloved  friends,  I  hold  it 
a  minister's  bounden  duty  to  teach  his  flock  to  pray  that  they  may 
believe  in  the  foe,  as  v/cll  as  in  the  Friend  of  their  souls,  for  their 
security,  and  their  salvation. 

I  trust  that  there  is  not  one  here  who  does  not  agree  with  this 
statement ;  and  I  should  rejoice  that  any  expression  was  miscon- 
ceived, if  tire  explanation  and  enforcement  shall  lead  you  more 
deeply  to  think  on  the  subject,  and  that  it  may  be  brougiit  home 
more  effectually  to  your  imderstandings,  your  hearts  and  con- 
sciences. It  was  my  earnest  wish  that  it  should  so  rest  on  your 
minds,  that  you  might  ask  yourselves,  "  Do  I  believe  in  Satan  as 
God  has  revealed  liim  ?  Do  I  really  believe  what  God  says  ?" 
I  think,  my  dear  friends,  that  we  have  the  deepest  need,  every 
moment,  to  pray  that  God,  by  his  Spirit  and  word,  should  give 
us  light  on  this  subject ;  for  Oh !  what  an  enemy  we  have 
to  deal  with!  !  You  recollect,  I  quoted  to  you  our  Lord's  own 
expression  on  the  subject,  in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  where 
He  expressly  tells  us,  that  Satan  and  his  emissaries  are  continu- 
ally occupied  to  blind  sinners,  and  especially  in  the  preaching 
of  His  word.  Every  sinner  who  goes  away  from  hearing  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  that  word  produces  no  effect  on 
his  mind, — the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  expressly  tells  you,  that,  '■'■Then 
Cometh  the  devil  and  taketh  away  the  vord  ont  of  their  hearts, 
lest  tliey  should  believe  and  he  saved.'''  Luke  viii.  12.  And  the 
same  truth  is  most  emphatically  reiterated  by  the  Apostle,  thus, 

^^  If  our  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  thetn  that  are  lost:  in  whom 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS,  573 

the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe 
not^  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them^  2nd  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.  So 
that  you  see  inspired  testimony  demonstrates  the  powerful  agency 
of  Satan  in  every  unbehever  who  rejects  the  word  of  hfe. 

And  if  he  has  the  power  of  preventing  the  effect  of  God's  word 
at  all  on  the  hearts  of  those  that  hear  it — he  has  the  power,  and 
a  tremendous  power  too,  in  tempting,  deceiving,  and  drawing  aside 
from  God,  those  who  are  God's  children  ;  and  those  who  know 
most  of  their  own  hearts,  and  the  power  of  sin,  know  most  of  the 
awful  power  that  Satan  can  exercise  over  them.  Therefore,  I 
hope,  as  in  many  other  instances,  that  Satan  has  overreached  him- 
self as  he  continually  does,  in  leading  any  of  us  to  have  miscon- 
ceived anything  on  the  subject ;  so  that  we  shall  only  be  led  to 
think  more  of  it  to-day,  and  that  so  far  from  being  able  to  produce 
any  error  or  any  difference  among  us,  we  shall  only  learn  the 
more  vigilantly  to  watch  against  our  fearful  foe,  and  be  led  more 
to   pray — to  study  God's   blessed  word,   and   to  "  put  on    the 

WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  GOD  THAT  WE  MAY  BE  ABLE  TO  STAND 
AGAINST  THE   WILES  OF  THE   DEVIL." 

And  let  us  remember  most  constantly,  the  reason ;  "  for  we 

WRESTLE  NOT  AGAINST  FLESH  AND  BLOOD,  BUT  AGAINST  PRIN- 
CIPALITIES, AGAINST  POWERS,  AGAINST  THE  RULERS  OF  THE 
DARKNESS    OF    THIS   WORLD,   AGAINST     SPIRITUAL    WICKEDNESS 

IN  HIGH  PLACES,"  01  iu  the  licavcnly  places. 

I  endeavored  to  illustrate  this  by  the  image  of  a  bird  of  prey. 
The  eagle  will  soar  into  the  air  far  above  the  reach  of  human  eye  ; 
though  the  human  eye  cannot  see  the  eagle  there,  the  eagle  can 
see  the  smallest  object  of  his  prey  on  earth,  and  he  will  dart  down 
from  his  lofty  flight  like  a  flash  of  lightning  and  pounce  on  the 
object  on  which  his  eye  is  fixed.  So,  with  the  enemy  of  our  souls, 
he  soars  in  the  region  around  us — all  the  earth  is  beneath  him. 
So,  the  Lord  testifies  concerning  our  foe,  in  order  that  we  may  be 
on  the  watch  against  him.  Wherefore,  you  see  this  is  the  reason, 
because  we  have  such  a  foe,  because  we  have  such  a  vigilant  and 
powerful  enemy,  because  this  enemy  is  in  the  high  places,  as  "  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  tJie  air,^'  sometimes  going  about  like  a 
roaring  lion  among  us,  sometimes  exalted  over  our  heads,  watch- 
ing us,  ready  to  dart  on  us  and  destroy  us,  "wherefore,  take 

UNTO  YOU  THE  WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  GoD,  THAT  YE  MAY  BE  ABLE 
TO  WITHSTAND    IN    THE    EVIL    DAY,   AND    HAVING   DONE   ALL    TO 

STAND."  "  The  WHOLE  ARMOR  OF  God"— all  that  God  has 
given  to  sinners  for  their  protection,  in  the  conflict  that  they  have 
with  their  spiritual  foe. 

Consider,  dear  friends  ;  the  time  when  a  man  becomes  really  a 
Christian  in  spirit  and  trutli — when  he  is  brought  to  know  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel — then  begins,  for  the  first  time,  that  which  is 
called  in  Scripture,  his  warfare — the  conflict  between  the  flesh  and 
the  spirit.  There  is  no  warfare  in  the  natural  mind;  there  are 
sometimes  compunctious  visitings  of  conscience — there  are  some- 


574  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

times  secret  whispers,  or  it  may  be,  more  than  whispers — some- 
times, a  voice  of  thunder  within  the  breast  of  the  sinner,  that  will 
make  him  tremble  before  God.  When  Paul  was  reasoning  of 
'•  Righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgtnent  to  come,  Felix  trem- 
bled^''— there  was  a  voice  within  the  breast  of  that  hardened  Pagan 
sinner — a  voice  that  God  had  placed  there  as  a  witness  that  ecboed 
the  language  of  the  holy  Apostle,  and  made  him  tremble  at  its 
sound  ;  but  that  was  '•'•like  the  morning  cloud,  or  like  the  early 
dew,  that  passeth  awayP  Felix,  though  he  trembled  then,  con- 
tinued the  unenlightened,  hardened  Pagan  still ;  and  he  sent  for 
Paul  afterwards,  not  to  hear  his  words  and  receive  instruction — 
but,  as  the  Divine  testimony  tells  us,  making  a  pretext  of  holding 
conversation  with  him,  but  really  expecting,  that  the  Apostle  would 
give  him  money  to  release  him.  Herod,  we  know,  "  heard  John 
gladly,  and  did  many  thing s'^xw^ex  his  instruction,  but  beheaded 
liim  at  the  last.  So  there  may  be  such  workings  in  the  sinner's 
heart,  though  he  may  remain  hardened  and  unconverted.  But 
there  is  a  conscience  within  the  breast,  that  when  the  sinner  comes 
before  the  tribunal  of  the  living  God,  will  be  summoned  and  stand 
forth  as  a  swift  witness  against  him  ;  so  that  he  will  be  compelled, 
by  that  very  testimony  which  he  is  forced  to  give  against  himself, 
to  say,  "  Amen,"  when  God  shall  pronounce  the  sentence  of  eternal 
judgment  on  his  soul.  But,  that  is  very  different  from  the  warfare 
of  the  Christian.  All  the  visitations  and  compunctions — all  the 
stings  and  the  terrors  of  conscience  that  may,  and  often  do,  harass 
or  overwhelm  the  bosom  of  the  unconverted  simier,  are  totally  dif- 
ferent from  the  warfare  which  is  connnenced  and  carried  on  in  a 
believer's  heart. 

In  the  first  place— the  workings  of  an  inienlightened  sinner's 
conscience,  generally  take  place  in  reference  to  outward  acts  of 
sin.  A  man's  conscience  reproaches  him  for  certain  deeds  of  evil, 
which  perhaps  may  have  entailed  punishment  or  disgrace  in  their 
train,  for  which  he,  probably,  may  have  lost,  or  may  fear  to  lose, 
his  character.  Remorse  of  conscience,  in  such  persons,  is  often 
rather  regret  for  the  consequences  of  sin,  than  contrition  for  the 
evil  of  sin. 

Sometimes,  there  are  terrible  agonies  and  horrors  of  conscience 
even  in  the  mind  of  the  ungodly— as  in  the  case  of  murder,  where 
the  murderer,  although  he  has  escaped  detection,  has  come  for- 
ward to  acknowledge  his  crime,  and  surrendered  himself  up  to  just- 
ice. In  such  a  case  as  this,  the  terrors  of  conscience  have  made 
life  a  burthen  to  the  sinner. 

Sometimes,  there  are  fearful  agonies  of  conscience,  under  certain 
awful  visitations  of  Providence — for  instance,  in  a  thunder  storm 
— in  a  hurricane — in  a  storm  at  sea.  Sometimes  it  is  seen  on 
beds  of  sickness — beds  of  death  ;  there,  there  are  sometimes  terri- 
ble compunctions  of  conscience  ;  the  sinner  is  alarmed,  when  he 
is  shaken,  as  it  were,  over  the  pit  of  hell !  He  trembles  to  think, 
how  he  shall  meet  the  judgment  of  his  God  ! 

But  again,  very  often,  the  unconverted  sinner  dies  without  any 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  575 

terror  or  fear.  I  have  seen  men  die  without  the  least  apprehension 
on  their  minds,  while  their  language  in  their  lives  never  gave  the 
shghtest  hope  of  their  salvation.  But  so  saith  the  Psalmist. 
"  There  are  no  hands  in  their  death^^''  Psalm  Ixxiii.  4,  speaking  of 
unconverted  men.  They  had  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes  in 
life,  and  they  have  none  in  death  as  the  children  of  God  have. 
But  all  these  states  of  the  natural  conscience  are  totally  different 
from  either  the  warfare,  or  the  peace  in  the  sinner's  heart  when 
brought  to  God ;  for  then,  it  is  not  merely  the  visitings  of  con- 
science for  certain  acts  of  sin,  but  his  conscience,  now  enlightened 
by  the  spirituahty  of  God's  holy  law,  testifies  against  his  acts, 
words,  and  thoughts — against  his  holy  things,  as  well  as  against 
his  sins ;  his  conscience  testifies  against  the  workings  of  his  natu- 
ral heart,  at  all  times — against  the  continual  iniquity  and  contin- 
ual corruption  that  he  feels  within ;  for  then  his  conscience,  illu- 
minated by  that  holy  word  which  is  a  •'  lantern  to  oar  feet  and  a 
light  unto  our  path^''  takes  the  lamp  of  divine  truth,  as  it  were, 
into  the  depths  of  his  heart,  and  holds  it,  as  you  would  hold  up  a 
lantern  to  survey  a  cavern,  and  turns  his  eye  within,  to  the  dark 
recesses  of  sin  that  are  concealed  within  his  soul,  and  he  shrinks 
back  with  horror  at  the  sight  of  himself.  So  Paul  saith,  ''  when 
the  commandment  came,  sin  revived  and  I  died. ''^ 

There  is  no  converted  sinner  on  earth,  that  does  not  recoil  with 
disgust  from  the  sight  of  his  own  vileness,  his  own  corruption.  He 
feels,  indeed,  that  the  language  expressive  of  his  own  experience 
is  beautifully  and  scripturally  put  into  his  mouth  in  our  admirable 
Liturgy,  when  it  teaclies  him  to  confess  on  his  knees—"  We  have 
erred  and  strayed  from  thy  ways  like  lost  sheep  ;  we  have  fol- 
lowed too  much  the  devices  and  desires  of  our  own  hearts;  we 
have  offended  against  thy  holy  laws  ;  we  have  left  undone  those 
things  ivhich  we  ought  to  have  do?ie,  and  tve  have  done  those 
things  which  u)e  ought  not  to  have  done,  and  there  is  no  health 
in  us." — "  No  health,'^  no  spiritual  health  in  us.  The  believer 
feels  that,  therefore,  there  is  a  continual  conflict  between  the  Spirit 
and  the  flesh,  between  the  spiritual  corruptions  of  which  he  now 
is  conscious,  and  the  holy  law,  which  he  desires,  through  the  Spirit, 
to  fulfil.  This  is  accurately  described  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  the 
flesh  Insteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh, 
and  these  are  contrary,  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do 
the  things  that  ye  would."  Gal.  v.  17. 

Now,  the  devil  always  takes  part  with  the  world  and  the  flesh, 
against  the  Spirit,  and  he  uses  them  as  weapons  in  the  conflict. 
He  has  thus  always  this  advantage  against  us,  that  he  finds  a 
traitor  in  the  camp,  in  our  heart  within,  against  the  Spirit ;  there- 
fore he  is  brought  before  us  here  not  only  as  our  spiritual  foe,  but 
as  one  against  whom  nothing  but  God's  armor  can  enable  us  to 
stand,  and  against  whom  we  have  this  warfare  continually  to 
carry  on.  And  now,  my  friends,  if  there  be  any  of  you  who  do 
not  feel  this  conflict  within,  you  may  depend  on  it  that  you  are  in 
darkness  and  ignorance  concerning  your  real  state  before  God. 


576  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

The  testimony  of  God  in  his  word  concerning  man  is,  that  "  every 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  is  only  evil  continually P 
Gen.  vi.  5. 

That  "  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately 
wicked,  who  can  know  it  ?"  Jer.  xvii.  9. 

Tliat  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  beP  Rom.  viii.  7. 

This  is  his  testimony  in  all  his  word  by  Moses,  Prophets,  and 
Apostles.  Now  if  you  do  not  know  this  to  be  true — ^if  you  do  not 
feel  it  to  be  true— then  you  are  blind  and  ignorant  as  to  your  own 
natural  state.  For  you  may  depend  on  this,  that  God  does  not 
make  a  statement  respecting  your  heart  in  His  holy  Word,  that  he 
will  not  demonstrate  to  be  true  at  the  last  day.  His  testimony  of 
your  heart  is  true,  as  He  Himself  is  true,  and  if  you  do  not  know  it 
to  be  so — it  is  not  that  God's  word  is  in  error,  but  it  is  that  you  are 
ignorant  and  blind.  It  is  not  that  God  is  wrong,  but  that  the 
guilt,  the  unbelief  and  darkness  of  your  heart  is  proved,  in  your 
not  knowing  Him  to  be  right. 

Tliis  is  only  one  lesson  that  the  believer  is  continually  learning, 
and  it  is  one  of  the  means  whereby  he  sets  to  his  seal  that  God  is 
true,  in  all  his  testimony  concerning  him.  He  is  constantly  learn- 
ing that  he  cannot  fathom  the  depths  of  his  own  sin,  not  only  that 
'''■his  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked.^' 
But  he  understands  the  force  of  the  question,  "  Who  can  know  it  7^^ 
The  language  of  the  believer's  experience  is,  "  My  God,  I  feel  I 
cannot  know  it."  Oh  yes  !  for  alas  !  when  perhaps  we  think  that 
we  have  conquered  some  sin — when  we  think  we  have  subdued 
some  iniquity — we  shall  find  another  break  forth  tliat  we  did  not 
even  suppose  existed  in  ourselves — -we  shall  find  that  iniquity 
drawn  forth,  so  that  we  shall  be  constrained  to  say,  "  Alas  !  I  little 
thought  my  heart  was  so  vile  and  wicked  as  I  feel  it."  Perhaps 
the  very  sin  that  we  thought  had  been  subdued  within  us,  Satan 
will  bring  some  fresh  temptation  to  blow  on  it,  like  the  blast  of  a 
furnace  on  half-smothered  embers,  and  out  it  bursts  again  in  all 
its  power  within,  so  as  to  overwhelm  us  with  shame  and  confusion 
of  face  inider  the  sense  of  our  own  iniquity.  I  appeal  to  the  ex- 
perience of  your  own  hearts,  if  indeed  you  see  them  in  the  light 
of  truth  whether  these  things  are  not  true.  Therefore,  what  need 
we  have  to  hear  the  Apostle's  admonition,  to  "  take  unto  us 

THE  whole  armor  OF  GoD,  THAT  WE  MAY  BE  ABLE  TO  WITH- 
STAND   IN    THE  EVIL   DAY,   AND    HAVING    DONE    ALL  TO  STAND." 

"In  THE  EVIL  DAY." — What  day  is  that?  The  day  of  conflict 
and  the  day  of  peace. — The  day  of  affliction,  and  the  day  of 
ease.  The  day  of  temptation,  and  the  day  of  rest  from  it. — The 
day  of  the  power  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  the  day  of  fancied  victory 
and  triumph. — The  day  of  tribulation,  and  the  day  of  prosperity. — ■ 
The  day  of  persecution,  and  the  day  of  conquest  over  our 
enemies. — ^The  day  of  health,  and  the  day  of  sickness.  The  day 
of  life,  and  the  day  of  death. — Every  day  we  live,  and  to  the  very 
hour  we  die,  we  have  need  to  "take    unto  us   the    whole 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  577 

ARMOR  OP  God,  that  we  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the 

EVIL   DAY,  AND  HAVING  DONE   ALL,  TO  STAND." 

We  can  never  put  off  our  armor  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  world. 
We  are  in  an  enemy's  country,  as  long  as  we  are  in  the  body. 
We  are  surrounded  with  foes — we  are  like  soldiers  campaigning  in 
a  foreign  land  where  we  have  subtle,  powerful,  mighty  foes  sur- 
rounding us;  and  where  there  are  snares — pitfalls — ambuscades — 
hidden  enemies  ready  to  dart  on  us  and  attack  us  every  moment. 
We  know  not  where  to  turn  that  we  can  be  safe  from  the  assaults 
of  our  foe,  we  are  not  safe  from  them  any  moment — under  any 
circumstances — or  in  any  place. 

Retire  into  your  closet,  shut  to  your  door,  take  yOur  Bible,  and 
go  on  your  knees, — Satan  will  enter  there. 

Assemble  your  family  to  prayer — Satan  will  try  to  impede  the 
blessing. 

Come  to  any  public  means  of  grace — come  sit  down  as  here  to 
listen  to  lectures  on  the  word  of  God — go  to  Church — join  in  the 
public  worship — hear  the  Gospel,  if  Paul  himself  were  the 
preacher — go  to  the  Lord's  table,  if  the  Apostles  administered  the 
ordinance — Satan  is  there.  You  find  him,  wherever  you  go, 
always  trying  to  counteract  the  blessed  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
and  to  oppose  the  will,  the  word,  and  the  ordinances  of  God.  You 
cannot  escape  from  your  subtle  and  mighty  foe,  he  will  attack  you 
in  every  place,  and  most  of  all  when  and  where  you  are  most 
anxious  to  serve  your  God.  But  you  are  promised  this  blessed  ar- 
mor of  God  ;  3^ou  are  told  to  "  resist  him,  and  he  ivill  flee  from 
you."  James  iv.  8.  He  will  meet  and  attack  you,  but  if  you  re- 
sist him,  he  will  flee  from  you.  Let  us  proceed  to  examine  the 
parts  of  the  armor  we  are  called  to  put  on. 

"Stand  therefore,  having^  your  loins  girt  about  with 
TRUTH."  Now,  if  you  examine  this  armor  as  we  go  through  it, 
you  will  find  that  every  portion  of  it  represents  Him  in  whom 
alone  the  sinner  stands  complete  before  God ;  you  will  see,  that 
every  portion  of  the  spiritual  armor  represents  our  glorious  Ijord 
and  Master  Jesus  Christ.  "Stand,  therefore,  having  your 
loins  girt  about  with  truth."  That  is,  as  men  going  to  run 
a  race,  to  go  out  to  battle,  or  to  enter  into  any  active  exercise, 
would  gird  up  their  robe  that  it  should  not  entangle  or  incommode 
them,  so  he  says  having  your  loins,  "girt  about  with  truth," 
and  in  another  place  the  Apostle  Peter,  '^'gird  up  the  loins  of  your 
mind,"  1  Pet.  i.  13,  as  your  body  is  girt  in  going  into  battle,  which 
implies  preparedness,  watchfulness,  readiness  for  the  encounter ;  so 
your  minds  must  be  girt  in  entering  on  your  spiritual  warfare, 
"having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth."  You  might 
apply  this  term  to  all  God's  word,  that  is,  that  you  are  to  take  all 
the  truth,  all  God's  truth,  as  a  means  whereby  you  are  to  be  pre- 
pared to  enter  into  your  spiritual  conflict.  But  there  is  One  of 
whom  it  is  said  by  Himself,  '■'■I am  the  truth!"  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  Apostle  says  in  another  place,  '■'■put  ye  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ"  Horn.  xiii.  14.     If  you  go  to  resist  the  power  of  Sa- 

37 


578  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

tan  and  his  allies,  that  is  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  Devil,  you 
must  take  Him  who  saith,  "/aw  the  truth^''  as  the  girdle  of  your 
loins,  you  must  '■'■  init  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  It  is  he  of  whom 
David  saith  "  thou  hast  girded  me  loith  strength  unto  the  battle, 
thou  hast  subdued  under  me  those  that  rose  up  against  me," 
Psalm,  xviii.  39.  '■'■Blessed  be  the  Lord  my  strength,"  saith  he 
again,  "?<?Ao  teacheth  my  hands  to  war,  and  my  fingers  to  fight ;" 
Psalm,  cxiiv.  1.  It  is  only  as  you  have  Christ,  as  it  were,  girt 
about  you,  that  you  can  be  safe  from  the  assaults  of  Satan,  or  be 
able  to  discharge  any  active  duty  in  the  service  of  God,  so  the 
Psalmist  again,  "Ae  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  m,ercy  shall  com- 
pass him  about"  Psalm  xxxii.  10.  You  cannot  serve  God,  till 
you  have  taken  Christ,  as  the  refuge  and  salvation  of  your  souls, 
you  must  be  brought  into  a  capacity  to  serve,  before  you  can  serve 
him ;  you  are  not  in  a  capacity  to  serve  him,  till  you  are  recon- 
ciled to  God  in  Christ,  you  can  make  no  resistance  to  Satan 
whatever,  or  be  able  to  serve  your  God,  unless  you  are  found  in 
Christ. 

There  are  none,  perhaps,  here,  who  have  arrived  at  any  matu- 
rity of  understanding,  who  may  not  be  able  practically  to  admit 
and  feel  the  truth  of  this.  Even  those  who  know  not  the  Gospel 
of  Christ.  I  would  appeal  to  those,  I  care  not  who  they  be,  sup- 
pose any  individuals  here,  however  careless,  thoughtless,  or  igno- 
rant they  may  be  of  divine  truth,  I  would  appeal  thus  to  their 
consciences.  You  have  often  felt  compunctions  for  sins  from  which 
you  have  desired  to  refrain  in  future.  I  am  sure  there  is  not  even 
a  child  who  has  not  felt  the  same; — you  have  felt  that  speaking 
falsehood,  disobedience  to  parents,  giving  way  to  wicked  tempers, 
and  many  other  sins  have  brought  you  into  disgrace  and  affliction, 
so  that  you  would  desire  to  refrain  from  them  afterwards,  and  I 
say  with  confidence  to  each  of  you,  you  have  often  promised  to  do 
so, — you  have  often  inwardly  resolved — you  have  sincerely  deter- 
mined in  your  own  minds  to  do  so.  I  am  sure  I  can  say  for  my- 
self, before  I  knew  anything  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  I  have  felt 
sin  a  severe  burden  to  my  conscience,  and  often  resolved, — resolved, 
with  what  I  thought  a  most  irrefragable  resolution,  that  I  would 
not  commit  such  or  such  a  sin  that  had  oppressed  and  afflicted  me 
again. 

But  let  me  ask,  have  you  been  able  to  keep  your  resolutions  1 
Have  you  been  able  to  carry  your  most  sincere  intentions  into 
effect,  I  appeal  to  all  who  hear,  and  I  feel  confident  that  every  one 
who  hears  will  answer.  No — those,  who  know  the  Gospel  have 
most  felt  their  own  weakness  and  their  own  impotence.  Oh,  how 
often  !  Now,  when  the  sinner  is  brought  to  know  Christ,  to  lean 
on  Christ,  for  pardon  and  salvation — when  the  sinner  is  enabled  to 
cast  his  burden  on  his  blessed  Saviour,  he  finds  that  he  is  girded 
with  strength  unto  the  battle.  Have  you  not  found  in  yourselves, 
power  and  strength  not  only  to  resist  certain  sins,  but  that  those 
very  sins  to  which  you  felt  most  inclined  were  peculiarly  hateful  to 
you  ?     Have  you  not  felt  strength  to  watch  against  your  besetting 


LECTURES    ON   THE    EPHESIANS.  579 

sins  ?  I  know,  O  believer,  you  have  on  many  occasions.  It  is 
true,  they  will  return  again,  and  again — you  will  feel  the  corrup- 
tion rise  with  power  within  you. — The  enemy  of  your  souls  will 
attack  you  in  various  ways,  and  present  fresh  temptations  to  call 
it  forth,  but  still,  whenever  you  gain  a  conquest  over  any  sin,  it  is 
the  very  same  victory  of  which  we  are  told  in  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion, and  which  the  servants  of  Christ  achieve  over  their  foe. — 
All  their  victory  is  through  Christ : — "/  heard  a  loud  voice  saying 
in  heaven,  Now  is  come  salvation  and  strength,  and  the  Kingdom 
of  our  God,  and  the  poioer  of  his  Christ ;  for  the  accuser  of  our 
brethren  is  cast  down  ivhich  accnseth  them  before  our  God,  day 
and  flight ;  and  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony.''''  Rev.  xii.  10,  11.  Look  at 
the  power  of  Satan  there  spoken  of !  The  continual  accuser  before 
God  of  his  people ;  always  tempting  and  trying  to  lead  them  into 
sin,  and  always  accusing  them  like  a  traitor  who  tempts  men  to  a 
crime,  and  then  informs  against  them.  Always  accusing  them  of 
the  sins  to  which  he  tempts  them.  '^'■But  they  overcame  him." 
How  ?  "-B//  the  blood  of  the  Lainb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  tes- 
timony.^' There  is  no  conquest  recorded  of  God's  people  over 
Satan,  but  through  the  salvation  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  testi- 
mony of  the  revealed  truth  of  God,  for  all  God's  children,  is  this, — 
that  "  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Therefore, 
if  you  have  been  able  to  overcome  sin  and  Satan,  it  is  by  the  love 
and  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  through  faith  in  his 
blood.  If  you  have  been  girded  with  strength,  it  is  because  you 
have  been  girded  with  truth — if  you  have  been  girded  with  truth, 
it  is  only  as  you  have  been  girded  with  Christ — for  in  Him  alone 
we  have  victory ;  as  saith  the  Apostle,  of  all  the  hardest  conflicts, 
in  which  we  can  be  engaged, — 'Way  in  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us."     Rom.  viii.  37. 

Again  the  next  part  of  the  armor  enumerated  by  the  Apostle  is 
the  breastplate. — "  Having  on  the  breastplate  op  right- 
eousness." 

What  righteousness? 

Is  it  our  own  righteousness  1  Is  our  righteousness  a  breastplate 
which  will  defend  us  from  the  assaults  of  Satan  ?  Observe — One 
of  the  attacks  of  Satan  is  accusation — one  of  the  means  whereby 
Satan  keeps  possession  of  the  soul  is  accusation.  He  brings  a 
charge  against  the  sinner's  conscience,  and  this  is  one  means 
whereby  he  keeps  the  sinner  from  Christ.  Sinners  think,  in  their 
natural  ignorance,  that  there  is  something  which  they  must  do  in 
order  to  prepare  and  fit  themselves  to  come  to  Christ,  and  that 
they  cannot  avail  themselves  of  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  the 
Gospel,  till  they  are,— what  they  call,  fit  to  do  so.  Now  Satan 
charges  them  with  sin,  whenever  Christ  is  presented  to  them. 
The  Gospel  is  preached, — salvation  proclaimed. — Satan  says,  "  Oh, 
you  are  too  guilty  a  sinner, — you  are  not  fit  to  come  to  Christ ; — 
you  have  neither  humiUty  enough, — nor  contrition — nor  penitence, 
— nor  do  you  feel  the  burthen  of  sin  enough — nor  have  you  any 


580  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

love  to  God.  You  love  such  aad  such  a  sin — you  must  be  a  very 
different  man  before  you  are  fit  to  come  to  Christ."  Such  is  his 
language.  • 

See,  how  he  turns  away  men  from  the  Lord's  table  in  the  sanic 
way  !  He  persuades  them,  that  they  are  not  only,  not  fit  to  come 
to  Christ,  but' not  fit  to  partake  of  the  emblems  and  memorials  ol' 
our  blessed  Redeemer's  sufferings — they  hope  they  will  be  fit  some- 
time before  they  die. 

This  beyond  all  doubt  is  the  work  of  the  Devil.  He  tells  sin- 
ners they  are  not  fit  to  come  to  Christ — he  accuses  them  of  sin, 
and  at  the  very  same  time,  he  flatters  them  with  the  vain  hope 
and  expectation  of  their  sell-righteousness.  He  deludes  the  Phari- 
see.— "  Oh  !  now  you  are  fit  to  come — ^you  have  abstained  so  long 
from  sin — you  are  so  good — you  have  prepared  yourself — now  you 
are  fit.  You  have  performed  such  and  such  things — ^you  have 
prayed  so  much — ^you  have  refrained  so  long  from  indulgences  in 
the  world — you  have  gone  through  a  whole  'week's  preparation' 
— you  have  been  so  charitable — ^have  done  so  nuich  good — you 
must  be  fit  to  come  to  Christ.''  He  thus  accuses  some,  and  builds 
up  others,  (perhaps  the  same  persons  again,)  in  self-righteousness. 

So  you  recollect  when  our  blessed  Lord  dined  with  Simon  the 
Pharisee,  when  the  poor  woman  came  behind  Him  and  poured  out 
her  tears  like  rain  on  his  feet,  as  the  original  so  beautifully  conveys 
it,  and  wiped  them  witli  the  hairs  of  her  head  ;  the  Pharisee  said 
^'■within  himself,^' — (he  did  not  venture  to  say  it  aloud.)  "  Tliis 
■man,  if  he  were  a  Prophet  would  have  known  loho  and  what  man- 
ner of  woman  this  is  that  toiiclieth  him,  for  she  is  a  sinner.'^  Luke 
vii.  39.  Now,  what  was  the  meaning  of  that  ?  That  was  as  nmch 
as  to  say, — "  It  is  very  fit  He  should  come  into  my  company — 
come  and  dine  with  me, — but  it  is  not  fit,  that  that  woman  should 
even  pour  out  her  tears  on  his  feet — nay,  if  He  were  a  Prophet, 
He  would  have  known  what  a  vile  creature  she  is,  and  he  would 
not  allow  her  even  to  touch  him.  There  you  have  the  self-right- 
eousness of  this  Pharisee.  A  counterpart  of  the  language  of  an- 
other of  his  brethren,  in  another  parable  : — "  God,  I  thank  thee, 
that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers, 
or  even  as  this  publican,^'  or  this  vile  woman.  Luke  xviii.  11. 

Now,  the  breastplate  of  the  Pharisaical  heart,  is  self-righteous- 
ness ;  and  let  me  ask,  is  this  righteousness  fit  to  guard  us  against 
the  assaults  of  Satan?  When  Satan  accuses  of  sin,  is  our  right- 
eousness such  as  that  we  can  challenge  Satan,  and  can  say,  we 
are  not  sinners?  When  Satan  builds  us  up  in  self-righteousness, 
is  our  righteousness  such,  that  we  can  beheve  Satan,  and  take 
that  righteousness  as  clear,  and  challenge  God,  to  try  it  at  his  bar 
when  we  appear  before  him?  No, — a  man  might  as  well  take  a 
breastplate  made,  (to  use  the  Prophet's  expression,)  of  old  rags,  to 
protect  him  in  battle!  What  does  he  say  of  our  righteousness? 
^^All  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filtliy  rags.''^  Isaiah  Ixiv.  6.  It  is 
not  this  righteousness  we  can  wear  as  a  breastplate,  in  conflict 
with  our  spiritual  foe.     But  there  is  a  righteousness  with  which  a 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  581 

sinner  can  cover  himself,  as  with  a  breastplate,  and  meet  the 
assaults  of  Satan, — even  the  righteousness  of  Him,  of  whom  it  is 
said,  "  This  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,  tJie  Lord  our 
righteousness.''''  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  That  righteousness  of  which  the 
Apostle  speaks,  when  he  saith,  "  Even  the  righteousness  of  God, 
which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all,  and  upon  all  the?n 
that  believe."  Rom.  iii.  22. — ^That  righteousness  of  which  he  speaks, 
when  he  says,  "  Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  los.9 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesns  my  Lord :  for 
whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them, 
but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  hav- 
ing mine  own  riglUeousness  ivhich  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which 
is  through  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith."  That  is  the  righteousness  which  he  here  exhorts  behevers 
to  put  on  as  a  breastplate. 

Satan  charges  a  believer  with  sin. 

"  You  have  no  righteousness  before  God— you  are  a  vile  sinner 
— you  are  not  fit  to  come  to  Christ." 

What  is  the  answer  7 

"  I  am  a  vile  sinner — I  know  it  well — I  know  I  have  no  right- 
eousness, but  I  am  fit  to  come  to  Christ ;  for  it  is  written, — '  This 
is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.^  1st  Tim.  i.  15.  And 
therefore  you  may  tell  me  I  have  no  righteousness — you  may  tell 
me,  I  am  ever  so  vile — you  may  bring  against  me  all  the  corrup- 
tions of  my  vile  heart,  but  you  camiot  tell  me  half,  how  vile  it  is. 
You  speak  truth  in  this,  though  you  are  "  the  father  of  lies  ;"  but 
you  speak  it  for  a  lying  purpose,  when  you  speak  to  keep  me  from 
Christ.  For,  just  because  I  have  no  righteousness — ^^just  because 
I  am  guilty — ;just  because  I  am  vile.  I  come  to  Him,  who  is  "  the 
end  of  the  latv  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth." 
Rom.  X.  4.  To  him  who  "  receiveth  sinners."  Luke  xv.  2 — who 
saith,  "  IIi?n  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  John 
vi.  37. 

So  when  Satan  endeavors  to  build  up  a  sinner  in  his  own  self- 
righteousness,  the  believer  saith,  "Do  not  talk  to  me  of  my  own 
righteousness,  of  what  I  have  done,  or  can  do,  as  a  ground  of 
trust  for  my  soul.  I  cast  it  all  off.  I  bring  all  the  filthy  rags 
of  my  righteousness  to  the  blood  of  Christ.  I  cast  my  righteous- 
ness and  my  sins,  all  I  have,  and  all  I  am,  I  cast  them,  into  that 
blood  of  the  Lamb — that  blessed  fountain  open  for  sin  and  un- 
cleanness ;  and  I  take  the  righteousness  of  my  Lord  and  Saviour 
to  cover  the  sins  of  my  vile  heart.  That  is  the  righteousness  in 
which  alone  I  can  stand  before  God,  and  in  which  alone,  as  I  do 
now,  I  can  answer  the  devil." 

That  is  the  way  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.  This 
is  to  "have  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  to 

HAVE    ON    THE    BREASTPLATE    OF    RIGHTEOUSNESS."       Oil  !    that 

is  an  impenetrable  breastplate ;  all  the  darts  of  Satan  cannot 
pierce  through  it. 


582  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

No  charge  can  get  at  the  conscience,  when  the  conscience  is 
covered  with  the  breastplate  of  Christ's  righteousness.  No — and 
no  argument  of  Satan  can  persuade  the  behever  to  take  his  own 
righteousness  to  cover  him,  when  he  can  have  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  to  fly  to.  He  will  not  listen  to  the  counsel  of  Satan,  to 
take  his  own  righteousness,  when  he  has  the  glorious  counsel  of 
his  Lord  to  take  His.  "  /  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in 
the  fire,  that  thou  may  est  he  rich ;  and  white  raimeut  that  thou 
m,ayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not 
appear.''''  Rev.  iii.  18. — "  Their  righteousness  is  of  me  saith  the 
Lord.''''  Isaiah  liv.  17.  He  will  not  plead  his  own  merits  or  works 
before  God,  when  he  has  the  finished  righteousness  of  his  Lord 
and  Saviour  to  plead.  Now,  consider  these  things,  dear  friends, 
think  of  them  ;  and  I  hope  and  trust  that  the  Lord  will  enable  us 
all  to  think  of  them — to  know  them — to  feel  them — to  value  and 
do  them — that  we  may  be  '•  doers  of  the  word  and  not  hearers 
only,  deceiving  our  own  selves.''^  James  i.  22.  Let  us  pray  oVer 
this  passage  of  Scripture — let  us  pray,  that  we  may  be  able  to  take 
this  whole  armor  of  God,  to  meet  and  to  conquer  our  foe.  And 
let  us  be  assured,  that  we  never  can  know  enough  of  the  danger 
that  surrounds  us,  and  the  power  of  that  deadly  enemy  with 
whom  we  have  to  contend.  But  blessed  be  our  God — greater  is 
He  who  is  for  us  than  all  who  are  against  us,  as  we  shall  see,  in 
considering  the  remaining  part  of  this  armor  ;  if  the  Lord  permits 
us  to  go  through  it,  we  shall  see  the  blessed  salvation  in  which  it 
is  the  privilege  of  the  believer  to  rejoice,  who  takes  Christ  as  the 
Alpha  and  the  Omega  of  his  hope — in  whom,  all  who  believe,  are 
covered  with  a  glorious  panoply,  in  which,  when  they  contend 
against  their  foe — they  are  more  than  conquerors — their  victory 
is  secured  forever  and  ever. 


FORTY-NINTH     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI. — 15,  16. 


"  And  your  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace ;  above  all,  taking 
the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked." 

The  Apostle,  pursuing  the  image  of  the  Christian  armor,  in  the 
I5th  verse,  exhorts  his  brethren  to  stand  not  only  "  having  their 
loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the  breastplate  of 
righteous}iess,''^  but  he  adds,  "  and  your  feet  shod  with  the 

PREPARATION     OF    THE    GOSPEL    OF     PEACE."       That    is,    that    WC 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  583 

should  not  be  impeded,  entangled,  ensnared  or  misled  in  our  walk, 
— that  we  should  be  enabled  to  go  in  the  right  way,  and  that  we 
should  walk  in  that  way  as  we  ought  to  walk  in  it,  steadily,  up- 
rightly, and  perseveringly,  unto  the  end. 

If  you  were  going  to  a  place,  through  an  enemy's  land,  three 
things  are  necessary. 

First, — -that  you  should  be  on  the  right  road, — Secondly,  that 
you  should  have  a  faithful  guide — -and  Thirdly,  that  you  should 
walk  on  in  the  way  guardedly  and  circumspectly,  and  steadily 
pursue  it,  to  your  journey's  end.  Now  so  exactly  is  it  with  refer- 
ence to  the  believer's  pilgrimage. — He  must  be  satisfied  first  that 
he  is  on  the  right  patli  to  eternal  life ;  secondly,  that  he  follows 
a  faithful  guide ; — and  thirdly,  that  he  is  walking  along  it  to 
his  journey's  end, — vigilantly,  and  guardedly  in  his  way. — 
For  this  purpose,  you  must  have  "  your  feet  shod  with  the 

PREPARATION    OF    THE    GOSPEL    OF    PEACE."       That    is     that    yOU 

should  be  in  the  path  of  the  Gospel,  and  walking  as  guided  and 
guarded  by  it  in  your  way. 

Our  blessed  Redeemer,  you  perceive,  is  typified  under  every  part 
of  this  armor.  He  is  "  The  trutK''  as  the  girdle  of  the  loins.  He  is 
"^/te  Lord  our  righteousness'^  as  a  breastplate,  so  He  '•'•is  the 
waif  and  "  he  is  our  peace^^  as  the  preparation  for  our  feet.  The 
meaning  of  this  figure  is,  that  you  should  walk  in  the  salvation 
of  that  blessed  Redeemer,  as  he  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel  of  peace. 
That  Gospel  is  your  guide  under  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
"T7iy  ivord  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet  and  a  light  unto  my  path  ^ 
Psalm,  cxix.  10.  That  Gospel  brings  you  to  Christ  who  is  the 
only  way.  It  reveals  this  to  you  as  his  own  authority — "/aw  the 
■way,  the  trutit,  and  the  life ;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  hut 
by  we."  John  xiv.  G.  It  teaches  3^ou  too,  that  in  your  warfare  and 
your  dangers,  in  Him  alone  you  can  have  peace.  It  tells  you,  this 
was  the  announcement  of  His  birth.—"  On  earth  peace,  good  will 
toward  menP  Luke  ii.  14.  That  through  Him  is  given  "  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people  by  the  remission  of  their 
sins,  through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God ;  ivhereby  the  day- 
spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us,  to  give  light  to  them  that 
sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  sJtadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into 
the  way  of  peaceP     Luke  i.  77,  78,  79. 

It  tells  you  that  "  he  is  our  peaceP  Eph.  ii.  14.  That  He  hath 
"  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross.^'  Col.  i.  20. 

It  gives  you  His  own  consolatory  commentary  on  His  last  con- 
versation with  His  disciples,  before  He  suffered,  "these  things 
have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace^''  He 
warns  them  of  the  trials  of  their  warfare,  •'  in  the  world  ye  shall 
have  tribulation ;"  but  He  encourages  them  to  confidence  in 
Him,  ^'■but  be  of  good  cheer;  I  have  overcoine  the  world.''  John 
xvi.  33. 

So  the  Gospel  of  peace  is  the  preparation  for  your  feet :  it  shows 
you  the  way  in  which  you  are  to  walk — the  peace  in  which  you 
are  to  walk — the  confidence  with  which  you  are  to  walk, — and  so 


584  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

it  encourages  you  to  persevere  unto  the  end,  "  as  ye  have  therefore 
received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  loalk  ye  in  him :  rooted  and 
built  up  in  him,  and  stablished  in  the  faith,  as  ye  have  been 
taught,  abounding  therein  with  thanksgiving P  Col.  ii.  6,  7.  So 
it  enables  you  in  all  your  warfare  to  say,  and  to  feel,  "  Though  I 
walk  in  the  midst  of  trouble,  thou  wilt  revive  me :  thou  shalt 
stretch,  forth  thine  hand  against  the  wrath  of  inine  enemies,  and 
thy  right  hand  shall  save  7neP  Psalm  cxxxviii.  7.  And  so  it 
carries  you  on  to  the  end — "  Yen,  though  I  walk  through  the  val- 
ley of  tJie  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil:  for  thou  art  ivith 
me  ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  meP  Psalm  xxiii.  4. 

This  is  that  path,  in  which  none  can  ever  walk  but  those  whose 
feet  are  "  shod  with  the  preparation  op  the  gospel  op 
PEACE."  Too  many  flatter  themselves  that  they  are  in  the  right 
way,  but  they  only  prove  the  truth  of  the  passage — "  There  is  a 
way  rvhich  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are  the 
ways  of  deathP  Prov.  xiv.  12.  Unconverted  persons  generally 
consider,  the  right  way  is  their  profession  of  religion,  whatever  it 
may  be.  The  Roman  Catholic  will  tell  you,  the  Romish  Church 
is  the  way.  The  unconverted  member  of  the  Church  of  England 
will  tell  you,  the  Protestant  Church  is  the  way.  An  unconverted 
Dissenter  will  tell  you,  his  form  of  worship  is  the  way.  All  un- 
converted sinners  imagine,  that  by  some  outward  form  of  worship, 
they  are  to  be  led,  or  to  be  kept,  in  the  right  way  to  eternal  life, — 
but  Jesus  saith,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;  no  'inan 
cometJi  to  the  father  but  by  ineP  If  you  are  not  in  Christ,  you 
cannot  be  in  the  way  to  eternal  life ;  therefore,  when  the  Apostle 
in  Heb.  x.  has  set  forth  the  fulness  and  completeness  of  the  salva- 
tion finisiied  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  on  the  Cross.  He  uses  the 
image  of  Christ,  as  a  way,  he  says,  '■•Having  therefore,  brethren, 
boldness  to  enter  into  tJie  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new 
and  living  way,  ivhich  he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  throi/gh  the 
vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and  having  an  High  Priest  over 
the  house  of  God ;  let  us  draw  near  ivith  a  true  heart  in  full 
assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience,  and  our  bodies  ivashed  tvith  pure  waterP  Heb.  x. 
19 — 22.  If  you  are  in  Him  j^ou  are  in  the  right  way,  if  you  are 
ill  Jesus  you  are  not  only  in  the  right  way,  but  in  a  hol}^  way,  "a 
highway  shall  be  there,^^  saith  the  Lord,  speaking  of  the  way  of 
approach  to  his  glorious  Church,  "  a  high  way  shall  be  there,  and 
it  shall  be  called  the  way  of  holiness^  You  know,  we  testify 
always  in  the  strongest,  most  emphatic  manner,  that  although 
holiness  never  can  purchase,  in  whole  or  in  part,  a  sinner's  salva- 
tion,— nor  can  help  him  on  to  his  salvation, — that  his  whole  salva- 
tion is  Jesus, — that  he  is  "  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and 
the  last/^  yet  the  Scripture  expressly  tells  us,  "  vnthout  holiness, 
no  man  shall  see  the  LordP  Heb.  xii.  14.  Why  ?  Because  with- 
out holiness,  we  are  not  in  Jesus  as  the  way.  Sin  is  hateful  to 
the  renewed  mind  of  an  enlightened  sinner.  If  the  love  of  Jesus 
is  in  the  heart,  sin  will  be  hated,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  a  be- 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIAN3.  585 

liever  is  brought  to  hate  and  loathe  hhiiself,  because  he  feels  the 
burden  of  his  own  sin.  He  feels  sin,  which  is  always  hateful, 
coatiiiually  working  within  him  ;  hence  arises  the  continual  con- 
flict, the  constant  warfare  which  he  has  within  himself,  which 
makes  this  armor  necessary  against  the  foe,  who  attacks  him 
within  and  without.  He  has  the  new  principle,  the  principle  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  given  to  him,  which  lusteth  against  the  flesh,  and 
he  has  also  that  ilesh  continuaUy  lusting  against  the  Spirit  of  God. 
"  Thejl-ish  lusteth  against  the  t^pirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the 
flesh :  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other :  so  that  ye 
cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  ivoidd.^'  Gal.  v.  17.  Therefore, 
although  the  way  of  the  believer  never  can  be  a  way  of  perfect 
holiness,  so  that  he  never  can  be  walking  in  a  way  in  which  he 
does  not  feel  deeply  defiled  with  sin,  yet  the  way  of  walking  to 
eternal  life,  and  the  Christian  walk,  is  a  way  of  holiness  ; — that  is, 
— The  believer  in  Christ  is  set  apart  in  Him  and  holy  unto  the 
Lord, — he  is  totally  diflerent  from  his  former  self,  and  totally  dif- 
ferent from  the  unconverted  world,  and  his  holiness  consists  rather 
in  a  continual  conflict  with  sin,  than  in  a  fulfilment  of  righteous- 
ness, for  to  this  he  feels  he  never  can  attain,  "  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would."  Gal.  v.  5. 

But  Oh  my  friends  !  believers  ought  to  be  particularly  watchful. 
There  seems  to  be,  (I  know  not  how  it  is,)  such  a  profession  of 
religion  now,  that  the  world  is  ready,  in  some  things,  to  conform 
to  the  profession  of  a  Christian  life.  It  serves  tlie  cause  of  the 
devil,  to  assume  a  degree  of  conformity  to  religion — his  object  in 
this  is  to  draw  believers  into  the  world  ;  and  he  seems  to  have 
succeeded,  to  a  great  extent,  by  infusing  such  a  mixture  of  world- 
liness  into  the  profession  of  Christianity,  that  those  who  profess 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  seem  to  be  grievously  drawn  into  conformity 
to  the  world.  Some  of  them  seem  to  think,  that  they  may  go  a 
certain  length  with  the  world  ;  and  in  doing  so,  they  flatter  them- 
selves, that  it  is  an  adoption  of  the  Apostolic  maxim,  a  sort  of 
"  becoming  all  things  to  all  men,  that  they  may  by  all  ?neans 
save  some."  But  this  is  a  disastrous  mistake.  The  Christian 
never  gains  by  compromise  of  principle,  in  action,  word,  or  thought. 
He  never  gains  for  himself,  or  his  Master ;  he  always  loses  for 
both. — ^Always.  He  loses  for  himself  "5e  not  deceived:  evil 
coniJnunications  corrupt  good  manners."  1st  Cor.  xv.  33.  He 
loses  for  his  Master's  cause.  The  world  never  respects  a  Christian 
for  condescending  to  its  conduct — its  conversation,  its  maxims,  or 
its  motives ;  on  the  contrary,  it  uniformly  despises  him.  The 
Christian  never  can  hold  his  standard  too  high  iox  himself .  This 
standard  is  perfection.  It  cannot  be  a  lower  standard  than  per- 
fection, for  it  is  the  law  of  God.  His  attainments  are,  therefore, 
always  imperfect.  He  not  only  frequently  violates  his  rule  of 
right  in  that  which  is  positively  evil,  but  he  always  falls  short  in 
his  best  thmgs,  according  to  the  language  of  the  Apostle — "  The 
good  that  I  would  I  do  not :  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that 
I  do."  Rom.  vii.  19.     But  his  standard  does  not  fall  in  his  con- 


586  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

science  to  the  level  of  his  conduct,  no  more  than  a  rule  can  vary 
with  that  which  it  measures.  His  standard  is  always  perfection, 
so  the  Lord  saith  :  '■'■  I  icill  put  my  laws  into  their  hearts,  and  in 
their  minds  will  I  iDrite  them.''''  Heb.  x.  16.  And  therefore  the 
believer  lias  the  standard  of  God's  law  as  his  only  acknowledged 
standard  of  good,  although  his  conduct  he  feels  to  be  ever  trans- 
gressing, or  ever  falling  short  of  it.  Therefore,  he  always  feels 
himself  a  sinner — always  deserving  of  condemnation.  But  when 
he  knows  that  Jesus  is  "  the  way^''  and  comes  to  Jesus,  then  his 
feet  are  "shod  with  the  preparation  op  the  Gospel  of 
PEACE."  Oh  !  my  friends,  let  us  always  endeavor  to  hold  in  that 
way,  and  to  walk  in  that  way ;  and  thus,  and  thus  alone  shall 
our  "feet  be  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  Gospel 
OF  peace."  Thus,  we  shall  be  walking  in  Christ;  and  thus  our 
walk  shall  be  a  walk  becoming  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  We  shall 
"  he  followers  of  them  ivho  through  faith  and  patience  inherit 
the  jiromisesy  Heb.  vi.  12.  We  shall  be  followers  of  the  Lamb. 
"  Because  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  as  an  example, 
that  we  should  follow  his  steps.''''  1st  Pet.  ii.  21.  As  the  Apostle 
saith  in  this  Epistle,  chap,  v.,  "i?e  ye  therefore  followers  of  God, 
as  dear  children,  and  urnlk  in  love  f  and  in  another  place, — "  / 
beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye 
present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrijice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
'which  is  your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not  conformed  to  this 
world :  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  reneioing  of  your  mind,  that 
ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will 
of  God."  Rom.  xii.  1,  2. 

You  see  the  walk  is  a  walk  of  peace,  and  a  walk  of  love.  The 
Lord  gives  us  motives  to  enforce  His  command.  His  command  is 
— love. — "  The  end  of  the  conwiandment  is  love.''^  1st  Tim.  i.  5. 
And  the  motive  which  God  gives  to  His  children  to  walk  in  His 
commandments  is  love  ;  so  that  the  motive  and  command  become 
one  and  the  same  in  the  heart  of  the  believer.  That  is  one  of  the 
most  wonderful  dispensations  of  God,  by  which,  in  His  very  method 
of  taking  away  sin — of  pardoning  the  greatest  breaches  of  His 
commandments — He  opens  a  way  for  the  keeping  of  those  com- 
mandments. It  is  by  His  own  wondrous  love  in  Christ  Jesus,  He 
takes  away  the  sins  of  the  vilest  sinner,  and  it  is  by  that  very 
means  He  draws  the  heart  of  that  sinner  in  love  to  Himself.  His 
love  draws  our  hearts  to  love, — therefore,  "  Walk  in  love  /'  and 
that  your  foe  may  not  hinder  you— walk  "  having  your  feet 

SHOD  WITH  THE   PREPARATION  OF  THE  GoSPEL  OF  PEACE." 

"The  Gospel  of  peace!" — ^Then  it  should  be  a  peaceful 
walk,  and  a  happy  walk.  A  believing  walk  is  a  peaceful  walk  j 
and  a  believing  walk,  and  a  peaceful  walk,  is  a  holy  walk,  and 
therefore,  always  a  happy  walk ;  and  an  unbelieving  walk,  or  an 
unholy  walk,  or  an  imcircumspect  walk,  is  always  an  unhappy 
walk ;  and  against  these,  how  constantly  ought  the  believer  to 
watch  and  pray.  We  say  nothing  of  the  unbeliever — the  misery 
of  a  creature  walking  in  ignorance  and  unbelief  of  the  Gospel  of 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  587 

Jesus.  But  when  believers  allow  themselves  in  any  sin,  when 
they  are  not  zealously  watchful  against  sin  ;  it  is  because  of  their 
unbelief — because  they  have  not  gone  forth  with  "their  feet 

SHOD  WITH   THE  PREPARATION  OF  THE  GoSPEL  OF  PEACE  ;"    and 

they  are  walking  proportionably,  always  unhappily.  Allowed  sin, 
necessarily  throws  a  doubt  on  the  truth  of  their  profession,  in  their 
own  mind.  "  If  our  heart  condemn  its,  God  is  greater  than  our 
hearty  and  knoweth  all  thingsP  1st  John  iii.  20.  It  necessarily 
makes  them  question  their  own  sincerity,  and  their  own  state  be- 
fore God ;  their  walk  must  be  uncertain  and  unhappy. — ^Thus 
the  Apostle  saith,  '•  /  therefore  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly ;  so 
fight  /,  not  as  one  that  heateth  the  air :  hut  I  keep  under  my 
body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection ;"  1  Cor.  ix.  26,  27.  There- 
fore, my  beloved  friends,  though  our  walk  is  never  the  least  ground 
of  the  hope  of  salvation,  because  all  our  salvation,  I  say  again,  and 
again,  is  in  Christ,  and  in  Him  alone,  yet,  "m  keeping  of  his  com- 
mandments there  is  great  reward;'^  there  is  no  reward yb/*  keep- 
ing them,  but  there  is  groat  reward  in  keeping  them  ;  there  is 
blessedness  and  happiness  in  keeping  them,  and  you  will  always 
see  that  the  happiest  Christian  is  the  holiest  Christian  ;  and  there  is 
not  one  of  you  who  believes  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  whose  own  experi- 
ence docs  not  testify  that  your  own  sins — your  own  carelessness, 
your  own  want  of  v/atchfulness,  have  brought  you  into  many 
snares — many  griefs — many  doubts — much  sorrow.  Is  it  not  so? 
Oh  then,  dear  friends,  let  us  watch  and  pray.     Let  us  have  "  our 

FEET  SHOD  WITH  THE  PREPARATION  OP  THE  GOSPEL  OF  PEACE," 

be  sure  that  walking  in  Christ,  is  the  only  holy  walk,  and  the  only 
liappy  walk  ;  and  it  is  happy  even  in  the  midst  of  trials.  So  in 
the  book  of  Habakkuk,  you  have  a  beautiful  exposition  of  "  the 

FEET   SHOD  WITH  THE  PREPARATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL  OF  PEACE," 

the  failh  and  conquest  which  is  connected  with  it;  ^'-  Although  the 
fig  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines,  the 
labor  of  the  olives  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  m,eat, 
thefiocks  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd 
in  the  stalls,  yet  I  toill  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God 
of  my  salvation.''''  Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  Though  there  be  heavy  trials, 
deep  privations,  bleak  bereavements  of  all  comfort,  yet  in  spite  of 
all,  "  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion.^^ Well,  what  follows  ?  "  The  Lord  God  is  my  strength, 
and  he  loill  make  my  feet  like  Jtinds'  feet,  and  he  will  make  7ne 
to  loalk  upon  my  high  placesJ^  v.  19.  Wlien  we  are  Avalking  in 
happy,  holy  confidence  in  the  Lord — holy  trust  in  the  blessed 
Jesus,  in  spite  of  all  difficulties  and  trials.  He  will  make  the  feet 
of  his  people  like  hinds'  feet.  It  is  to  this  that  the  Song  alludes  ; 
— ^^  How  beautiful  are  thy  feet  toith  shoes.  O  Prince's  daughter," 
Cant.  vii.  1. — That  is,  "  your  feet  shod  with  the  prepara- 
tion OF  THE  gospel  OF  PEACE,"  Isaiah,  so  speaking  of  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  Gospel, — '■'■how  beantiful  upon  the  mountains  are 
the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace, 
that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,  that  jjublisheth  salvation^ 


688  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

that  saith  unto  Zion,  thy  God  reigneth^''  Isaiah  lii.  7.  The  feet 
of  those  who  preach  the  Gospel  of  peace,  are  beautiful,  and  so  are 
the  feet  of  those  who  are  shod  with  the  Gospel  they  preach. 

Now,  if  our  feet  are  "shod  with  the  preparation  of  the 
GOSPEL  OF  PEACE,"  wlierever  we  go,  we  shall  be  sure  to  carry  the 
Gospel  always  with  us.  It  is  a  bad  thing  to  profess — to  seem  to 
have  the  Gospel,  as  is  too  much  the  case  in  any  place,  and  not  to 
have  it  in  every  place. 

Some  persons  profess  to  have  the  Gospel  at  home,  but  they  seem 
as  if  they  had  forgotten  it  Avhenever  they  go  abroad — and  some,  on 
the  contrary,  profess  to  have  it  when  they  go  abroad,  but  appear 
as  if  they  had  lost  it,  by  the  time  they  return  home.  A  form  of 
religion  in  the  family  and  an  absence  of  its  influence  in  all  our 
business  in  the  world,  or  a  profession  of  religion  in  the  world,  with- 
out any  influence  or  power  of  it  in  the  temper,  habits,  and  conver- 
sation when  at  home,  savors  very  little  of  the  genuine  servant  of 
God. 

One  sees  this  in  the  intercourse  of  persons  professing  to  be  re- 
ligious, their  conversation  degenerates  into  a  mere  worldly  gossip, 
or,  it  may  be  religious  gossip,  as  is  very  much  the  case.  Religious 
things  and  persons  are  spoken  about  by  way  of  religion.  Religious 
men — preachers  or  missionaries — religious  books — religious  socie- 
ties— ^and  subjects  such  as  these,  form  a  part  or  often  the  whole  of 
what  is  called  religious  conversation,  and  frequently  comparing 
and  setting  up  one  above  another.  Now  remember,  none  of  these 
things  are  Christ,  none  of  them  bring  peace  to  the  soul.  These 
are  not  the  Gospel.  Preachers  are  not  CJirist.  And  when  these 
are  set  up  as  they  generally  are,  one  above  another,  according  to 
the  tastes  and  opinions  of  men,  it  generally  leads  to  divisions.  See 
how  Paul  treats  this  in  the  Church  at  Corinth  in  his  day. — 
"  Every  one  of  you  saith,  I  am  of  Paul ^  and  I  of  Ap olios,  and  I 
of  Cephas,  and  I  of  Christ.  Is  Christ  divided  ?  Was  Paul 
crucified  for  yon,  or  nwre  you  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul  7 
1  Cor.  i.  12, 13.  And  again,  "  Who  then  is  Paid,  or  who  is  Apollos, 
but  ministers  by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as  tJie  Lord  gave  to  every 
man  1  I  have  planted,  Apollos  watered  ;  but  God  gave  the  in- 
crease. iSo  then  neither  is  he  that  planteth  anything,  neither  he  that 
watereth  ;  but  God  that  giveth  the  increased  1  Cor.  iii.  5 — 7.  So, 
remember,  ministers  are  not  Christ.  Religious  societies  are  not 
Christ.  Religious  books  are  not  Christ.  And  yet,  allow  me  to 
ask,  many  of  those  who  hear  me,  and  who  believe  the  Gospel,  as 
I  trust  many  of  you  do,  is  not  conversation  of  this  sort  a  continual 
substitute  for  the  Gospel  of  Christ?  My  dear  friends,  let  us  re- 
member that  "  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaketh,"  Mat.  xii.  24,  and  the  application  of  these  various  parts 
of  armor  to  the  person,  is  but  an  image  to  imply  the  power  and 
efficacy  of  the  truth  as  influencing,  directing,  and  regulating  the 
heart — and,  therefore,  the  whole  life.      The  having   the  "feet 

SHOD    WITH     THE     PREPARATION     OF    THE    GoSPEL    OF     PEACE," 

expresses  the  power  of  the  Gospel  in  the  heart  in  directing  our 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  589 

walk.  So  to  '•'  ivalk  by  faith ^'''  2  Cor.  v.  7,  to  "  loalk  in  love^''  Eph. 
V.  2,  to  '•  walk  in  Him^^  (Christ)  Col.  ii.  6,  to  "  xDolk  in  the  light,'^ 
1  John,  i.  7,  to  ^'■walk  in  the  Spirit,''  Gal.  v.  16,  to  "  loalk  hon- 
estly,''^ Rom.  xiii.  13,  "  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  ivherewith  toe 
are  called,^'  Eph.  iv.  1,  to  "  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all 
pleasing-,"  Col.  i.  10,  are  all  so  many  expressions  indicating  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  in  the  heart,  and  evincing  in  our  walk  and 
our  warfare — for  our  walk  is  a  warfare,  that  our  feet  are  "  shod 

WITH    THE     PREPARATION    OF  THE  GoSPEL     OF    PEACE."       ThuS 

wherever  we  go,  the  Gospel  should  go  along  with  us,  we  should 
walk  in  the  Gospel — carry  it  in  our  hearts — it  should  direct  our 
steps  and  regulate  our  conversation,  so  shall  we  glorify  our  God, 
and  strengthen,  help,  and  edify  one  another. 

One  cause  of  the  divisions  and  dissensions  among  Christians,  is 
this.  The  two  grand  principles  of  the  Gospel,  the  pillars  of  all 
truth  for  our  salvation,  for  our  walk, — ^Faith  in  our  glorious  Lord, 
and  Love  to  that  Lord,  and  love  to  one  another  -  these  two  great 
principles  are  swamped,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  in  the  sea  of 
disputations  and  divisions  about  ordinances  and  Churches,  and 
forms,  and  ceremonies,  and  governments,  and  men.  Man's  tradi- 
tions and  authorities,  beggarly  elements,  which  whatever  be  their 
use  in  their  own  place,  have  nothing  to  say  to  the  great  and  glo- 
rious principles  of  faith  and  love.  It  strikes  me  as  very  singular 
to  hear  men  who  seem  to  be  sound  in  doctrine,  talking  as  they 
very  often  do,  about  certain  "  questions  that  gender  strife,"  causing 
divisions  on  these,  and  forgetting,  that  in  that  very  thing,  they  are 
violating  the  great  principle,  the  very  chief  command  of  Jesus, 
that  "  we  should  love  one  another.''^  There  is  nothing  on  earth  for 
which  these  two  great  principles,  faith  and  love,  are  to  be  sacri- 
ficed.— We  cannot  wander  far  from  the  path  of  Christian  duty,  if 
we  walk  in  these  two  great  principles.  If  our  heart  is  filled  with 
faith  and  hope  in  our  blessed  Lord,  with  love  to  him  and  love  to 
our  brethren,  we  cannot  far  diverge  from  the  straight  path.  There 
are  many  points  in  which  our  knowledge  and  attainments  will  of 
course  be  very  deficient  and  different  from  one  another,  and  we 
shall  have  our  various  besetting  sins  to  conflict  with,  our  several 
prejudices,  and  our  ignorances,  to  combat ;  we  shall  all  have  these. 
But  if  those  who  profess  the  Gospel  held  up  these  great  principles 
in  their  hearts,  lives  and  conversation,  we  should  be  walking  in  a 
blessed,  happy  state  of  unity,  and  not  in  a  wretched  state  of  dis- 
union, discontent  and  division.  The  evils  of  this  are  best  known 
to  those  who  have  had  most  experience  of  them.  Oh  !  if  the  feet 
of  all  who  profess  to  know  Christ  were  "shod  with  the  prep- 
aration OF  the  gospel  op  peace,"  they  would  stand  in  one 
united  phalanx  against  the  common  foe,  instead  of  afibrding  him 
the  advantage  of  dissensions  and  divisions  in  the  hosts  of  the  Lord. 
Then  indeed  the  Church  of  Christ  would  ^'- look  forth  as  the  morn- 
ing, fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners."     Cant.  vi.  10. 

The  next  part  of  the  armor  the  Apostle  speaks  of  is,  "the 


590  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

SHIELD  OF  FAITH."  "AbOVE  ALL,  TAKING  THE  SHIELD  OF 
FAITH,  WHEREWITH  YE  SHALL  BE  ABLE  TO  dUENCH  ALL  THE 
FIERY  DARTS  OF  THE  WICKED." 

A  shield  was  an  instrument  of  defence  of  various  dimensions. 
It  was  generally  of  a  circular  form,  made  of  strong  brass  or  some- 
times of  liides  of  oxen,  from  three  to  five  or  six  feet  or  more  in 
diameter.  It  was  carried  by  the  warrior  on  his  left  arm : — there 
were  two  fixed  rings  in  the  inner  part  of  it,  through  one  of  which 
he  passed  his  arm,  and  the  other  he  grasped  with  his  hand,  and  so 
he  had  a  firm  hold  of  this  shield,  and  could  move  it  in  every  direc- 
tion, whether  to  intercept  the  arrows,  darts,  or  javelins  that  were 
hurled  at  him  from  a  distance,  or  the  blows  aimed  at  him  in  close 
combat  with  the  foe.  The  shield  was  therefore  a  moveable  part 
of  his  armor,  the  other  parts  were  fixed — the  helmet  fixed  on  the 
head,  the  girdle  on  the  loins,  the  breastplate  on  the  breast,  the 
greaves  on  the  feet,  but  the  shield  and  the  sword  were  two  move- 
able pieces  of  armor.  The  sword  in  the  right  hand  to  fight  with, 
the  shield  on  the  left  arm  to  protect  the  soldier  in  the  battle. 

Now  you  observe  wherever  the  blow  was  aimed,  there  the  shield 
was  opposed  to  it.  If  the  blow  was  aimed  at  the  head,  the  shield 
was  raised  to  protect  the  head ;  if  at  the  heart,  the  shield  was 
placed  to  guard  the  heart ;  wherever  the  blow  was  aimed,  there 
the  shield  was  opposed  to  it.  Now  this  is  the  image  the  Apostle 
uses  to  express  what  he  considers  the  most  important  part  of  the 
armor.  "Above  all,  taking  the  shield  op  faith,  where- 
with YE  SHALL  BE  ABLE  TO  QUENCH  ALL  THE  FIERY  DARTS  OF 

the  WICKED."  Now  we  have  an  enemy  to  contend  with,  who  is 
always  aiming  his  blows  at  every  part  which  he  thinks  most  vul- 
nerable, where  he  thinks  he  can  strike  us  best.  Of  course  any 
skilful  opponent  engaged  in  conflict  always  does  so.  If  a  man 
were  fighting,  he  would  aim  his  blow  wherever  he  thought  he  could 
hit,  wherever  he  thought  his  blow  would  tell,  where  he  hoped  the 
shield  could  not  save  his  adversary.  So  it  is  with  Satan,  the 
enemy  of  our  souls ;  wherever  he  thinks  he  can  wound  us,  there 
he  is  sure  to  aim  his  blow.  He  aims  it  at  the  head — the  heart — 
the  feet — at  every  part  where  he  thinks  we  are  most  vulnerable, 
and  that  he  can  most  successfully  strike  us.  Now  what  is  the 
meaning  of  this  1  How  can  Satan  be  said  to  strike  a  blow  at  the 
head?  He  strikes  at  the  understanding  of  man.  He  hopes  to 
overthrow  his  faith,  by  blinding  and  deceiving  his  reason. — Hence, 
all  the  sophistries  of  superstition  and  infidelity — the  casuistry  of 
Popery — the  subtleties  of  Neology,  Deism,  Arianism,  Socinianism, 
and  all  the  questions  that  are  raised  by  Satan  and  his  agents,  to 
puzzle  and  mislead  the  intellect  of  man,  and  through  these  means 
to  draw  men  away  from  God,  if  he  can.  For  this  he  sends  his 
emissaries  to  make  them  doubt  about  the  truth  of  divine  revela- 
tion, and  turns  every  subject  on  which  the  human  mind  can  be 
exercised,  into  an  instrument  for  its  seduction  from  true  religion. 
Of  this  we  see  many  examples  in  the  present  day.  He  endeavors 
to  press  every  science  into  the  service,  and  to  pervert  the  very 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  59] 

phenomena  of  creation  into  arguments,  against  the  Revelation  of 
Him  who  formed  it.  Geology  furnishes  a  very  wide  field  for  the 
suggestions  of  speculative  infidelity.  Phrenology  too — nay,  even 
Astronomy  itself,  is  perverted  by  the  ingenuity  and  malice  of  the 
devil,  to  oppose  the  truth  and  glory  of  Jehovah.  Why  should  we 
place  a  limit  to  the  just,  legitimate  investigation  of  the  works  of 
God — of  all  the  things  that  His  hands  have  formed — in  the  heavens 
above  or  in  the  earth  beneath — in  the  waters  under  the  earth — in 
the  human  form,  or  in  all  His  wondrous  works — all — all  are  wor- 
thy of  investigation,  all  declare  His  glory,  and  show  forth  His 
handy  work.  But  the  devil  takes  occasion  by  these  means,  to 
suggest  infidel  doubts  and  infidel  ideas  into  the  minds  of  men. 
When  any  then  are  puzzled,  perplexed,  and  drawn  aside  by  these 
objections  against  Divine  truth,  Satan  succeeds  and  hits  them  a 
blow  on  the  head.     Well,  how  are  w^e  to  meet  him,  "  above  all, 

TAKING  THE  SHIELD  OF  FAITH,  WHEREWITH  YE  SHALL  BE 
ABLE    TO    aUENCH    ALL     THE     FIERY    DARTS    OF    THE    WICKED." 

It  does  not  signify  what  principle  a  false  philosopher  writes  in  a 
book,  or  what  principle  he  lays  down  in  a  lecture,  or  what  specu- 
lative notion  he  suggests  to  the  human  mind,  if  it  is  opposed  to 
the  plain  revelation  of  God — the  behever,  if  he  just  simply  sees 
this — if  he  knows  that  it  is  contrary  to  God's  revealed  truth,  then 
he  justly  and  directly  concludes  without  further  trouble  that  it 
must  be  a  lie.  It  is  of  no  consequence  to  him  how  clever  the  lie 
is,  or  how  well  argued  the  lie  is,  or  how  many  learned  men  sup- 
port the  lie,  if  it  is  against  God's  revealed  word,  he  knows  it  must 
be  a  lie,  it  must  come  from  the  father  of  lies.  Now,  that  settles 
the  question  in  the  believer's  mind  at  once,  he  opposes  "the 
SHIELD  OF  FAITH,"  to  this  blow  aimed  by  Satan  at  his  under- 
standing, \vhat  God  has  said  must  be  true,  "  let  God  be  true  and 
every  irian  a  liar.^'  That  is  enough  for  him.  Therefore,  every 
suggestion  of  Satan  that  tends  to  puzzle  the  understanding,  if  the 
mind  is  only  satisfied  of  this,  that  it  is  contrary  to  God's  revealed 
truth — that  is  enough.  Then  it  is  a  he.  This  satisfies  the  mind, 
this  quenches  the  fiery  dart  of  the  enemy — ^in  a  moment. — This 
was  our  blessed  Lord's  mode  of  dealing  with  Satan  "//f  is  written." 
'^It  is  written  again."  This  should  be  ours  too — this  is  using 
"the  SHIELD  OF  FAITH."  It  is  thus  we  Icaru  to  silence  infidel 
objections  against  all  things  connected  with  Creation, — "  through 
faith  ice  understand.,  that  the  loorlds  were  framed  hy  the  word 
of  God,  so  that  things  ivhich  are  seen  were  riot  made  of  things 
that  do  appear."  Heb.  xi.  3.  So  against  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the 
Creator,  '■'For  hy  him,  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones 
or  dominiotis,  or  principalities,  or  poivers,  all  things  were  created 
by  him  and  for  him;"  Col.  i.  16.  Now  that  one  text,  is  enough 
completely  to  overturn  all  the  sophisms  and  lies  of  all  those  who 
impugn  the  divinity  of  our  glorious  Lord  and  Master — the  be- 
liever may  simply  repeat  that  text — or  he  may  say,  "7/1  the  begin- 
ning was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word 


592  LECTURilS    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

was  God.  The  same  ivas  in  the  begiiming-  with  God.  All 
things  were  made  hy  him, ;  and  without  him  roas  not  anything 
made  that  ivas  fnade.  And  the  Woixl  loas  made  fleshy  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  nw  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  he- 
gotten  of  the  Father,  fall  of  grace  and  truthP  John  i.  1,  2,  3, 14, 
These  are  simple  texts — a  child  can  understand  them — ^know 
them  as  matters  of  fact,  know  them  as  God's  word.  Therefore, 
all  cavils,  all  sophistries,  all  falsehoods,  are  most  completely  met, 
by  simple  faith  in  God's  word,  God  saith  so — Jehovah  saitli  so — 
and  that  is  enough.  This  is  to  oppose  "the  shield  of  faith," 
to  Satan's  blows  aimed  at  the  head. 

But  the  devil  aims  most  chiefly,  most  continually,  at  the  heart 
of  man.  For  one  blow  he  aims  at  our  head,  he  aims  a  thousand 
at  our  heart,  at  our  affections,  our  desires,  our  wills,  to  draw  them 
away  from  God,  and  this  by  a  thousand  ways.  Sometimes  he 
excites  us  to  murmur  and  rebel  against  the  Lord's  dispensations, 
stirring  us  up  to  desire  things  that  the  Lord  has  not  given  to  us, 
as  well  as  to  murmur  at  things  He  has  given  us,  exciting  us  to 
turn  to  the  creature,  and  to  place  those  affections  on  the  creature 
that  are  due  to  the  Lord  alone,  drawing  us  into  that  sin  of  which 
the  Lord  speaks,  when  he  saith,  '■'•My  people  have  committed  two 
einls ;  they  have  forsaken  m,e  the  fountain  of  living  loaters, 
and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  7io 
water^''  Jer.  ii.  13.  This  is  that  to  which  the  natural  mind  is 
always  inclined,  therefore,  Satan's  great  effort  is  to  draw  the  heart 
from  God. 

God's  claim  is  on  the  heart  of  man.  This  is  His  divine  law, 
He  hath  a  legal  right  and  title  to  it,  ^'•Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart.''' 

The  devil's  object  is  to  keep  the  heart  from  God.  ^^My  son 
give  me  thine  heart,^^  saith  the  Lord.  Prov.  xxxii.  26.  Nay, 
"  give  me  thine  heart,"  saith  the  devil,  or  "  give  the  creature  thine 
heart,"  or  "  give  anything  thine  heart  but  God."  It  is  of  no  con- 
sequence to  what  Satan  can  draw  the  heart,  provided  he  can  draw 
it  from  God.  If  the  heart  is  not  God's,  it  is  no  matter  to  wliat 
sort  of  idol  it  is  given.  It  docs  not  signify  whether  we  bow  down 
to  an  image  of  wood  or  stone,  or  whether  our  hearts  are  fixed  on 
worldly  things  ;  as  our  Lord  saith,  '■•take  heed  and  beware  of  cov- 
etousness  f  Luke  xii.  15;  which  the  Apostle  tells  us  '■'•is  idolatry, ^^ 
Col.  iii.  5.  When  our  hearts  are  fixed  on  the  creature,  whatevei 
the  creature  be,  they  are  withdrawn  from  God ;  and  if  the  heart 
is  turned  away  from  God,  the  object  of  Satan  is  effected,  therefore 
he  aims  his  blows  continually  at  our  hearts.  Now,  how  is  he  to 
be  met?     Only  by  the  armor  of  God.     "Above  all,  taking 

THE  shield  of  FAITH,  WHEREWITH  YE  SHALL  BE  ABLE  TO 
QUENCH   ALL  THE  FIERY   DARTS  OF  THE  WICKED."       The  UieanS 

by  which  the  heart  is  protected  from  being  turned  aside  from  God, 
is  by  having  the  heart  filled  with  faith  in  Christ.  This  draws  it 
to  its  proper  object  '^'^ faith  workcth  by  love,^''  love  is  produced  by  the 
belief  of  the  love  of  Christ  to  sinners.     Therefore,  faith  in  Christ 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  593 

must  produce  love  to  Christ ;  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  and  therefore, 
when  you  want  to  produce  love,  the  way  to  cultivate  love  is  to 
cultivate  faith.  Love  is  the  result  of  faith.  Both  arc  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit.  We  cannot  love  the  Lord,  till  we  believe  on  Hira. 
When  we  believe  in  Him,  we  cannot  but  love  Hira.  Therefore, 
the  way  to  have  the  affections  kept  fixed  on  Christ  is  to  have  the 
heart  fixed  on  Christ  by  faith,  it  will  be  necessarily  drawn  to  Him 
by  love,  if  it  be  fixed  on  Him  by  faith.  Why  ?  Because  faith  is 
the  belief  of  His  love- — the  belief  of  His  work — the  belief  of  His 
salvation— of  His  great  and  everlasting  salvation.  This  necessa- 
rily brings  happiness  and  peace  to  the  soul — necessarily  draws  the 
heart's  affections  to  Himself.  "  We  love  hi?n,  because  he  first  loved 
us.^^  1  John  iv.  19.  He  gains  our  heart  because  He  gives  us  His 
heart.  He  "gave  his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his  cheeks  to  them 
that  plucked  off  the  hair :  He  hid  not  His  face  from  shame  and 
spitting^  Isaiah  i.  6.  He  gave  his  hands  to  the  nails,  He  gave 
His  heart  to  tlie  spear  for  sinners,  and  He  says  to  every  soul  who 
trusts  in  His  redeeming  love — "  My  so7i.,  give  me  thine  Iieart.'" 
When  we  are  able  to  believe  on  Him — to  receive  the  gracious  par- 
don— to  look  for  the  glorious  inheritance  purchased  for  us,  by  His 
precious  blood — then  we  learn  to  love  Him — to  trust  Him  as  the 
conqueror  of  sin  and  Satan — death  and  hell.  It  is  this  faitli  and 
love  of  Christ  that  guards  the  heart  from  Satan.  Stand  therefore, 
"taking  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be 
able  to  auench   all  the  fiery  darts   of  the  wicked." 

Thus,  and  only  thus,  can  you  guard  your  hearts  and  your 
affections  from  the  fier}^  darts  of  Satan. 

But  Satan  aims  those  darts  too,  at  the  conscience  of  the  sinner, — 
He  aims  many  fiery  darts  against  the  conscience  as  well  as  the  heart. 

Perhaps  he  is  aiming  at  the  consciences  of  some  of  my  hearers 
here  to-day,  and  it  is  well  to  consider  how  he  wages  his  warfare. 

One  mode  of  his  attack  is — he  tells  you—"  you  are  not  fit  to 
come  to  Christ,  you  are  too  bad."  Perhaps  he  avails  himself  of 
your  besetting  sin  to  tempt  you  to  some  evils,  or  perhaps,  he  injects 
some  corrupt  imaginations,  passions,  lusts  into  your  heart,  and 
then  makes  use  of  these  as  arguments,  to  keep  you  from  Christ. 
He  says  "  how  can  you  be  fit  to  come  to  Christ  ?  or  how  can  such 
a  sinner  as  you  be  a  child  of  God?"  He  tells  you  that  "  What- 
ever others  may  be,  there  are  in  your  case  certain  aggravations, 
with  which  he  now  charges  your  conscience,  that  both  preclude 
you  from  the  hope  of  having  ever  been  a  believer  in  Christ,  and 
utterly  unfit  you  to  come  to  Christ.  Now,  you  must  be  delivered 
from  the  power  of  such  and  such  a  sin — ^you  must  conquer  such 
and  such  a  propensity — ^you  must  totally  abandon  such  and  such  a 
lust  and  become  a  new  creature,  before  you  can  have  any  trust  or 
confidence  in  coming  to  Christ,  and  before  you  can  possibly  con- 
clude that  you  can  be  a  believer."  This  is  a  fiery  dart  of  Satan, 
aimed  at  the  conscience  to  keep  the  poor  sinner  from  Christ,  to 
w'ound  him  so  deeply, — to  fasten  that  dart  in  his  conscience,  as  a 
barbed  arrow  that  cannot  be  drawn,  to  hinder  him  from  looking 

38 


594  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS 

to  Jesus — to  make  him  think,  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  cannot 
pardon  the  guilt  and  heal  the  wound.  How  now  are  we  to  meet 
such  an  assault  or  quench  such  a  dart  as  this  ?"  take  the 
SHIELD  OF  FAITH."  Acknowledge  your  sins.  When  Satan  mar- 
shals and  parades  your  sins  before  your  conscience,  and  numbers 
the  host  that  are  against  you — when  he  upbraids  you  with  their 
number  and  extent — when  he  endeavors  to  fasten  the  stings  of 
guilt  in  your  conscience — to  make  you  think  yourself  too  bad  to 
come  to  Christ,  that  Christ  cannot  receive  so  vile  a  sinner, — Then 
"take  THE  SHIELD  OF  FAITH," — acknowledge  your  sin — tell 
Satan  you  know  it  all  and  more  too — tell  him  you  are  viler  than 
even  he  can  represent  you  to  be — tell  him  that,  liar  as  he  is,  he 
cannot  exaggerate  your  sin — that  it  is  as  great  or  greater  than  he 
can  make  it.  But  tell  him  ^'This  is  a  faithful  saying  and  tvor- 
thy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  ivorld  to 
save  simiers."  Tim.  i.  15.  Tell  hinj,  God  declares  that  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  >^on  cleanseth  us  from  sinP  1  John 
i.  7.  Tell  him  that  the  Lord,  who  inspired  that  word,  knew 
the  extent — the  nature — number  and  depth  of  all  the  sins 
that  ever  should  defile  the  human  race,  when  He  said  "iJm 
that  cometh  to  tne  I  ivill  iti  no  ivise  cast  outP  John  vi.  37. 
When  He  said,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy 
laden  and  I  will  give  you  rest.^''  Matt.  xi.  28.  When  He  said, 
"  I  have  blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud.,  thy  transgressions,  and,  as 
a  cloud,  thy  sins^  Isaiah  xliv.  22.  When  He  inspired  the  Prophet 
to  sa}^,  "  Thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.^' 
Mic.  vii.  19.  And  if  Satan  could  bring  any  sin  on  this  side  hell, 
too  great  to  be  forgiven — too  great  for  the  blood  of  Christ  to 
cleanse — he  must  falsify  all  the  truth  of  God — he  must  dry  up  the 
Fountain  opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness, — he  must  be  able  to 
prevent  "  the  Lamb  of  God  from  taking  away  the  sin  of  the 
world," — he  must  pluck  the  sheep  of  Christ  out  of  his  hand — he 
must  hurl  God  the  Father  from  His  throne  of  grace,  and  God  the 
Son  from  His  throne  of  glory.  Therefore,  tell  Satan  that  the 
Lord  is  your  Sun,  and  the  Lord  is  your  Shield,  and  that  he  must 
overcome  the  Lord  of  life  before  he  can  conquer  you,  or  pluck  you 
out  of  His  hand.  This  is  to  use  the  shield  of  faith,  and  thus 
"  We  are  moj'e  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved  us." 
Rom.  viii.  37. 

If  the  devil  tries  to  turn  the  heart  to  vain  hopes  and  to  refuges 
of  lies — leads  it  to  look  to  other  means  of  salvation  besides  Christ 
— if  that  single  text,  "TTie  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  So7i  cleans- 
eth us  from  all  sin,"  1st  John  i.  7,  is  brought  home  by  the  Spirit 
to  the  heart,  all  other  refuges  vanish  like  the  shades  of  night  be- 
fore the  rising  sun.  I  remember  a  dear  young  friend  of  mine,  a 
Roman  Catholic,  who  was  often  listening  to  the  Gospel,  to  whom 
I  had  constant  opportunities  of  speaking  on  the  subject,  and  I  set 
before  him  constantly  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  and  he  listened 
and  read  his  Bible.  One  day  a  clergyman,  a  friend  of  mine,  came 
to  see  me,  and  he  was  talking  to  this  young  lad.     Amongst  other 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  595 

things — he  said  to  him,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us 
from  all  sin?^ 

"  What !"  said  the  other,  •'  is  that  in  the  Bible  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  the  clergyman,  "  it  is," 

"  Where  ?"  he  inquired. 

My  friend  found  the  text  and  gave  it  to  him. 

He  read  the  passage,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.^^  "  Then,"  said  he,  "  if  that  be  so, 
everything  else  must  be  vain.  Every  other  hope  and  refuge  must 
be  false !" 

The  Lord  brought  the  light  of  that  text  to  his  heart — and 
therefore  his  heart  fled  to  Jesus,  rested  on  Jesus.  Popery  was 
gone.  He  saw  that  every  other  refuge  was  false.  The  prejudices, 
ignorances,  and  superstitions,  in  which  his  mind  had  till  then  been 
trained,  vanished  from  before  him,  all  other  refuges  were  renounced, 
when  the  Gospel  proclaimed  Jesus  to  him,  and  he  beheld  "  The 
Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  ivorld.^^  He  be- 
lieved that  the  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  and  the  next 
Lord's  day  he  received  the  Communion,  the  commemoration  of 
the  finished  work  of  Christ,  in  the  congregation  of  the  Church  of 
England.  If  your  consciences  are,  like  his,  delivered  from  fear 
through  the  belief  of  the  Gospel — If  you  are  like  him  enabled  to 
come  to  Christ,  and  to  cast  your  souls  on  Him,  without  doubt  or 
fear — If  you  are  resting  simply  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
glorious  work  for  all  your  salvation,  and  for  the  security  of  an 
inheritance  of  glory — If  you  are  able  to  rest  on  that  one  truth, 
"  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin,^^  what  is  the 
consequence?  Your  language  ought  to  be,  ^'Return  then  unto 
fhy  rest,  O  my  soul ;  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  loith 
thee.  For  thou  hast  delivered  my  soul  from  death,  mine  eyes 
from  tears,  and  my  feet  from  falling  P  Psalm  cxvi.  7,  8.  "  What 
shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  toward  me  7  I 
will  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord."" — "  /  ivill  take  the  cup  of  salvation,'"  I  will  receive  the 
blessed,  glorious  testimony  of  his  everlasting  Gospel ;  I  will  look 
to  "  the  Lamb  of  God  icho  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  loorldy 
I  will  rejoice  in  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  I  will  take 
the  Lord  as  my  Sun  and  the  Lord  as  my  Shield. — -This  is  "the 

SHIELD    OF    FAITH    WHEREWITH  I  SHALL    BE    ABLE  TO  Q,UENCU 
ALL    THE    FIERY    DARTS    OF    THE    WICKED." 

Again,  there  is  no  time  that  Satan  aims  such  volleys  of  fiery 
darts  at  a  poor  sinner,  as  when  he  catches  him  backsliding. 
Satan  will  endeavor  to  deceive  him,  to  make  light  of  sin,  that  it  is 
only  a  small  thing — a  small  deviation — a  little  compromise  with 
the  world — a  trifling  concession  on  his  part — it  will  not  do  him 
any  harm.  He  will  say,  "  Don't  be  uneasy — don't  be  afraid."  until 
by  suggestions  such  as  these,  he  gradually  draws  on  the  sinner, 
till  he  finds  he  has  backslidden  and  fallen  away  from  God.  Then 
he  turns  on  him,  and  reproaches  him  bitterly  with  his  fall.  He 
says,  "  Now  you  are  gone — you  have  brought  reproach   on  the 


596  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

Gospel — you  have  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God — you  have 
fallen  from  grace,  and  there  is  no  hope  for  you. 

Well — Is  there  no  armor  against  this  fiery  dart?  Is  there  no 
shield  to  take  hold  of,  or  oppose  to  this  accusation  of  Satan  ?  It 
is  written,  '■^Return,  ye  backsliding  children^  and  I  will  heal 
■your  backsliding s^  Jer.  iii.  22.  We  often  fall  when  none  see  us 
fall  but  God,  ourselves,  and  the  devil ;  we  often  fall,  when  our 
own  conscience  is  the  only  earthly  witness ;  we  feel  our  own  fall, 
and  Satan  aims  volleys  of  fiery  darts — of  fierce  accusations — bitter 
reproaches — blasted  hopes,  and  unbelieving  terrors,  and  all  to 
frighten  us  from  Christ.  But  then,  as  at  all  times,  gird  your  armor 
close.     "Take  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall 

BE  ABLE  TO  QUENCH    ALL  THE    FIERY  DARTS  OP  THE   WICKED." 

Tell  him,  "True,  I  have  fallen,  yes  alas!  I  have  fallen  deeply," 
but  it  is  written,  "  7?e^/f/v<;  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I  loill 
heal  yonr  backsliding s''  Tell  him,  what  a  glorious  image  the 
Lord  uses  there,  to  show  the  riches  of  His  grace  in  healing  back- 
sliders !  "  They  say,  if  a  man  put  away  his  wife,  and  she  go 
from  him,  and  become  another  man's,  shall  he  return  tmto  her 
again  ?  shall  not  that  land  be  greatly  polluted  7  But  thou  hast 
played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers,  yet  return  again  to  me,  saith 
the  Lord P  Jer.  iii.  1.  And  will  He  put  you  away?  Oh!  no, 
after  all  your  ingratitude  !  "  Yet,  return  again  to  me,  saith  the 
Lord.'"  Oh  !  what  love  !  What  mercy  !  Christ  is  the  only  Hus- 
band that  would  say  to  such  a  wife—"  Yet,  return  again  to  me, 
saith  the  LordP 

Tell  Satan  this,  and  shout  unto  him  in  the  language  of  the 
Prophet,  "  Rejoice  not  against  me,  O  mine  enemy  :  when  I  fall, 
I  shall  arise  ;  when  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light 
unto  me.  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have 
sinned  against  him,  until  he  plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judg- 
ment for  me :  he  loill  bring  me  forth  to  the  light,  and  /  shall 
behold  his  righteousness.''  Micah  vii.  8,  9.  Shout  this,  1  say,  in 
the  very  face  of  Satan. 

Understand  then,  what  is  it  to  take  the  shield  of  faith  !  It  is 
to  take  God's  Word — to  take  God's  promises — to  take  God's  truth, 
and  to  answer  the  objections  of  sin,  Satan,  the  world,  death  and 
hell,  with  the  salvation  of  Jesus.  This  is  to  "take  the  shield 
OF  faith."  Thus  shall  you  "quench  all  the  fiery  darts 
OP  the  wicked  ;"  and  whether  they  are  aimed  at  the  head,  to 
wound  it  with  difficulties,  doubts,  and  evil  counsels — or  at  the 
heart,  to  fill  it  with  distractions,  terrors,  lusts,  evil  passions  and 
iinaginations — at  the  conscience,  to  frighten  it  with  sin — with  all 
the  evils  of  the  head — the  heart — the  life.  No  matter  at  what 
vital  part,  or  at  what  member  of  the  body  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan 
may  be  aimed,  guarded  with  all  the  armor  of  God  in  every  part, 
"above  all  take  the  shield  of  faith,"  wherewith  you  shall 
be  able  to  intercept  and  quench  them  all.  That  is,  in  plain,  un- 
figurative  language,  bring  Christ,  by  faith,  against  Satan  ;  bring 
Christ,  His  Word — His  work — His  righteousness — His  blood — His 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  597 

promises— His  love — His  power — His  faithfulness  and  truth, 
against  all  the  power  and  malice  of  the  devil,  and  you  shall  be 
"  More  than  conqueror,  through  him  that  loved  youP  This  is 
that  which  tiie  Apostle  says,  "  Whatsoever  is  horn  of  God  over- 
cometh  the  world,  and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the 
world.'"  What  ?  Not  our  resolutions — nor  our  strength — nor  our 
moral  principles — nor  our  religious  education — nor  our  privileges 
— nor  our  Church — nor  ordinances — nor  prayers — nor  anything 
we  have  or  are,  but  it  is  this — "  Even  our  faith.  Who  is  he  that 
overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that  helieveth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son 
of  God.''^  1  John  v.  4,  5.  He  that  believeth  in  Jesus — in  all  His 
revealed  character — His  Word — His  work — ^His  offices  ;  He  it  is, 
and  He  alone,  that  overcomes,  and  can  overcome  the  world,  the 
flesh,  or  the  devil.     Therefore,  "above  all  taking  the  shield 

OF  FAITH,  WHEREWITH  YE  SHALL  BE  ABLE  TO  QUENCH  ALL 
THE    FIERY    DARTS    OF    THE    WICKED." 

Blessed,  then,  be  our  God  !  He  sends  us  this  armor  to  buckle 
on  us  ;  and  Oh!  what  need  we  have  of  it !  Every  moment  our 
enemy  is  on  the  alert — always  active — ^always  watchful — always 
full  of  malice ;  we  have  need  continually,  then,  of  an  Almighty 
power,  and  an  Almighty  protector.  "  We  wrestle  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities  and  powers^'  So 
David  saith,  "  There  be  many  that  fight  against  me,  O  thou  Most 
High.''''  Ps.  Ivi.  2.  And  you  see,  it  is  under  the  image  of  armor 
that  Christ  is  given  to  us,  as  our  all  in  all — ^our  Alpha  and  Omega. 
For  you  observe,  in  all  parts  of  the  armor,  every  one  of  them  is 
but  an  image  of  Christ ;  so  that  we  may  say  with  the  Psalmist, 
"  Our  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord,  he  is  our  help  and  our  shield,^^ 
Ps.  xxxiii.  20 ;  again,  "  Behold,  O  God,  our  shield,''^  and  again, 
"^Ae  Lord  is  a  sun  and  shield,^''  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  9, 11.  "  The  Lord 
is  my  light  and  my  salvation,  whom  shall  I  fear  1  the  Lord  is 
the  strength  of  my  life,  of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid  J  When  the 
wicked,  even  mine  enemies  and  my  foes  ca?ne  upon  me  to  eat  tip 
my  flesh,  they  stumbled  and  fell.  Though  an  host  should  en- 
camp  against  me,  my  heart  shall  not  fear ;  though  war  should 
rise  against  me,  in  this  will  I  be  confident."'  Ps.  xxvii.  1 — 4.  All 
these  passages  in  these  Psalms — all  that  can  give  trust  and  con- 
fidence in  our  God,  may  serve  to  illustrate  being  clothed  with  the 
armor  of  God,  for  in  Him  is  all  our  strength,  and  all  our  salvation. 
'•^ He  is  a  shield  to  them  that  put  their  trust  in  him,.''''  Prov.  xxx.  5. 
Therefore,  we  may  "  Be  stroyig  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
his  might^''  so  shall  we  be  "  more  than  conquerors,  through  him, 
that  loved  us." 

"  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above 
all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  in 
us.  Unto  him,  be  glory  in  the  Church,  by  Christ  Jesus,  through- 
out all  ages,  world  without  end,  Am,enP  Chap.  ill.  20,  21. 


FIFTIETH    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI.— 17,  18. 


"And  take  the  hemlet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of 
God  :  praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching 
thereunto  with  all  perseverance  and  supplication  for  all  saints." 

'Having  shown,  I  trust  in  some  faint  degree,  the  figurative 
meaning  and  spiritual  use  oi '■'■  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  we 
shall  he  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  ivicked,^'  we  come 
to  consider  in  the  17th  verse,  the  other  parts  of  the  Christian 
armor,  added  by  the  Apostle — "And  take  the  helmet  of  sal- 
vation, AND  THE  SWORD  OF  THE  SpiRIT,  WHICH   IS  THE  WORD 

OF  GoD."  With  these,  to  complete  his  armor,  the  Christian  is 
equipped  for  his  warfare.  He  is  armed  here  from  head  to  foot. 
His  "  loins  are  girt  about  loith  truthP  He  has  on  "  the  breast- 
plate of  righteousness.''^  He  has  his  '■'■feet  shod  with  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  Gospel  of  peace."  He  has  ^'■the  shield  of  faitK''  upon 
his  left  arm,  to  guard  every  part  of  his  body  which  the  enemy  can 
assault.  And  now  his  head  covered  with  "the  helmet  of  sal- 
vation, AND  THE  SWORD  OF  THE  SpIRIT,  WHICH  IS  THE  WORD 

OF  God,"  in  his  right  hand,  with  which,  in  turn,  he  is  to  strike 
and  vanquish  his  foe. 

What  does  he  mean  by  the  "helmet  of  salvation?"  The 
expression  occurs  again  twice  in  the  Sacred  Volume ;  once  as 
applied  to  the  Mighty  Conqueror  Himself,  the  Lord  Jesus,  Isaiah 
lix.  17  ;  and  again,  as  apphed  to  His  followers,  1  Thess.  v.  8,  "  Let 
us  who  are  of  the  day  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate  of 
faith  and  love,  and  for  an  helmet,  the  hope  of  salvation.''^ 

It  is  here  called  "  the  hope  of  salvation.''^  We  considered  on  the 
last  day,  these  two  great  principles  of  the  Christian,  faith  and 
love ;  and  here  we  have  another  joined  with  them,  Hope. 

"  Hope  springs  eternal  in  the  human  breast, 
Man  never  is,  but  always  to  be  blest," 

said  a  Poet,  who  did  not  know,  poor  fellow  !  in  what  the  hope  that 
really  could  alone  support  the  soul  of  man  consists.  The  princi- 
ple is  true.  It  is  the  necessary  condition  of  a  rational,  immortal 
being,  in  a  finite  stage  of  his  existence,  that  he  should  live  on 
hope. 

Man  is  formed  to  live  on  hope,  and  he  does  live  on  hope,  every 
human    being   lives    on    hope ;    and   that   last   stage   of  mental 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  599 

anguish,  which  our  language  supplies  us  with  a  word  to  describe, 
is  that  of  despair,  which  is  derived  from  the  very  words  which  sig- 
nify, being  cast  down  from  hope.  It  is  from  the  Latin  words,  de 
and  spero,  as  it  were,  de  spe  dejectus,  that  is,  cast  down  from 
hope,  in  despair,  having  no  more  hope. 

From  the  moment  that  the  mind  of  a  child  can  form  to  itself 
the  anticipation  of  any  enjoyment,  which  it  can  attain  on  this 
earth,  from  that  moment  hope  springs  up  in  his  breast.  When 
the  child  sees  a  thing  and  likes  it,  he  hopes  to  possess  it ;  he 
stretches  out  his  little  hand— he  hopes  and  tries  to  gain  it.  And 
so  It  is,  when  he  grows  up  through  every  stage  of  childhood, 
boyhood,  youth,  manhood,  even  to  the  last  extremity  of  age. 
Hope  is  the  moving  principle  of  the  human  heart.  But,  alas ! 
it  appears  that  man  in  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  is  fallen— 
and  fallen  from  his  God.  He  has  lost  the  only  true  and  solid 
source  of  happiness,  and  therefore,  he  has  lost  the  true  and  solid 
object  of  hope.  We  have  found,  every  one  of  us,  that  our  hopes, 
as  far  as  they  have  been  confined  to  this  world,  have  universally 
ended  in  disappointment.  We  have  hoped,  and  we  have  often 
been  disappointed  in  attaining  our  hopes,  but,  perhaps,  man  is 
never  more  disappointed  in  losing  the  object  of  his  hope,  than  he 
is  in  gaining  it ;  for  if  he  is  disappointed  in  losing  the  thing  he 
hopes  for,  he  is  much  more  disappointed  in  finding,  that  when  he 
has  attained  it,  it  was,  at  best,  but  a  delusion ;  and  there  is  no 
man  more  unhappy  than  the  man  who  knows  not  God — ^whose 
hopes  of  happiness  are  fixed  on  earth,  and  who  has  it  in  his  powev 
to  indulge  himself  in  his  vain  pursuit  of  that  happiness,  by  gain- 
ing the  successive  objects  of  his  restless  desires. 

The  man  who  can  most  easily  gain  the  object  he  is  continually 
seeking  for  on  this  earth,  as  far  as  money  and  power  can  attain 
it,  is,  generally  speaking,  the  most  unhappy  man  ;  just  exactly  as 
the  child  whose  parents  most  indulge,  and  most  desire  to  gratify 
all  its  whims,  and  to  procure  for  it  whatever  it  wishes,  is  always 
the  most  unhappy  child  in  the  world.  And  so  a  man — an  indulged 
man,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  a  man  that  can  indulge  himself 
in  the  things  he  desires,  is,  generally,  the  most  unhappy  sinner. 

Therefore,  the  hope  of  the  natural  heart,  resting,  as  it  does,  on 
earthly  objects,  while  it  is  the  spring  of  human  endeavor,  is,  at 
the  same  time,  the  continual  source  of  disappointment ;  and  never, 
until  man  is  restored  to  the  right  object  of  his  hope — never  until 
his  hope  is  fixed  on  that  which  does  not  disappoint,  but  satisfies 
the  soul — never  till  then,  is  he  enabled  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of 
solid  hope. 

When  man,  then,  is  brought  through  the  riches  of  the  grace  of 
Christ,  to  beheve  the  everlasting  Gospel — when  the  glorious  hope 
of  salvation  is  given  to  his  heart — when  he  knows  how  that  hope 
is  secured  to  hiui  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  Covenant 
- — then,  indeed,  it  is  a  hope  in  which  he  is  enabled  to  rejoice — a 
hope  in  which  he  never  can  be  disappointed — a  hope  in  which  the 
joy  of  fruition  outstrips  the  eagerness  of  expectation.     If  we  have- 


600  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

that  hope,  we  may  place  it  as  an  impenetrable  helmet  on  our 
head,  and  stand  without  a  fear  in  the  thickest  of  the  hottest 
conflict. 

The  devil  is  continually  holding  out  false  hopes  to  men.  It  is 
one  of  his  innumerable  wiles  that  he  holds  out  false  deceptive 
hopes — and  fills  the  head  with  vain  delusive  dreams  and  schemes 
of  happiness.  Do  you  not  know  something  of  this?  Do  you  not 
know  what  it  is  to  build  castles  in  the  air  ?  Have  you  never  built 
them  J  I  am  sure  I  have,  very  often.  The  devil  seeks  to  employ 
us  in  building  these  as  much  as  he  can.  To  delude — to  deceive, 
and  to  divert  from  sober  truth,  is  Satan's  constant  aim.  He  de- 
ceived our  first  parents  by  holding  out  delusive  hopes  of  imaginary 
good,  and  preventing  them  from  the  belief  of  the  real  evil  that 
was  before  them.  As  he  led  them  to  hope,  that  God  would  not 
fulfil  His  word.  God  is  not  so  severe  as  He  says.  God  will  not 
execute  such  a  severe  threat  on  you  "TAom  shalt  not  surely  die.^' 
So  he  deceived  them,  by  leading  them  to  hope  foolishly  for  happi- 
ness, thus  he  added,  ^^For  God  doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat 
thereof,  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knoioing  good  and  eviiy  Gen. 
iii,  4,  5. 

Now,  the  excitement  of  false  delusive  hope,  with  which  the  devil 
deceived  our  first  parents,  in  this  instance,  is  just  an  example  of 
the  very  same  efforts  that  he  is  always  making,  to  produce  similar 
delusions  in  the  mind  of  all  their  posterity ;  and  the  very  same 
disappointment  of  tlieir  hopes  which  they  experienced,  is  an  em- 
blem of  the  universal  disappointment  ever  attending  the  hopes  of 
earthly  happiness,  with  which  he  is  continually  deluding  the 
imaginations  of  men.  They  did  know  good  and  evil ;  the  devil 
told  them  tlie  truth,  and  he  often  tells  truth  in  that  Avay,  but  he 
tells  truth  for  a  lying  object ;  the  end  of  the  devil's  truth  is  a  lie, 
they  did  know  good  and  evil,  but  they  knew  good  and  evil  only  to 
be  involved  in  one,  and  excluded  from  the  other — to  be  involved  in 
sin,  and  to  be  shut  out  from  Paradise.  They  knew  good,  the  tree  of 
life  was  shut  out  from  them,  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  the 
blessing  of  His  favor  was  turned  from  them,  they  knevt^  evil, 
they  were  driven  out  from  Eden  to  condemnation,  toil  and  death, 
sentence  of  death  was  passed  upon  their  body  and  their  soul. 

So  it  is  with  us  when  all  our  hopes  of  happiness  are  fixed  on 
earth,  disappointment,  misery,  eternal  death  succeed.  Now,  I  say, 
the  devil  fills  the  head  of  men  with  vain  delusive  hopes, — with 
vain  abortive  projects,  of  happiness  and  peace  on  earth.  And  so 
when  the  Lord  would  make  His  people  conquerors,  in  their  conflict 
with  their  spiritual  foe,  He  gives  them  one  great  and  glorious  hope 
with  which  as  it  were  to  crown  their  heads,  he  commands  them 
to  "take  THE  HELMET  OF  SALVATION."  Let  all  your  schcmes, 
plans,  objects,  tend  to  that  one  glorious  end,  that  blessed  hope,  in 
which  you  shall  not  be  disappointed.  There  is  a  hope  secure  and 
solid,  sealed  by  the  blood,  and  ratified  by  the  covenant,  and  by  the 
oath  of  God. 
.  Oh !  consider,  what  the  blessed  object  of  that  hope  is — eternal 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  601 

happiness — eternal  joy — eternal  glory — an  eternal  inheritance  in 
the  presence  of  our  Covenant  God  at  his  coining — an  ^•Iiiheritance 
incorruptible,  iindejiled,  and  that  fadetli  not  awayP  1st  Peter, 
i.  4.  "  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more  ; 
neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat ;  for  the  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shcdl 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters:  and  God  shall  ivipe 
away  all  tears  from,  their  eyesP  Rev.  vii.  16,  17.  Oh  blessed 
hope  ! — This  is  that  hope  that  is  spoken  of  by  the  Apostle,  when 
he  saith,  ^'- Looking  for  that  blessed  hoj)e,  and  the  glorious  appear- 
ing of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  ChristP  Tit.  ii.  13. 
Then  consider,  how  that  hope  is  ratified.  We  have  it  set  before 
us  in  Heb.  vi.  The  Apostle,  in  that  chapter  is  reminding  believers 
of  the  covenant  promises  that  God  made  to  Abraham.  At  the 
11th  verse  he  says,  "  We  desire  that  every  one  of  you  do  show 
the  same  diligence,  to  the  full  assni'ance  of  hope  unto  the  end." 
Mark  those  words:  "  The  full  assurance  of  hope."  It  ought  not 
to  be  a  vague  hope — ^not  a  vain  hope — but  a  confident — assured — ■ 
solid  hope.  '•  The  full  assurance  of  hope,"  that  is  a  solid  assurance 
that  your  hope  shall  not  be  disappointed. 

It  is  quite  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  hope,  that  we  have  a 
confident  expectation  that  it  shall  not  be  frustrated.  Therefore, 
persons,  before  they  allow  themselves  to  entertain  the  hope  of  any- 
thing, ought  to  know  on  what  grounds  they  cherish  it.  I  must  be 
a' fool  to  hope,  if  I  have  not  solid  ground  on  which  that  hope  is 
founded.  And  if  we  have  solid  ground  for  hope,  in  proportion  as 
we  have,  so  we  should  indulge,  enjoy  and  cherish  it — so  he  saith, 
"  We  desire  that  every  one  of  you  do  show  the  same  diligence,  to  the 
full  assurance  of  hope  nnto  the  end."  You  see  the  glorious  hope 
of  the  Gospel  is  one  of  which  we  may  have  full  assurance ;  and 
then,  as  much  as  if  the  believer  should  say,  what  ground  have  I 
for  this!  What  ground  is  there  for  this  full  assurance?  The 
Apostle  explains  and  enforces  his  meaning: — '■'•That  ye  be  not 
slothful,  but  followers  of  them,  who  through  faith  and  patience 
inherit  the  promises."  Heb.  vi.  12.  Hope  is  founded  on  faith ; 
the  hope  that  the  believer  has  of  eternal  life,  is  founded  on  his 
belief  of  the  promises  of  God,  by  which  that  hope  is  secured  ;  so 
he  says,  ^^That  ye  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of  them,  who 
through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises"  That  which 
is  promised  is  the  thing  we  hope  for.  The  ground  on  which  we 
hope  for  the  thing  promised,  is  the  confidence  we  have  in  the  per- 
son who  promises  it.  So  the  promises  of  God  are  the  security  for 
our  hope,  and  our  belief  of  the  promises — our  confidence  in  the 
faithfulness  and  truth  of  God,  is  that,  on  which  our  hope  is  built. 
When  we  know,  that  when  God  has  promised.  He  cannot  lie ; 
therefore  we  trust  in  His  promises,  and  hope  for  that  which  He 
promised  us.  Hence  faith  produces  diligence — leads  us  to  hope, 
and  to  act  on  our  hope,  and  here  is  the  solid  ground  for  them  both. 

'•'•For  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  because  he  could 
swear  by  no  greater,  he  sware  by  himself  saying,  Surely,  blessing 


002  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

/  will  bless  thee,  and  iniiltiplymg  I  will  nuiltiply  thee.  And  so, 
after  he  had  patiently  endured,  he  obtained  the  pro?nise.^^  Heb. 
vi.  13 — 15.  God  had  promised  him  that  seed,  in  whom  "  all  the 
7iations  of  the  earth  shoidd  be  blessed  f^  and  after  he  had  patiently 
endured  throughout  the  time  that  elapsed  between  the  giving 
and  the  fulfilling  of  the  promise,  during  the  progressive  age  of 
himself  and  his  wife  Sarai,  see  what  cause  of  faith  and  patience 
Abraham  had;  and  so  he  says,  '■'■After  he  had  patiently  endured, 
he  obtained  the  promise.^^ — Now  observe !  ^^For  mefi  verily  swear 
by  the  greater :  and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to  them  an  end 
of  all  strife.  Wherein  God  willing  more  abundantly  to  show 
unto  the  heirs  of  protnise  the  im?nutability  of  his  counsel,  con- 
firmed it  by  an  oath^  Heb.  vi.  16,  17.  He  sware  by  Himself, 
He  gave  His  covenant  promise,  and  He  sware  by  Himself,  that 
that  promise  should  be  kept,  saying,  '■'■Surely ^^  that  is,  "  as  surely 
as  I  exist" — "  that  by  two  immutable  things  in  ivhich  it  was  impos- 
sible for  God  to  lie,"  namely,  God's  covenant  promise,  and  the  oath 
by  which  that  promise  was  confirmed, — "  We  might  have  a  strong 
consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope 
set  before  ns :  which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both 
sure  and  stedfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  veil." 
Heb.  vi.  18,  19.  Our  hope  is  within  the  veil — it  is  in  the  presence 
of  our  God — we  are  ^'■Kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith 
unto  salvation.''''  1st  Peter  i.  5.  We  depend  on  the  covenant 
promise  of  God ;  and  therefore,  in  depending  on  that,  we  have  the 
full  assurance  of  that  hope  which  is  ratified  by  God's  covenant 
promise  and  God's  oath  ;  and  it  is  here  called  the  anchor  of  the 
soul — "  which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure 
and  stedfast,  and  tchich  enteretii  into  that  within  the  veil."  The 
anchor  is  cast  into  the  deep — ^it  is  out  of  sight — we  cast  it  forth, 
and  where  the  anchor  gets  its  firm  hold,  and  where  the  cable  that 
moors  the  vessel  to  the  anchor  is  sure,  the  vessel  will  outride  any 
storm.  The  winds  may  blow,  the  sea  may  rage — but  while  the 
anchor  holds  its  grip,  and  the  cable  the  anchor,  there  the  vessel 
rides  in  security.  So  when  the  believer  has  his  hope  cast  within 
the  veil,  there  it  is  out  of  sight — there  it  is  fixed — fixed,  fast  as  the 
covenant  promise,  oath  and  power  of  a  faithful  and  omnipotent 
God  can  hold  it,  so  we  may  say,  -^If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
against  us  ?" — "  Who  shall  separate  us  from,  the  love  of  Christ." 
Rom.  viii.  34,  35.  The  winds  may  rage,  the  storm  may  howl,  the 
billows  may  foam,  but  it  is  the  believer's  privilege  to  outride  every 
storm,  because  God  is  his  salvation,  so  he  trusts  and  need  not  be 
afraid.  Hope  is  "  the  anchor  of  his  soul,  both  sure  and  stedfast, 
which  entereth  into  that  within  the  veil." 

It  is  this  glorious  hope  of  salvation,  which  is  here  called  "  the 
HELMET  OF  SALVATION."  It  is  placcd  as  it  were,  on  the  head,  for 
this  reason,  I  suppose,  because  the  hopes  of  men  are  always  de- 
rived from  the  vain  projects,  and  imaginations  of  their  brain,  and 
their  own  schemes  of  earthly  good.  All  these  are  now  to  be  cast 
aside,  and  there  is  to  be  but  one  scheme — one  project — one  hope 


LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS.  603 

of  sure  and  solid  happiness  that  is  to  fill  the  head — and  it  is  this,  the 
glorious  hope  that  is  secured  by  the  covenant  promise  and  oath  of 
God  in  that  which  is  to  come.  Therefore,  the  Apostle  has  a 
beautiful  prayer  to  this  effect,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans  where 
God  is  called  "  the  God  of  hope."  "  Now  the  God  of  hope  Jill  you 
loith  all  joy  and  peace,  in  believing,  that  you  may  abound  in  hope 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'''  Rom.  xv.  13. 

He  is  called  the  God  of  hope,  because  He  is  the  God  whose 
promises  alone  can  give  all  true,  all  solid  hope,  and  in  whose  faith- 
fulness alone  our  hope  can  be  confidently  fixed,  and  whose  power 
secures  the  performance  of  His  promises  for  his  people.  He  is  the 
God  who  gives  it,  and  the  God  who  secures  it ;  whose  grace  cher- 
ishes and  keeps  alive  that  hope  in  the  heart, — who  shall  never 
disappoint,  but  shall  fulfil  it  to  the  day  of  everlasting  glory.  So  it 
is  the  Holy  Ghost  who  inspired  the  prayer  which  He  will  Himself 
fulfil.  "  The  God  of  hope  fill  you  ivith  all  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving, that  ye  may  abound  in  hope  through  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  f  ^^fll  you  with  all  joy  and  -peace  in  believing  f^ 
therefore,  not  only  with  hope,  but  with  a  sure,  solid,  abiding,  yea, 
and  an  abounding  hope,  ratified  by  the  covenant  promise  and  oath 
of  God.  Therefore,  you  see,  as  long  as  a  person  is  ignorant  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus,  he  can  have  no  hope ;  he  can  have  no  peace  nor 
joy  in  believing  ;  and  so,  when  the  Lord  describes  in  his  Word,  the 
miserable  state  of  the  ungodl}^,  as  we  have  it  in  this  very  Epistle, 
ii.  11,  12.  He  saith,  "  Remember,  that  ye  being  hi  time  j)ast 
Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who  are  called  uncircumcision  by  that  which 
is  called  the  circumcision  in  the  flesh  made  by  hands  ;  that  at  that 
time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenant  of  promise, 
having  no  hope,  and  loithout  God  iii  the  worlds  Chap.  ii.  11,  12. 

Observe  their  state,  "  at  that  time."  they  had  "  no  hope,^'  and 
were  "  ivithout  God  in  the  worldJ^  Then,  what  gave  them 
hope?  "  But  now  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  sometimes  were  afar 
off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.''''  Chap.  ii.  13. 

When  you  have  Christ  to  depend  on,  you  have  the  glorious 
hope  that  these  promises  ratify  and  confirm.  You  are  warranted 
to  enjoy  the  full  assurance  of  hope — -you  can  put  on  "  the  hel- 
met of  salvation,"  then  you  can  say  with  the  Prophet — "6e- 
hold,  God  is  my  salvation  ;  I  will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid ;  for 
the  Lord  Jehovah  is  m,y  strength  and  my  song  ;  He  also  is 
become  my  salvation.''''  Isaiah  xii.  2.  You  can  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  "  O  God  the  Lord,  the  strength  of  my  salvation,  thou 
hast  covered  my  head  in  the  day  of  battle.''''  Psalm  cxl.  7. 

Now  then,  dear  friends,  let  me  ask  you  this  question — Have  you 
this  helmet  on  your  head?  Is  the  one  grand  project  of  happiness 
that  fills  your  thoughts,  that  your  soul  should  enjoy  the  eternal 
blessings  that  are  promised  to  you  in  the  glorious  Gospel?  Is 
Christ  your  hope?  Is  Christ  all  your  salvation?  Are  you  look- 
ing for  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  '■^  who  shall 
change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  His 


604  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

glorious  bodi/,^''  when  that  earthly  tabernacle,  that  so  soon  shall 
be  in  the  dust,  shall  arise  again  from  its  grave,  a  glorious  body, 
reunited  to  your  spirit,  and  so  you  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord? 
Is  that  the  hope  of  happiness  which  you  lay  out  for  yourself?  Or 
aire  you  putting  away  all  these  things  from  your  consideration, 
and  is  your  happiness  resting  on  something  for  which  you  are 
looking  in  this  world  ?  Oh  !  my  dear  friends,  if  your  happiness  is 
resting  on  this  world,  how  vain  is  your  hope  !  How  miserable  are 
your  prospects  !  How  wretched  is  your  condition  !  How  naked 
and  unarmed  you  are  !  How  defenceless  is  your  head  in  the  midst 
of  your  foes,  a  prey  to  them  all — world,  flesh,  and  devil ! 

Oh  !  what  a  blessed  privilege  it  is,  to  have  a  religious  hope. 
When  the  head  is  covered  with  "the  helmet  of  salvation," 
we  are  more  than  conquerors  over  sin  and  death  and  hell! 

See  how  soon  a  person  may  be  cut  off!  Youth,  health  and 
strength  are  no  securities  from  death.  My  dear  friend  and  brother 
— my  young  brother  in  the  ministry,  for  whose  afflicted  family  we 
have  been  praying: — Mr.  S.  was  cut  off"  in  a  moment ;  fever  came 
and  swept  him  away,  just  when  commencing  the  exercise  of  his 
ministry  ;  just  at  the  moment  of  entering  on  a  post  of  usefulness, 
where  he  was  calculated  in  every  respect,  to  be  a  blessing  to  those 
around  him  !  In  a  moment  he  was  cut  off!  But  he  had  "the 
HELMET  OP  salvation"  Oil  his  head — Christ  the  hope  of  glory. 
He  was  taken  from  the  evil  to  come  ;  he  was  ready  to  go.  Though 
his  mind  was  wandering  much  under  the  influence  of  fever,  yet  it 
did  not  seem  in  the  least  to  wander  from  his  Lord.  This  some- 
times happens  to  believers.  But  it  was  not  so  with  him — "  I  am 
happy,"  his  last  words  were,  '•  I  am  thine  and  thou  art  mine." 
What  a  blessed  joyful  hope  ! — A  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed  ! 

Alas  !  my  friends,  if  we  are  destitute  of  this  hope  when  we  are 
well  and  strong,  to  what  are  we  to  look  when  death  shall  come 
upon  us?  A  time  of  fever,  or  of  acute  disease,  is  a  bad  time  to  be- 
gin to  learn  the  hope  of  our  salvation.  Of  what  use  can  a  minister 
of  Christ  be  to  a  sinner  who  cannot  understand  him?  Of  what 
use  is  the  Bible  when  he  can  neither  read,  hear,  or  listen  to  it? 
Of  what  use  is  prayer,  when  he  can  neither  attend  or  join  in  it  V 
Now  is  the  time  to  ask,  have  you  that  blessed  hope  ? — that  blessed 
hope  that  is  spoken  of  here — that  glorious  "  helmet  of  salva- 
tion,"— Christ  the  hope  of  glory?  Oh!  dear  friends,  "  ^o-c/^y, 
while  it  is  called  to-day^''  "take  the  helmet  of  salvation" 
— put  it  upon  your  head.  "The  helmet  of  salvation!" 
Think  of  that — no  weapon  can  pierce  through  it. — "  The  hel- 
met OF  salvation"  is  impenetrable — it  is  cast  in  the  armory  of 
God — it  is  complete — perfect — it  can  neither  be  perforated,  cleft,  nor 
broken.  Salvation  is  a  finished  work — a  perfect  work — nothing 
can  be  added  to  it — nothing  can  be  taken  from  it — Salvation  is 
complete  as  the  Lord  of  Glory  can  make  it.  "  IT  IS  FINISHED," 
was  his  own  glorious  testimony.  "  The  helmet  of  salvation  !" 
— Oh,  that  you  and  I  may  have  it  on  our  heads  !  We  need  not 
fear  any  battle  or  any  conflict,  if  we  go  with  our  heads  armed  with 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  605 

the  "helmet  of  salvation,"  then  may  we  boldly  say,  "  The 
Lord  is  my  lights  and  my  salvation ;  whom,  shall  If  earl  the 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life ;  of  whom  shall  I  he  afraid  7 
Psahn  xxvii.  1. 

This  is  the  last  part  of  our  defensive  armor ;  but  the  warrior  is 
not  to  act,  merely,  on  the  defensive :  he  is  to  attack  and  conquer 
his  foe — -He  requires,  therefore,  weapons  as  well  as  armor — but  he 
is  fully  provided  in  the  armory  of  God.  So  the  Apostle  adds, 
"and  the  sword  of  the  spirit,  which  is  the  word  of 
God  ;"  that  is  the  weapon  of  our  warfare.  We  must  be  engaged 
in  constant  warfare,  and  "the  sword  of  the  spirit"  is  the 
weapon  with  which  we  are  to  carry  on  all  our  battles. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  that?  What  is  meant  by  having 
"the  sword  of  the  spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God?" 
The  sword  is  an  instrument,  both  of  attack  and  defence ;  it  is  an 
instrument  with  which  the  combatant  not  only  attacks  his  foe,  but 
parries  the  thrusts  that  are  aimed  at  him  by  his  opponent.  So 
the  Word  of  the  living  God  is  not  only  that  weapon  by  which  we 
are  to  attack  our  enemies ;  but  that  with  which  we  are  to  parry 
the  thrusts  they  make  at  us.  Some  blows  and  darts  are  to  be 
intercepted  by  the  shield — some  are  to  be  warded  off,  and  parried 
by  the  sword.  He  knows  but  half  the  use  of  his  blade,  who  cannot 
guard  as  well  as  thrust  with  it.  Some  false  principles  are  suggested 
to  us :  How  are  they  to  be  met  ?  By  the  word  of  God.  Many 
temptations  are  presented  to  us.  How  are  they  resisted?  By  the 
word  of  God.  We  see  The  Mighty  Warrior  using  this  weapon  in 
a  deadly  conflict — a  conflict  on  which  the  salvation  of  a  world  de- 
pended ;  even  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  we  see  him  using 
"the  sword  of  the  spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God." 
When  Satan  came  upon  our  blessed  Lord,  and  found  him  suffer- 
ing under  all  the  weakness  of  human  necessity,  of  want,  and 
hunger  : — He  attacks  our  Divine  Master,  and  takes  advantage  of 
his  sufferings  as  man  to  tempt  his  majesty  as  God  ;  "  If  thou  be  the 
Son  of  God,  comfnand  that  these  stones  be  made  breads  Now,  he 
came  into  the  world  to  manifest  that  He  was  the  Son  of  God  ;  He 
came  into  the  world  to  manifest  his  mighty  power  as  the  Son  of 
God,  to  save,  to  show  that  he  was  the  promised  Christ — the 
anointed  Messiah,  who  was  to  "  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  ivas  lost.''''  The  devil  puts  Him  here  upon  the  proof  of  His 
person  and  office  as  it  were — he  puts  it  upon  Him,  either  to  mani- 
fest His  power,  or  to  confess  his  inability  to  do  so — "  If  thou  be 
the  Son  of  God,  command  that  these  stones  be  made  bread.'"  Mat. 
iv.  3  ;  as  much  as  to  say — "  If  you  cannot  command  that  these 
stones  be  made  bread,  you  must  acknowledge  you  are  not  the  Son 
of  God.  If  you  comply,  then  I  compel  you  to  act  at  my  order — if 
you  refuse,  I  force  you  to  forego  your  power  as  the  Son  of  God." 
He  places  our  Lord,  as  he  supposed,  in  a  dilemma,  and  thought, 
that  let  Him  do  what  He  would,  he  must  have  the  advantage  over 
Him.  Look  at  the  cunning,  the  malice,  the  audacity  of  the  prince 
of  darkness,  daring  the  Omnipotent  to  show  forth  His  power — 


606 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 


daring  the  majesty  of  the  Son  of  God  to  show  forth  the  truth  of 
His  claim  to  the  title— so  that  it  would  seem  as  if  His  honor  and 
glory  demanded,  that  He  should  comply  with  the  suggestion  of 
the  devil. 

But  how  does  the  Lord  meet  him  ?  He  answered  and  said, 
"  It  is  written,  man  shall  not  live  hy  bread  alone,  hut  hy  every 
iDord  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  tnouth  of  GodP  Mat.  iv.  4.  The 
devil  tempted  Him,  you  see,  as  God, — "  If  thou  be  the  Son  of 
God  ;"  he  dared  His  omnipotence.  Jesus  teaches  the  devil  a  les- 
son. He  shows  him,  that  he  was  also  man.  His  answer  was  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  You  dare  me  as  God,  but  I  am  here  as  man,  I 
am  God,  but  I  am  also  man ;  I  am  God  manifested  in  the  flesh — 
I  am  Jehovah  revealed  in  humanity,  I  have  taken  upon  myself 
the  responsibility  of  man — I  have  taken  upon  me  to  fulfil  the  laws 
of  God  for  man — God's  word  is  therefore  my  standard — God's  word 
is  my  weapon.  The  time  shall  come  soon  enough  when  you  shall 
know  and  feel  that  I  am  the  Son  of  God,  but  I  am  now  to  make  you 
know  and  feel  that  I  am  a  righteous  man,  and  '  inan  shall  not  live 
hy  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  'proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God.^ "  How  glorious  it  is  to  see  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
putting  forth  the  full  actings  of  His  nature  as  man — to  see  His 
holiness  as  man — His  sinless  righteousness — His  obedience  as  man 
— His  devotedness  to  God,  His  heavenly  Father,  as  man — showing, 
that  it  was  His  meat  and  His  drink,  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that 
sent  Him,  and  to  finish  His  work.  Here  you  see  the  mighty  Con- 
queror, the  "Captain  of  our  salvation"  with  "  the  sword  of  the 
SPIRIT,"  parrying  the  attack  of  the  devil.  Satan  is  foiled — his 
taunt  against  Jehovah  manifest  in  the  flesh,  falls  powerless,  and 
is  retorted  on  his  head,  by  the  man,  Christ  Jesus.  He  had  not 
another  word  to  say — he  was  silenced.  It  is  a  great  blessing  to 
see  the  power  of  "  the  sword  of  the  spirit  !"  To  see  it 
wielded  thus  by  our  Divine  Master,  falling  with  one  blow  on  the 
head  of  Satan,  that  needs  no  second  stroke  to  crush  him  !  There 
is  no  argument  that  man  can  use,  let  it  be  ever  so  beautifully 
composed — ever  so  logically  arranged,  and  so  exquisitely  expressed 
that  can  silence  an  adversary,  no  matter  who  he  is,  half  so  power- 
fully as  one  text  of  Scripture. 

I  recollect  an  eminent  minister  telling  me,  he  had  been  thrown 
into  company  with  an  infidel.  He  was  bringing  forth  the  objec- 
tions of  infidelity  against  Christianity.  Instead  of  entering  into 
any  of  his  arguments,  "  I  answered  him,"  said  he,  "  by  quoting 
text  after  text  from  God's  word.  Unable  to  answer  the  Scriptures, 
and  irritated  at  his  own  incompetence,  he  said," 

"  But  how  do  you  prove  that  this  is  the  Word  of  God  ?" 

"  Why,"  said  I  "  when  I  use  a  sword  and  pierce  my  adversary, 
and  see  him  fall  powerless  at  my  feet,  is  it  not  absurd  to  ask  me 
'  how  do  you  prove  this  is  a  sword  V  I  see,  and  you  feel  that  it  is 
'the  sword  of  the  spirit  which  is  the  word  of  God.'  " 

But  observe,  how  our  Lord  wields  this  Divine  weapon  again. 
"  Then  the  devil  taketh  him  up  into  the  holy  city,  and  setteth  him 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  607 

on  a  pinnacle  of  the  temjile,  and  saith  unto  him,  if  thou  he  the 
Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  do^onP 

Now  mark — The  devil,  in  the  first  place,  tempted  Christ  from 
His  suffering — from  His  bodily  suffering,  and  weakness.  He  was 
weak  with  hunger,  and  he  took  occasion  from  that,  to  tempt  him 
as  God  to  prove  His  omnipotence  as  Jehovah.  Our  Lord  answered 
him,  by  proving  His  faith,  and  His  obedience  as  man,  and  quotes 
the  Scripture  to  silence  him.  Here  the  devil  retorts  on  our  Lord 
with  his  own  weapon,  he  tempts  now  our  Lord's  faith  in  God's 
power  and  providence  as  man.  He  tempts  Him  with  the  authority 
of  Scripture,  and  puts  His  faith  in  God's  promise  to  the  test,  "  If 
thou  he  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  doivn."  That  is  to  say,  "  If 
you  have  faith  in  the  word  of  God,  then  here  is  a  promise,  '  For 
it  is  ivritten,  he  shall  ;xive  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee,  and 
in  their  hands  they  shall  hear  thee  up,  lest  at  any  ti7ne  thou  dash 
thy  foot  against  a  stone.''  Mat.  iv.  5,  6.  If  therefore  you  believe 
the  promises  of  God,  here  you  are  as  a  man  ;  now  if  you  believe 
the  word  of  God, — if  you  depend  on  the  truth  of  God, — if  you  have 
faith  in  the  power  of  God, — if  you  are,  as  you  profess,  such  a 
righteous,  faithful  man — and  if  you  shall  live  '  by  every  loord  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God,'  now  I  put  your  faith  and 
obedience  to  the  test ;  '  Cast  thyself  doicn,'  here  is  a  '  Word  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God,'  to  protect  you." 

Mark  now,  our  Lord's  next  blow  with  the  "  sword  of  the 
SPIRIT  :"  -^  Jesus  said  unto  him,  it  is  written  again,  thou  shall 
not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God.""  Mat.  iv.  7.  That  is  to  say,  "  If  I, 
as  a  man,  throw  myself  down  from  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  I 
tempt  God.  I  do  what  is  irrational,  wicked,  wrong  in  every  respect 
for  any  man  to  do.  Therefore  I  tempt  God — I  violate  God's  laws 
— I  do  that  which  any  man  doing,  would  commit  an  act  of  suicide. 
God's  word  is  to  be  trusted  by  man  in  the  path  of  duty.  To  affect 
to  trust  it  to  guard  man  in  a  violation  of  duty,  is  not  to  trust,  but 
to  tempt  Jehovah.  Now,  Ht  is  written,  thou  shall  not  tem,pt  the 
Lord  thy  God.'  "  Therefore,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  brings  His 
duty,  as  commanded  by  the  word  of  God,  to  parry  the  thrust  of 
Satan  who  tempts  Him  to  violate  it  in  reliance  on  the  promise  of 
God  ;  placing  our  blessed  Lord  in  this  dilemma,  that  if  He  refused, 
it  would  prove  His  want  of  faith  in  the  promise — and,  if  He  com- 
plied, it  would  be  an  act  of  sin. 

Mark  how  the  answer  of  our  blessed  Lord  dissolved  his  sophis- 
try and  condemned  his  malice !  How  important  this  use  of  the 
Scripture  is  !  If  false  principles  ever  appear  to  be  sanctioned  by 
an  appeal  to  Scripture,  a  counter-appeal  to  Scriptural  truth  and 
Scriptural  duty,  is  the  only  way  to  expose  them.  You  will  find 
books  that  have  the  name  of  rehgious  books,  abounding  with  false 
principles ;  and  abounding  with  false  applications  of  Scripture, 
which  seem  to  support  them  ;  and  you  require  to  have  your  minds 
furnished  from  the  armory  of  heaven  with  "  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit  which  is  the  word  of  God,"  to  keep  you  faithful  and 
steady  in  the  path  of  duty — to  regulate  your  conduct  by  the  stand- 


608  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

aid  of  truth — and  to  resist  false  principles  by  its  powder,  which 
Satan  often  tries  to  make  it  seem  to  sanction. 

Observe  our  Lord  again  in  the  next  temptation.  "  The  devil 
taketh  him  iip  into  an  exceeding  high  mountain  atid  showetk 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  vjorld,  and,  the  glory  of  them,  and 
saith  unto  him,  all  these  things  will  I  give  thee  if  thou  tvilt  fall 
down  and  worship  me."  Mat.  iv.  8,  9.  There — the  usurper,  the 
prince  of  darkness,  tempts  the  God  of  glory,  and  tempts  him  by 
Avhat?  by  the  promise  of  ceding  to  Him  His  own  rightful  domin- 
ions— those  dominions  that  are  secured  to  Him,  as  His  own  inher- 
itance, of  whom  it  is  written,  "Twill  give  thee  the  heathen  for 
thiiie  inheritance,  and  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  pos- 
session." Psalm  ii.  8.  The  devil  says,  "  They  are  now  mine — I 
now  rule  over  them,  but  I  will  give  them  all  to  Thee,  if  Thou  wilt 
fall  down  and  worship  me."  He  had  tempted  him  as  God.  He 
had  tempted  him  as  man.  Now  he  tempts  the  Lord  as  both — as 
the  God-Man  who  is  the  Ruler  and  Inheritor  of  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  earth.  He  affects  to  claim  as  his  own  rightful  property  that 
glory  which  is  Christ's  own — His  power — His  authority — His  right- 
ful dominion  over  the  earth — and  to  bestow  on  Him  the  kingdoms 
of  the  world  ;  to  give  them  to  Him,  without  that  humiliation  and 
sufl^ering  by  which  they  were  to  be  bought.  He  was  to  buy  the 
kingdom,  he  was  to  purchase,  with  his  precious  blood,  that  people 
who  should  inherit  it, — he  was  to  purchase  the  travail  of  his  soul, 
by  dying  on  the  cross ;  and  Satan  taunted  Him  to  take  His  king- 
dom of  glory  without  this  ordeal  of  suffering.  And  surely  both 
the  glory  of  God,  and  all  the  best  and  purest  feelings  of  a  holy 
man  would  have  demanded,  as  one  should  think,  that  Clnist  should 
not  have  waited  a  moment  longer,  but  have  vindicated  His  own 
glorious  majesty,  and  dashed  the  fiend  into  the  fathomless  abyss. 
who  dared  to  call  on  Him,  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  to  do 
homage  to  him  for  His  own  dominions.  But  how  then  should 
the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled? — It  was  through  death  that  Jesus  was 
to  "  destroy  him  that  hath  the  power  of  death,"  and  He  was  first 
to  triumph  in  his  own  sufferings  over  Satan,  sin,  death  and  hell ; 
and  soon  the  time  shall  come,  when  He  shall  crush  the  head  of 
this  Prince  of  darkness,  and  all  his  principalities  and  powers,  and 
wrest  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  from  his  grasp,  when  "  the  king- 
doms of  this  ivorld  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ.     And  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  Rev.  xi.  15. 

How  then  does  our  blessed  Lord  answer  him  ?  '■'■Get  thee  hence, 
Satan,  for  it  is  wi'itten,  thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  He  does  not  condescend  to  notice 
his  blasphemous  audacity  in  insulting  the  majesty  of  His  God — 
He  does  not  upbraid  him  with  his  guilt  and  wickedness. — He  docs 
not  deign  to  tell  him  of  the  glory  with  which  He  shall  rend  this 
earth  from  his  power,  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit — but 
as  men  bow  down  to  Satan,  and  worship  him  for  the  things  of 
earth — He  answers  him,  as  a  man  with  "  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God;"  "It  is  written,  thou 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  609 

shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
served 

Here  we  see  how  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation  wields  "the 
SWORD  OF  the  Spirit,"  leaving  us  an  example  how  we  ought 
to  wield  it,  and  both  to  strike  our  foe,  and  to  defend  ourselves 
against  the  attacks  and  assaults  of  Satan.  And  thus  it  is  to  be 
wielded  against  all  false  principles,  and  all  wicked  companions. 
Oh  !  how  little  is  this  mighty  and  invincible  weapon  taken  and 
used  in  the  conflict  as  it  ought  to  be,  either  individually  by  believ- 
ers, or  by  the  Church  as  an  army  ! 

If,  Avhen  your  friends  or  your  companions  would  lead  you  into 
that  which  is  wrong,  your  mind  were  stored  with  Holy  Scripture 
as  it  ought  to  be  ;  and  if  you  would  sa}' — "  No,  this  is  contrary 
to  the  Word  of  God — God  commands  me  to  do  so  and  so — I  can- 
not disobey  His  Word."  That  is  the  right  use  to  make  of  "the 
sword  of  the  Spirit"  as  a  defensive  weapon — and  thus,  all  our 
enemies  within,  our  own  corruptions — our  own  evil  propensities, 
desires,  passions,  all  the  iniquity  that  Ave  feel  within  us,  and  all 
the  evil  that  is  without  us,  should  be  met  by  "the  sword  of  the 
Spirit/which  is  the  word  op  God."  It  is  by  that  alone  we 
can  attack  and  conquer.  The  promises — the  faithful  covenant 
promises  of  our  God  to  which  the  soul  flies  in  all  her  distress,  and 
all  her  wants,  these  are  the  weapons  with  which  she  is  made  more 
than  conqueror. 

The  fears  of  hell,  how  are  they  conquered?  By  the  promises 
of  God. 

Our  doubts,  how  are  they  dispelled  ?  By  the  promises  and 
Word  of  God. 

Our  conduct,  how  regulated  ?  By  the  holy  law — ^the  pre- 
cepts of  God.  Thus  "the  sword  of  the  spirit,  which 
IS  THE  word  of  God,"  is  the  great  weapon  which  we  are  con- 
tinually to  use.  It  is  in  our  hands.  Oh  !  that  it  may  be  in 
our  hearts !  "  The  iveapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal  hut 
mighty,  throngh  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds.^^ 
2  Cor.  X.  4. 

Oh  !  if  that  one  weapon,  "the  sword  of  the  spirit,"  were 
but  wielded  as  it  ought  in  our  land,  what  mighty  conquests  would 
it  not  achieve  !  And  where  "the  sword  of  the  spirit"  is  left, 
as  it  were,  to  rust  in  the  scabbard,  there  is  no  hope,  no  prospect  of 
peace  or  happiness,  either  individually  or  nationally.  The  neglect 
of  wielding  this  weapon  aright,  has  been  the  great  guilt  of  the 
Protestant  Church  in  this  country.  The  Protestant  Church  has 
not  wielded  "the  sword  of  the  spirit  which  is  the  word 
OF  God."  She  has  used  her  laws — her  power — the  power  of  her 
Protestant  King — her  Protestant  Lords — her  Protestant  Com- 
mons— her  Protestant  possessions.  She  has  used  this  power  to  se- 
cure her  Protestant  interests — her  Protestant  ascendancy.  She 
has  not  taken  the  armor  of  God — she  has  not  wielded  "  the 
SWORD  OF  the  spirit,"  agaiust  the  Apostacy  that  surrounds  her, 
and  therefore  the  heavy  visitation  of  God  has  lighted  on  her.     If 

39 


610  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

she  will  not  awaken  it  shall  be  more  than  a  visitation — I  fear  it 
will  be  ruin  and  desolation.  If  she  had  taken  "the  sword  of 
THE  spirit" — if  she  had  maintained  the  eternal  truth  of  God,  as 
the  one  ground  on  which  she  was  to  stand — if  that  had  been  the 
standard  of  her  kings — her  parliaments — her  bishops — her  clergy — 
her  laity — in  all  their  dealings  with  our  poor  benighted  country- 
men around  us — "the  sword  of  the  spirit"  had  long  since 
felled  the  dark  Apostacy,  and  laid  the  superstitions  of  Popery  pros- 
trate in  the  dust.  We  should  have  been,  long  since,  united  in 
heart  and  hand  with  our  poor  countrymen,  instead  of  being,  as  we 
are  now,  in  a  state  of  division,  distraction,  and  misery,  and  exposed 
continually  to  the  sword  of  intestine  war,  that  is  generally,  as  it 
were,  suspended  by  a  thread  over  our  heads. 

Oh  !  that  there  was  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  awaken 
those  who  profess  the  faith  of  Christ  in  the  land,  to  use  the 
"sword  of  the  spirit!"  That  is  a  mighty — an  invincible 
weapon.  If  that  weapon  were  wielded  as  it  ought  to  be,  wick- 
edness, ungodliness,  superstition,  idolatry,  perjury,  murder,  and 
other  crimes,  would  not  defile  and  blacken  the  face  of  the  land, 
and  call  down  the  judgment  of  God  on  our  heads — they  would  fall 
before  the  power  of  "the  sword  of  the  spirit,  which  is  the 
WORD  OF  God."* 

May  the  Lord  put  it  into  our  hearts  and  hands  individually, 
and  into  the  heart  and  hand  of  our  Church  !  May  we  learn 
to  put  on  '■'■The  lohole  armor  of  God T  May  we  be  clothed 
and  cased  in  that  armor,  that  we  may  "  he  able  to  withstand 
in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand."  Amen  and 
Amen. 

*  The  Writer  has  so  often,  and  in  so  many  ways,  set  forth  his  convictions,  that  the 
only  remedy  for  the  miseries  of  this  unhappy  country,  is  to  be  found  in  the  faithful 
labors  of  Missionary  preaching,  and  fearless  exposure  of  the  awfltl  evils  of  Popery,  in 
a  spirit  of  Christian  faithfulness  and  love  to  the  Roman  Catholics,  that  he  only  reit- 
erates it  in  this  note,  to  record  it  in  a  Work,  which,  he  trusts,  may  survive  the  passing 
controversies  of  the  day.  It  is  now  ten  years  since  this  Lecture  was  delivered,  and 
every  intervening  hour  only  confirms  and  ratifies  his  judgment  on  the  subject.  The 
prevalence  of  Popery  that  has  been  the  curse  and  ruin  of  this  country,  is,  through  the 
ignorance,  the  apathy,  and  the  want  of  sound  principle  and  sound  truth  amongst  Prot- 
estants, spreading  its  influence  into  the  heart  of  the  British  Empire  and  Constitution; 
gradually  breaking  down  the  barriers  that  protected  our  Institution,  and  corrupting  and 
undermining  the  laws  and  liberties  of  the  realm.  God  has  sent  scourge  after  scourge 
on  the  Church  of  Ireland,  to  awaken  her  to  a  sense  of  her  duty.  He  has  now  sent 
famine  and  pestilence  to  chastise  the  whole  nation — and  if  for  all  this,  instead  of  being 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  duty,  Protestants  go  on  compromising  with  the  Apostacy,  and 
with  the  Prince  of  darkness,  either  God  must  change  His  dealings  with  men,  from 
those  recorded  in  His  Holy  W'Td — or  judgments  must  overtake  the  Church  and  Nation 
of  this  Protestant  Empire,  that  will  serve  as  a  lesson  to  other  lands,  as  their  desolation 
and  ruin  ought  to  be  a  warning  to  us. — 1847. 


FIFTY-FIRST    LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI.— 18— 20. 


"  Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching  there- 
unto with  all  perseverance  and  supplication  for  all  Saints ;  and  for  me,  that  utterance 
may  be  given  unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  mystery 
of  the  Gospel,  for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in  bonds :  that  therein  I  may  speak 
boldly,  as  1  ought  to  speak." 

Our  last  lecture  concluded  the  several  items  of  the  Christian 
armor,  which  the  Apostle  exhorted  his  brethren  at  Ephesus  to  put 
on.  But  there  is  no  use  in  a  warrior  clothing  himself  with  armor, 
if  it  were  the  best  that  ever  was  produced  by  the  hands  of  the  ar- 
morer, unless  he  has  strength  and  skill  to  use  his  weapons.  If  he 
has  no  power  to  use  a  shield  or  a  sword,  he  might  as  well  be  with- 
out them.  Now,  the  whole  strength  and  power  of  the  Christian 
to  use  his  spiritual  armor,  can  be  derived  alone  from  God.  "7%p 
girdle  of  tnUlt — the  breastplate  of  righteousness — the  prepara- 
tion of  the  Gospel  of  peace — the  shield  of  faith — the  helmet  of 
salvation,  and  the  sivord  of  the  Spirit,  ivhich  is  the  word  of  GodJ^ 
might  just  as  well  be  proposed  to  the  sinner  to  put  on,  whose  heart 
is  unwakened,  unquickened,  unenlightened  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  the  various  parts  of  the  armor  of  a  warrior  might 
be  laid  before  a  dead  body.  You  might  just  as  well  try  to  clothe 
a  corpse  in  armor  and  expect  the  dead  man  to  use  it,  as  set  all  the 
blessings  of  the  salvation  of  Jesus  before  the  sinner  whose  heart 
is  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  till  the  Spirit  quickens  him.  A  man 
must  have  spiritual  life  and  strength  to  use  the  heavenly  armor, 
as  well  as  animal  life  and  power  to  use  carnal  weapons.  Life 
must  be  given  and  sustained  by  the  Holy  Spirit — ^the  soul  of  man 
must  not  only  be  quickened  into  life,  but  supported  by  continual 
supphes  of  strength  from  God.  The  manna  gathered  in  the  wil- 
derness, if  the  Israelites  attempted  to  put  it  by,  corrupted,  and  was 
unfit  to  use  the  next  day — so,  all  divine  truth  laid  up  in  the  heart 
would  necessarily,  as  it  were,  decay  there,  imless  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  was  continually  renewing  the  soul — renewing  the  spiritual 
life  and  powers  of  man  to  profit  by  it,  to  use  it,  and  rejoice  in  it, 
to  live  on  it,  and  to  live  to  God. 

Now  God  has  appointed,  that  the  communications  of  His  Blessed 
Spirit  with  power  to  the  sinner's  heart,  should  be  given  in  answer 
to  prayer : — "/  ivill  yet  for  this  he  inquired  of  hy  the  house  of 
Israel,  to  do  it  for  them,  saith  the  Lord.'''  Ezekiel  xxxvi.  37. 
Therefore,  you  see,  often  in  the  first  instance,  the  blessing  of  sal- 


612  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANJi. 

vation  communicated  to  the  sinner,  in  answer  to  the  inquiring  cry 
of  distress  and  want.  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Acts  xvi.  30, 
was  the  cry  of  tlie  Pliihppian  jailor.  ^'Men  and  brethren,  v:haf 
shall  we  do  T  Acts  ii.  37,  was  the  exclamation  of  those  assembled 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  When  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  send 
Ananias  to  lead  Saul  of  Tarsus  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel, 
He  saith,  "  Go  into  the  street  ivhich  is  called  Straight,  and  iiiqitlre 
in  the  house  of  Judas  for  one  called  Saul,  of  Tarsus :  for  behold 
he  prayethr  Acts  ix.  11.  Peter  was  sent  to  Cornelius  in  answer 
to  prayer.  The  Lord  is  pleased  frequently,  to  send  His  sovereign 
grace  and  His  word  to  the  sinner's  heart,  in  a  hardened,  rebellious, 
prayerless,  thoughtless  state — to  the  sinner  who  is  not  thinking  of 
God — who  is  not  looking  to  God. — "/  was  found  of  them  that 
sought  me  not;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them  that  asked  not 
after  me."  Isaiah  Ixv.  1,  saith  the  Prophet,  and  the  Apostle  re- 
echoes it,  Romans  x.  20.  God  is  pleased  to  send  His  word  to  the 
sinner's  heart  and  to  awaken  him — ^to  enhghten  him — and  bring 
him  to  His  feet — but  when  He  does,  He  always  pours  on  the 
awakened  sinner  a  spirit  of  prayer.  In  fact,  the  Spirit  teaches 
him  his  want,  and  teaches  him  to  cry.  Therefore,  prayer  is  called 
the  breath  of  the  new-born  soul ;  that,  as  when  a  person  is  born 
into  the  world,  he  begins  to  breathe  ;  so  when  the  sinner  is  born 
of  God,  he  begins  to  pray  ;  he  begins,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life, 
to  cry  unto  God;  and  there  is  no  such  thing  as  genuine  spiritual 
prayer  to  God,  until  the  sinner  is  really  touched  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  taught  to  pray.  In  our  natural  state,  we  "  will  not  come 
to  him,  that  ive  may  have  life^  John  v.  40. — '■'■No  inan^''  saith 
Christ,  "  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me 
draw  hhn^''  John  vi.  44.  But  he  adds,  '■'•Every  man  therefore, 
that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  nnto  me^ 
John  vi.  45.  Therefore,  the  Apostle,  when  he  exhorts  his  brethren 
to  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  closes  his  exhortation  on  this 
subject  in  the  18th  verse,  in   these  words, — "Praying  always 

WITH  ALL  PRAYER  AND  SUPPLICATION  IN  THE  SPIRIT,  AND 
WATCHING  THEREUNTO  WITH  ALL  PERSEVERANCE  AND  SUPPLI- 
CATION FOR  ALL  SAINTS." 

We  perceive  two  exhortations  given  in  this  verse  :  an  exhorta- 
tion to  prayer,  and  an  exhortation  to  watchfulness.  "  Praying 
always" — at  all  times — under  all  circumstances.  When  you 
hear  the  Gospel,  pray.  Now,  at  this  time,  when  you  hear  your 
poor  fellow  sinner,  with  the  word  of  God  in  his  hand,  endeavoring 
to  set  before  you  the  truths  of  that  blessed  word,  your  hearts 
should  be  lifted  up  in  prayer — you  should  pray  thus  : — 

"  liord  enable  me  to  profit  by  this  Holy  Word — let  all  that  is 
according  to  thy  blessed  truth — all  that  is  spoken  according  to  the 
mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  let  it  come  with  light  and  power  to  my 
heart." 

So  I  ought  to  pray,  that  the  things  I  speak  to  you  should  be 
brought  home  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  my  own  heart ;  that  while 
I  endeavor  to  feed  you  with  the  Bread  of  Life,  the  Lord  would 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  613 

feed  my  own  soul.  Unless  the  Lord  feeds  us  all  with  the  ^^Bread 
that  Cometh  down  from  heaven  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world^'' 
we  must  all  starve,  we  must  all  perish.  Therefore,  I  say,  when 
yoii  hear  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  you  should  pray — -whatever  you 
feel  your  spiritual  need  of,  you  should  pray  for  it. 

Your  heart  is  hard,  you  should  pray  that  it  might  be  softened. 

Your  faith  is  weak,  you  should  pray  that  it  might  be  strength- 
ened. 

Your  understanding  is  dark  in  many  points,  you  should  pray 
that  it  may  be  enlightened. 

Your  will  is  rebellious,  you  should  pray  that  it  may  be  con- 
formed to  the  will  of  God. 

Your  affections  are  "  earthly,  sensual,  devilish  ;"  you  should  pray 
that  they  may  be  hfted  up  continually  to  the  Lord,  that  you  may 
be  able  to  set  them  "  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth." 

Your  path  in  life,  whatever  it  be,  is,  no  doubt,  encompassed  with 
difficulties.  There  is  no  human  being  on  earth  who  does  not  feel, 
more  or  less,  tbat  they  are  in  a  wilderness,  and  that  their  path  is 
perplexed  and  difficult ;  you  should  pray  that  the  Lord  may  make  His 
way  plain  before  your  face.  There  is  no  servant  of  God  who  does 
not  feel  it  for  themselves.  And  then,  if  their  relations  in  life  are 
multiplied,  if  they  have  husbands,  wives,  children,  families — there 
is  not  one  who  does  not  feel  what  multiplied  need  they  have  of 
direction  from  God  ;  not  only  for  themselves,  but  for  all  who  are 
dear  to  them.  And  therefore,  in  all  these  circumstances,  what  are 
we  to  do  but  to  pray  ? 

Then  again,  we  are  in  danger, — we  should  pray  for  preserva- 
tion, every  day  we  arise,  we  should  pray  to  God  to  keep  us  through 
that  day  in  our  bodies  and  our  souls.  "  Who  can  tell  what  a  day 
may  bring  forth  P  How  little  my  dear  Christian  friend  and 
brother,  whom  we  have  remembered  in  our  prayer,  anticipated 
when  going  to  take  a  walk  with  his  little  children,  the  awful  vis- 
itation with  which  he  was  to  be  afflicted  !*  How  little  any  one 
can  tell,  what  a -day  or  an  hour  may  bring  forth  !  There  is  not  a 
day  that  passes,  in  which  numbers  are  not  involved  in  difficulty 
and  danger  from  which  there  is  no  escaping.  What  have  we  to 
do,  then,  but  to  pray  that  God  may  keep  us,  and  as  we  are  every 
moment  pensioners  on  His  mercies,  to  pray  that  His  grace  may 
prepare  us  for  all  the  dispensations  of  His  providence. 

Then  again  there  is  nothing  certain  as  to  this  life,  but  death. 
Then  what  is  there  that  we  can  have  to  comfort  and  cheer  us  in 
"  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  deatK''  unless  our  God  is  with  us. 
Then  how  ought  we  to  pray,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  say, 
''  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I 
will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me  ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff 

*  This  alluded  to  a  truly  pious  servant  of  God,  who  with  his  children  had  been  at 
tacked  and  severely  lacerated  by  an  infuriated  dog  which  was  supposed  to  have  been 
mad  a  few  days  before  this  lecture  was  delivereil,  but  he  was  kept  calm  and  in  perfect 
peace,  and  it  pleased  God  that  it  was  but  a  trial  of  his  faith  ;  the  dog  proved  not  to 
have  been  mad,  and  he  and  his  children  were  graciously  preserved. 


614  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

they  comfort  me."  Psalm  xxiii.  4.  Every  moment  we  need  afresh 
the  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  our  souls  to  pardon  our 
sins,  and  to  ^^ purge  our  conscience  froin  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  GodP  Heb.  ix.  14.  How  are  we  to  obtain  these  blessings  ? 
— By  prayer. 

But  it  is  in  vain  that  I  should  endeavor  to  enumerate  all  the 
various  circumstances  in  which  we  are  called  to  pray.  Let  me 
rather  ask  you — Tell  me  any  circumstance  in  which  we  can  be 
placed  at  any  moment  of  our  life  in  which  we  do  not  need  prayer. 
If  you  tell  me  any  moment  that  we  need  not  God's  pardoning 
grace  and  mercy — His  support  and  power — His  love— and  faith- 
fulness— and  truth,  to  guard — and  help — and  bless  us — to  preserve 
us  from  the  assaults  of  Satan,  then  I  will  tell  you  a  moment  when 
you  do  not  need  prayer ;  but  if  you  want  these  every  moment, 
then  every  moment  we  need  this  exhortation,  though  clad  in  "  the 
whole  artnor  of  God."  "  praying  always  with  all  prayer 

AND  SUPPLICATION  IN  THE  SPIRIT,  AND  WATCHING  THERE- 
UNTO WITH  ALL  PERSEVERANCE."  This  is  that  which  really 
delivers  the  heart  from  care  and  burden.  So  the  Apostle  saith  to 
the  Philippians,  "  The  Lord  is  at  hand,  he  careful  for  nothing." 
How  can  that  be  1  How  can  it  be  that  we  who  have  so  many 
cares  can  be  careful  for  nothing  ?  He  tells  us,  "  But  in  everything 
by  prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests 
he  made  known  unto  God"  and  sec  then  the  blessed  result — 
•'  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall 
keep  your  hearts  and  minds,  through  Christ  Jesus."  Phil, 
iv.  6,  7. 

And  so  saith  the  Apostle  Peter,  "  Casting  all  your  care  upon 
Him,;  for  He  careth  for  you;" — '■'■Casting,"  you  see,  in  the 
present  tense,  it  is  an  habitual  work,  a  daily,  hourly,  momentary 
operation,  "  Casting  all  your  care  upon  him."  And  so  here,  it  is 
in  the  present  tense,  "  praying   always  with  all  prayer 

AND  supplication  IN  THE  SPIRIT,  AND  WATCHING  THERE- 
UNTO   WITH    ALL    PERSEVERANCE    AND    SUPPLICATION  FOR  ALL 

SAINTS." 

Here  the  natural  heart  in  its  blindness  and  ignorance  asks — 
•'  What !  Are  we  to  be  always  praying  ? — always  on  our  knees  ? 
How  are  we  to  carry  on  the  business  of  life  if  we  are  to  be  always 
praying  V  The  heart  of  man  in  its  natural  blindness,  has  no  idea 
of  spiritual  religion  in  any  sense,  it  knows  nothing  but  mere  form. 
The  believer  can  pray  everywhere,  in  all  occupations — at  all  times 
and  under  all  circumstances.  A  word— a  look — -a  thought — can 
carry  a  prayer  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  that  can  bring  down  a 
blessing  on  the  soul — "  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  m,ake  me 
clean,"  Mat.  viii.  2,  delivered  the  leper  from  his  leprosy.  "  Lord, 
.9avc  me."  Mat.  xiv.  30,  rescued  Peter  from  the  depths  of  the  sea. 
A  prayer  quick  as  thought,  and  but  in  thought,  in  the  interval  be- 
tween a  question  from  his  Sovereign  and  the  answer,  brought  to 
Nehemiah,  directions  and  wisdom  from  God,  in  a  case  in  which 
the  interests  of  a  whole  nation  were  involved  :  Nehem.  ii.  4.     The 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  615 

mind  can  be  in  a  spirit  of  prayerful  dependence  every  moment,  for 
everything,  though  not  a  word  escapes  the  hps  on  the  subject. 

The  necessity  of  our  continually  praying  to  God,  continually 
waiting  upon  Him  in  prayer  and  supplication,  looking  to  Him  for 
all  things,  is  the  first  point  that  is  brought  before  us  in  this  verse. 
But  let  us  remember  always  that  there  is  but  one  way  of  access  to 
the  throne  of  God. — "  No  man  cometh  to  the  Father,  hut  hy  rne^'' 
is  the  testimony  of  Christ.  It  is  only  m  tlie  way  in  which  God's 
righteous  government  can  be  administered.  His  holy  law  fulfilled — 
His  holy  attributes  vindicated — His  eternal  justice  satisfied — and 
His  glorious  mercy  opened  in  its  tide  of  love  to  sinners,  it  is  only 
in  that  way,  that  God  can  hear  or  answer  the  prayer  of  the  sinner ; 
—therefore,  the  sinner  who  prays  must  come  in  God's  appointed 
way,  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

We  all  close  our  prayers  with  these  words  "  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  hordP  Did  you  ever  consider  the  reason  of  that  % 
Did  you  ever  think  that  it  is  impossible  that  your  prayer  could  find 
access  to  God,  unless  you  come  in  Christ's  Name?  The  Apostle, 
I  need  not  observe,  addresses  this  to  those  who  believe,  to  whom, 
indeed  alone,  these  exhortations  could  apply.  None  but  those  who 
come  through  Christ  can  pray  "  in  the  spirit."  And  it  is  the 
Spirit  alone  who  can  teach  us  to  come  through  Christ.  We  must 
have  the  Spirit  to  teach  us  the  truth,  through  whom  we  are  to 
pray ;  and  the  Spirit  to  help  us  when  we  believe  that  truth,  that 
we  pray. 

Now  it  is  the  office  of  the  blessed  Spirit,  to  take  of  the  things  of 
Jesus,  and  show  them  to  our  souls.  And  therefore,  when  our  Lord 
speaks  of  prayer,  in  that  passage,  in  which  he  gives  such  delight- 
ful encouragement,  to  the  sinner  to  pray,  he  speaks  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  as  the  precious  gift  that  is  given  in  answer  to  prayer.  I 
allude  to  Luke,  chap,  xi.,  in  which  His  disciples  asked  him,  "  Lord 
teach  us  to  pray^''  Luke,  xi.  1.  And  then  He  teaches  them  the 
Lord's  prayer.  Then,  if  you  look  from  the  5th  to  13th  verse,  I  do 
not  know  any  passage  in  the  whole  Scripture,  that  is  so  encourag- 
ing to  the  weak  and  helpless  sinner,  to  pray  to  God.  I  do  not 
know  what  we  could  wish  to  add  to  it.  If  you  were  given  that 
passage  and  desired  to  mention  anything,  which  you  could  wish 
the  Lord  to  have  added  to  it  to  encourage  your  own  soul,  I  know 
not  what  addition  you  could  make. 

Our  Lord  saith  "  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and  shall 
go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  unto  him,  friend,  lend  me 
three  loaves :  for  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is  come  to  me, 
and  I  have  nothing  to  set  before  him  7  And  he  from  within 
shall  answer  and  say,  trouble  me  not :  the  door  is  now  shut,  and 
'my  children  are  with  me  in  bed  ;  I  cannot  rise  and  give  thee.  1 
say  unto  you,  though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is 
his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity  he  ivill  rise  and  give 
him  as  many  as  he  needeth.  And  I  say  unto  you,  ask,  and  it 
shall  be  given  you  :  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  :  knock,  and  it  shall 
ha  opened  unto  youP  Luke  xi.  5 — 9.     Now,  you  see,  what  eii- 


616  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

couragement  there  is  given  here  by  our  blessed  Lord ;  not  only 
for  prayer,  but  for  importunity  in  prayer.  It  is  as  much  as  to  say 
— "  As  a  man  would  not  be  put  off,  who  was  in  want  at  midnight, 
by  a  friend,  to  whom  he  came  in  his  distress — as  he  would  insist  on 
his  request,  and  use  every  importunity,  that  his  friend,  however 
reluctant,  should  get  up  and  give  him  what  he  needs  ; — so,  do  you 
come  with  earnestness — with  repetition — with  importunity  in 
prayer  to  God  ;  if  you  are  not  answered,  go  agam — and  again — 
and  again — and  again — do  not  leave  the  throne  of  grace  till  you 
receive  what  you  ask  for."  Surely,  here  is  encouragement,  not 
only  to  prayer,  but  to  importunity  in  supplication.  Now,  look  at 
the  character  that  is  given  of  God  (10th  verse) ;  It  is  an  express 
declaration  of  the  God  of  truth :  "  For  every  one  that  asketh, 
receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  Jindeth  ;  and  to  him  that  knock- 
eth,  it  shall  be  opened.^''  This  is  He,  who  hath  the  keys  of  Heaven, 
and  the  keys  of  death  and  hell ;  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory — He 
saith,  "  It  shall  he  opened."  What  can  you  add  to  that  ?  Can  you 
add  anymore  to  strengthen  you  in  confidence? — to  encourage  you 
to  importunity  ?  Look  at  the  gracious  character  of  God  drawn  in 
the  next  verses  : — ^"  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  yon  that 
is  a  father,  will  he  give  hint  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he 
for  a  fish  give  him  a  serpent  ?  or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he 
offer  him  a  scorpion?  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  knoiv  how  to  give 
good  gifts  unto  your  children ;  hoio  much  more  shall  your 
Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  .?" 
verses  11 — 13. 

Now,  see  the  appeal  that  Christ  makes  here  to  the  feelings  of  a 
child  and  of  a  father.  There  is  not  a  child  in  the  world,  and  there 
is  not  a  parent  in  the  world,  whose  heart  must  not  respond  to  that 
appeal.     There  are  several  little  children  here. 

Little  children,  do  you  think,  if  you  were  to  go  to  your  father 
and  ask  him  for  bread,  would  he  give  you  a  stone?  Or,  for  an 
Qgg,  would  he  offer  you  a  scorpion  ?  Would  he  give  you  a  poison- 
ous reptile  instead  of  an  egg  ?  You  even  smile  at  the  thought, 
because  you  know  it  is  impossible.  You  know  he  could  not  do 
so.  You  know,  that  if  you  went  to  your  father  or  mother  and 
asked  them  for  bread  ;  if  they  were  hungry  themselves,  they  would 
rather  first  supply  your  wants.  See  how  your  Heavenly  Father 
encourages  you  to  come  to  Him.  Then  again,  the  feelings  of  a 
father's  heart,  or  a  mother's  heart  respond  to  this  in  a  moment. 
My  children  come  to  me  for  bread,  could  I  give  them  a  stone? — • 
Could  I  refuse  to  a  word,  or  even  a  look,  that  expressed  the  neces- 
sity of  hunger?  If  it  was  the  last  morsel  I  had  in  the  world, 
would  I  not  give  it  to  my  hungry  children  ?  Now  the  Lord  Jesus 
appeals  to  our  own  heart,  whether  as  children  or  as  parents  in 
putting  the  character  of  God  bofore  us:  '•'•  If  ye,  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  inuch  more  shall 
your  Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him^ 

Now  think,  children,  of  what  God  says  to  you  !  Think,  what 
an  encouragement  it  is  to  you  to  pray  to  God  ! — Call  on  him  in 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  617 

your  own  rooms,  and  you  will  prevail — call  on  God  in  prayer,  and 
he  tells  you  in  his  word  expressly,  that  if  your  parents  would  give 
you  bread  if  you  were  hungiy,  "  how  much  more  shall  your 
Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him." 
Here  is  God's  heart,  as  it  were,  set  before  us,  with  more  than  the 
tenderness  of  a  father's  heart ;  even,  as  our  Heavenly  Father  is 
higher  than  an  earthly  father. 

Then  think,  what  an  encouragement  this  is  to  parents.  How 
can  you  answer  to  God,  if  you  live  without  prayer  ?  Without 
caUing  on  him  ?  What  can  you  say  ?  Can  you  say,  I  was  afraid 
— I  did  not  think  you  would  hear  me,  or  answer  me  ?  The  Lord 
would  say,  '  Did  not  I  appeal  to  your  own  affections?  Did  I  not 
tell  you,  that  I  was  more  ready  to  receive — to  bless — to  answer — 
to  give  you  all  you  could  ask,  than  your  own  hearts  could  be  to 
give  bread  to  your  own  hungry  children-^yet  you  disregarded?" 
^'You  would  not  come  to  me,  that  you  might  have  lifeP  Oh! 
how  shall  the  prayerless  sinner  be  able  to  answer  to  God  ?  Now, 
I  defy  you  to  add  encouragement  to  this  passage  of  Scripture.  Sit 
down,  and  think  of  any  one  image  that  you  can  use — any  meta- 
phor— any  expression,  that  you  can  possibly  invent,  to  encourage 
your  own  lieart  to  pray  to  God.  I  defy  you  to  add  to  what  our 
adorable  Lord  has  spoken  in  that  passage  of  Scripture  in  the  way 
of  encouragement.  Then,  as  there  is  encouragement  to  pray,  see 
what  is  to  be  given  in  answer,  '■'■How  much  rnore  shall  your  Heav- 
enly Father  give  the  Holy  iSpirit  to  thein  that  ask  himT  This 
is  what  they  want — ^the  Spirit  of  God — so  Christ  hath  promised  to 
send  Him  to  his  people  :  "  If  I  depart,  Iioill  send  him  unto  you." 
John  xvi.  7,  to  teach  them  all  things — to  instruct  them — to  guide 
them  into  all  truth — to  reveal  Christ — ^to  glorify  him — to  comfort 
them — to  direct  them — to  help  their  infirmities  in  prayer — in  their 
walk — in  their  warfare — in  all  things — and  this  is  the  answer 
promised  to  prayer,  by  Him  whose  office  it  is  to  baptize  with  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

We  are  taught  in  this  passage  of  Ephesians,  that  our  prayer 
and  supphcation  must  be  ''  in  the  Spirit."  This  implies,  of 
course,  our  need  of  the  Spirit.  See  how  our  Lord  hath  given  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit.  And  then  the  help  of  the  Spirit  is  set  be- 
fore us  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  on  which  we  dwelt  at  large, 
Romans  viii.  26,  ^'■Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmi- 
ties ;  for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  but 
the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  that 
cannot  be  uttered,  and  he  that  searcheth  the  heart  knoweth  what 
is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the 
saints,  according  to  the  loill  of  God."  The  Spirit  of  God,  poured 
into  the  heart  of  the  sinner,  crieth  in  prayer  to  God  from  the  sin- 
ner's heart.  If  we  utter  or  breathe  one  spiritual  prayer  acceptable 
to  God,  it  must  be  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Then,  T  hope,  my  beloved  friends,  you  will  consider  from  these 
words  your  need  of  prayer  at  all  times — your  great  encouragement 
to  pray  in  all  things — your  incapacity  to  pray  of  yourselves,  and 


618  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

the  exceeding-  great  and  precious  promises  that  are  given  to  you, 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  help  you,  and  teach  you  to  pray — to  teach 
you  to  call  on  the  Lord  for  all  you  can  want,  "  praying  always, 

WITH   ALL    PRAYER  AND    SUPPLICATION   IN  THE  SPIRIT."       And 

then,  there  is  another  most  important  addition — -"And  watching 

THEREUNTO     WITH     ALL     PERSEVERANCE,    AND     SUPPLICATION 

FOR    ALL    SAINTS." 

Now,  this  is  a  characteristic  of  the  unconverted  sinner,  which 
invariably  attends  him — that  let  him  pray  as  often  as  he  will,  (for 
unconverted  sinners  do  certainly  pray  in  their  own  way,)  let  him 
pray  as  often  as  he  will,  he  never  watches,  never  looks  for  an  an- 
swer to  his  prayer.  Never  !  There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  uncon- 
verted man  praying  for,  or  expecting,  an  answer  from  God  to  his 
prayer.  He  does  not  believe  in  God's  answering  prayer ;  on  the 
contrary,  I  never  knew  an  unconverted  sinner  that  did  not  laugh 
at  the  idea  as  enthusiastic  and  fanatical,  to  think  that  God  would 
answer  prayer.  They  pray  as  a  matter  of  duty.  That  it  is  a 
duty  is  very  true,  but  still,  the  duty  of  prayer  arises  from  this — 
the  necessity  of  the  sinner,  and  the  need  of  his  receiving  supplies 
from  God.  Therefore,  to  pray  without  expecting  an  answer,  to 
pray  without  looking  for  or  expecting  these  supplies,  the  need  of 
which  makes  prayer  necessary,  is,  in  itself,  a  gross  absurdity,  and 
shows,  even  in  this  one  feature,  the  blindness  of  the  natural,  un- 
converted heart.  The  unconverted  sinner  may  pray — he  does  not 
in  spirit  and  in  truth  pray,  but  still  he  prays  in  his  own  way  ;  but 
his  prayer  is  merely  going  through  a  form  of  duty,  in  which,  he 
thinks,  he  is  actually  rendering  a  service  to  God,  and  that  because 
he  prays  ;  God  must  be,  as  it  were,  indebted  to  him.  Now,  there 
is  no  such  thing  as  real  genuine  prayer,  without  watcliing  for  an 
answer  to  that  prayer.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  real  spiritual 
calling  upon  God,  without  really  thinking  that  God  will  hear  and 
answer  that  prayer.  True  religion  is  the  most  rational  thing  in 
the  world  ;  false  religion  is  the  most  absurd  and  irrational.  Now 
applying  this  rule  to  prayer,  you  will  find  how  irrational  and 
absurd  the  prayer  of  the  unconverted  sinner  is.  What  would  you 
think  of  a  man  who  went  with  a  petition  to  his  sovereign,  for 
instance,  and  who  sent  in  his  petition  for  something  which  he  pro- 
fessed to  say  was  of  importance,  and  turned  away,  and  never 
again  thought  of  inquiring  whether  his  petition  was  heard  or  an- 
swered ?  What  would  you  think  of  any  beggar  that  asked  you 
for  alms,  and  then,  before  you  had  time  to  answer  him,  turned  his 
back  on  you,  and  went  away  ?  Would  you  not  think  the  person 
was  mocking  you  ?  Suppose  a  poor  man  sent  a  petition  to  your 
house,  and  you  should  ask,  "  where  is  the  petitioner  ?"  and  you 
were  told,  that  the  moment  he  gave  the  petition  he  turned  about 
and  went  away,  you  would  say,  "  What  did  he  mean  ?  He  came 
with  a  petition  here,  and  the  moment  he  gave  it  to  my  servant, 
he  turned  and  went  away ;  he  could  not  be  serious — he  could  not 
have  wanted  what  he  asks.  He  says,  he  is  in  great  need — in 
great  poverty — very  miserable,  and  entreats  I  will  relieve  him,  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS  619 

yet  he  went  away  the  moment  he  left  his  petition  at  the  door ! 
Why  the  man  cannot,  want  it  at  ah !"  You  would  naturally — 
necessarily  say  so. 

What  are  your  forms  of  prayer  ?  What  do  you  say  when  you 
go  to  church?  How  do  you  cry  to  God  for  mercy,  as  a  miserable 
sinner  ?  How  earnestly  do  you  supplicate  God  to  hear  you  ?  Read 
your  prayer-book — consider  what  you  say  !  Then  look  at  your 
hearts  when  you  go  to  public  worship  and  utter  these  petitions  ; — ■ 
Do  you  expect  that  God  will  hear  your  prayers,  or  answer  them  ? 
When  you  go  to  your  rooms,  you  are,  perhaps,  in  the  habit  of 
say  big  your  prayers,  as  you  call  it ;  you  kneel  down  and  say 
your  prayers,  morning  and  evening,  and  you  get  up,  and  think 
the  work  is  done,  and  there  is  no  more  about  it.  As  surely  as  you 
exist,  this  is  your  natural  state,  and  your  conscience  must  confess 
that  it  is. 

You  see,  then,  that  false  religion  is  the  most  irrational  thing  in 
the  world.  You  would  think  it  so  contrary  to  all  common  sense 
for  a  fellow-creature  to  send  you  a  petition  and  not  to  wait  for  the 
answer,  and  yet  you  are  so  absurd  and  foolish,  that  you  send  up 
petitions,  most  importunately  worded,  to  the  God  of  heaven,  and 
you  neither  expect,  nor  think,  of  His  hearing  or  answering  you. 
Are  such  petitions  true  prayers?  Or,  do  you  mean  anything  you 
say?  Dear  friends,  consider  these  things — calmly,  deliberately 
reflect  on  them  !  If  you  call  on  God,  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  for 
anything,  then  watch,  that  your  prayer  is  heard  and  answered. 
If  you  seek  for  faith  really,  and  are  taught  by  the  Spirit  to  do  so, 
you  will  not  be  content  till  your  heart  is  enabled  to  trust  in  Jesus. 
If  you  really  seek  for  spiritual  instruction,  you  will  use  God's  ap- 
pointed means  for  receiving  that  instruction,  namely,  the  study 
and  the  hearing  of  His  blessed  Word.  If  you  pray  for  spiritual 
comfort  and  strength,  you  will  wait  oif  the  Lord.  If  you  pray  in 
earnest  against  any  besetting  sin,  you  will  wait  and  watch  for 
strength  against  that  sin,  and  against  tlie  temptations  that  lead 
you  to  it.  In  fact,  if  you  are  sincere  in  prayer  to  God,  watchful- 
ness must  be  part  of  the  character  of  true  prayer,  so  he  says, 

'•PRAYING    ALWAYS  WITH  ALL    PRAYER  AND  SUPPLICATION    IN 

THE  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perse- 
verance   AND    SUPPLICATION    FOR    ALL    SAINTS." 

It  is  only  this,  vciy  d?ar  friends,  that  can  enable  us  to  enjoy  the 
truth  in  our  own  souls.  We  may  have  a  clear  knowledge  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  but  if  these  doctrines  are  not  spiritually 
applied  to  the  comfort  and  edification  of  our  own  spirits,  to  our 
own  personal  direction  and  government,  and  holy  life  and  conver- 
sation, if  they  are  not  so  applied,  they  are  nothing.  They  cannot 
be  so  applied  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God,  bringing  them 
home  with  power  to  our  hearts.  This  is  to  be  received  in  God's 
appointed  means  by  waiting  on  the  Lord  in  prayer,  see  how  encour- 
agingly that  is  set  forth  by  the  Prophet,  ^^Even  the  youths  shall 
faint  and  he  weary  ^  and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fail ;  but 
they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength^  they 


620  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  he 
weary,  and  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint. ^''     Isaiah  xl.  30,  31. 
Now  see  what  encouragement  there  is  in  "praying  always 

WITH  ALL  PRAYER  AND  SUPPLICATION  IN  THE  SPIRIT,  AND 
WATCHING  THEREUNTO  WITH  ALL  PERSEVERANCE  AND  SUP- 
PLICATION FOR  ALL  SAINTS,"  not  merely  for  ourselves  but  for 
Others,  for  all  the  Church  of  Christ,  it  is  our  privilege  and  our 
duty  to  carry  them  all  in  our  hearts  to  our  God.  It  is  his  will, 
you  are  commanded  to  do  so,  and  in  this,  is  one  of  the  most 
blessed  privileges  of  the  Communion  of  Saints — Communion  in 
faith,  hope,  love,  in  our  glorious  covenant  God,  and  oiu-  mutual 
and  everlasting  glory  in  Him,  and  with  Him,  forever.  * 

And  now,  I  would  remark,  that  there  seems  a  great  defect 
among  the  servants  of  God,  in  this  particular.  They  will  pray 
for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  of  those  whom  they  love;  but 
they  seem  to  think,  that  when  they  are  converted,  everything  is 
done. 

"  Oh  !  now  they  are  converted- — brought  to  Christ — now  we  may 
be  satisfied." 

But,  my  dear  friends,  the  very  time  that  sinners  most  of  all  re- 
quire continual  support  from  God,  is  when  they  are  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  If  it  could  be  possible, 
that  man  wants  help  from  God,  more  at  one  time  than  another^ 
he  wants  it  more  after  his  conversion  than  before.  It  is  not  indeed 
a  proper  expression  to  use,  because  man  is  always  alike  dependent 
on  his  God.  But  if  we  could  use  the  expression,  it  might  be  spe- 
cially applied  to  his  converted  state  ;  for  it  is  then  first,  his  conflict 
begins.  Till  then,  he  is  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Satan,  '•'■the 
strong  man  armed,  keepeth  his  palace,  and  his  goods  are  in  jjeace." 
But  the  moment  he  is  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  then 
begins  his  warfare  within  %nd  without ;  his  warfare  against  his 
enemies,  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  Then  Satan  who 
flattered  him,  and  soothed  him,  and  kept  him  in  peace  before,  turns 
round  to  exhibit  his  enmity  against  him.  Then  he  plies  him  with 
temptations — spreads  his  nets  for  his  feet— endeavors,  if  possible, 
by  every  suggestion  within,  and  temptation  Avithout,  to  draw  him 
away  from  his  God.  When  does  a  soldier  need  his  armor  most? 
When  need  most  watchfulness  ? — most  energy  ? — most  activity? — 
the  eye  of  his  commanding  officer  to  be  peculiarly  over  him — di- 
recting him?  Surely,  it  is  in  the  battle.  And  when  does  the 
Christian  soldier  require  it  most  ?  Surely,  it  is  when  he  enlists  in 
his  Heavenly  Master's  service,  and  begins  his  warfare  here  below. 
He  is  in  an  enemy's  land,  surrounded  by  foes — foes  within,  and 
foes  without.  Therefore  he  is  called  on  to  buckle  on  his  armor, 
and  never  put  it  off  till  he  lays  down  his  body  of  sin  and  death ; 
till  his  spirit  returns  to  his  Lord  and  Saviour  ;  then,  when  his  war- 
fare is  past,  it  may  be  said,  ^^ Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth :  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  lahorsP     Rev.  xiv.  13, 

As  the  feeling  of  the  necessity  of  prayer  for  ourselves,  should 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  621 

lead  us  instinctively,  to  see  and  feel  the  necessity  of  prayer  for  those 
we  love, — therefore,  the  Apostle  joins  intercessory  prayer  with 
prayer  for  own  souls — "  supplication  for  all  saints," — all  the 
children  of  Christ. 

The  Apostle  shows,  how  great  is  the  necessity  for  prayer  for  all 
the  saints  of  God,  when  he  especially  names  himself, — "And  for 

ME,  that  utterance  MAY  BE  GIVEN  UNTO  ME,  THAT  I  MAY 
OPEN    MY  MOUTH    BOLDLY,  TO  MAKE    KNOWN  THE  MYSTERY    OF 

THE  Gospel."  This  great  and  eminent  Apostle,  called  by  such 
a  special  and  marvellous  revelation  of  God — set  apart  by  God,  to 
be  his  witness  and  his  minister  among  the  Gentiles ;  speaking  un 
der  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  the  hving  God — -this  great 
Apostle,  calls  upon  his  Christian  brethren,  in  praying  for  all  the 
Saints  of  Christ,  to  pray,  especially  for  himself — "and  for  me." 
And  now,  what  does  he  call  upon  them  to  pray  for  ?  He  brings 
forward  that  very  thing,  for  which,  if  we  were  to  express  our  opin- 
ion on  the  character  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  we  should  say,  he  was 
most  peculiarly  eminent,  and  most  peculiarly  inspired  and  gifted 
by  God.     He  calls  upon  them  to  pray,  especially,  for  boldness— 

"  AND  FOR  ME,  THAT  UTTERANCE  MAY  BE  GIVEN  UNTO  ME,  THAT 
I  MAY  OPEN  MY  MOUTH  BOLDLY,  TO  MAKE  KNOWN  THE  MYSTERY 

OF  THE  Gospel,  for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in  bonds  : 

THAT   THEREIN  I  MAY  SPEAK    BOLDLY,  AS  I  OUGHT    TO    SPEAK." 

Surely,  if  ever  there  was  a  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth  that 

"opened  HIS    MOUTH    BOLDLY  TO  MAKE  KNOWN  THE    MYSTERY 

OF  THE  Gospel,"  that  man  was  the  Apostle  Paul.  We  know 
how  at  Damascus,  after  his  conversion,  ^^straightway  he  preached 
Christ  in  the  synagogues"  Acts  ix.  20,  immediately  and  boldly 
testifying  against  all  his  friends^ — all  his  prejudices — all  his  former 
habits — all  the  Jews.  And  we  know  the  outcrying  wrath  of  those 
who  were  all  now  turned  into  enemies  against  him,  "  but  he  in- 
creased the  more  in  strength,  and  confounded  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  at  Damascus,  proving  tlcat  this  is  very  Christ.''^  Acts 
ix.  22.  We  know  his  testimony  to  the  Elders  of  this  very  church 
in  Ephesus,  at  Miletus,  though  "//ie  Holy  Ghost  testified  that  in 
every  city  bonds  and  afflictions  abided  him,"  yet  saith  he,  '■'■none  of 
these  things  tnove  me,  yieither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself, 
so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  m,inistry, 
which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  of  the  Gospel 
of  the  grace  of  God."  Acts  xx.  24.  Yet  he  calls  upon  them  to 
pray  for  him  even  in  that  very  particular  in  which  he  had  borne 
such  a  testimony  by  his  profession  and  life ;  as  much  as  to  say, 
even  in  these  things  in  which  we  are  strongest — in  which  we  ap- 
pear to  others  to  be  most  safe,  most  secure,  yea,  most  eminently 
gifted  by  the  Lord,  even  there  we  entreat  your  prayers  and  sup- 
plications. Oh  !  consider,  if  this  eminent  Apostle  required  that 
his  brethren  should  bear  him  on  their  hearts  even  for  this, 
what  sinner  on  earth  does  not  require  prayer  and  supplication, 
from  the  heart  of  faith  and  love,  to  the  throne  of  grace  in  his 
behalf? 


622 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 


We  may  remark  on  this,  that  that,  for  which  the  Apostle  espe- 
cially entreated  their  prayers,  was,  that  he  might  be  strengthened 
in  the  service  of  his  Master.  It  was  not  for  any  individual,  per- 
sonal want  of  his  own,  but  that  he  might  be  eminently  strength- 
ened for  the  glory  of  his  God,  and  the  salvation  of  his  fellow- 
creatures,  and  that  is,  and  ought  to  be,  the  first  prayer  of  every 
Christian. 

I  think,  that  this  is  another  point,  my  dear  friends,  in  which  we 
are,  in  general,  exceedingly  negligent.  When  we  are  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  self  still  predominates  too 
much  in  our  very  religion,  and  we,  ourselves,  are  chiefly,  if  not 
solely,  the  subject  of  our  prayers  ;  our  own  wants — our  own  fears, 
trials,  difficulties,  interests,  unbelief — all  these,  are  the  chief,  if  not 
the  only  subjects  of  our  prayers.  This  is  all  right  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent; all  our  wants  of  body  and  soul  are  legitimate  subjects  of 
prayer,  and  we  ought  to  feel,  deeply  feel,  our  need  of  prayer  and 
supplication  on  these  subjects,  and  on  all  things  in  which  we  are 
entirely  dependent  on  our  God.  But  our  own  wants  ought  not  to 
be  the  first  subject  of  a  Christian's  prayer.  The  first  subject  of  a 
believer's  prayer  ought  to  be  the  glory  and  kingdom  of  his  Lord 
and  Master.  I  speak  on  the  highest  authority,  on  the  authority 
of  our  blessed  Lord  Himself  For,  observe,  the  prayer  which  is 
given  to  us  as  our  pattern  and  model  of  prayer  by  our  blessed 
Lord,  when  His  Apostles  asked  Him,  "  Lord  teach  lis  to  }wayP 
Look  at  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  observe  the  order  of  the  petitions 
as  they  occur  in  that  prayer.  What  is  the  first  subject  that  man 
is  taught  to  pray  for  ?  "  Our  Father^  whicJt  art  in  heaven,  hal- 
lowed he  thy  name,  thy  kingdom  come,  thy  vxill  he  done  in  earth, 
as  it  is  in  heaven."  The  glory  of  his  God — the  hallowing  of  His 
Name — the  coming  of  His  kingdom — the  doing  of  His  will  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  heaven  ;  these  are  the  first  petitions  put  into  the 
lips  of  God's  servants  when  they  are  taught  to  pray  scripturally, 
and  that,  before  the  supply  of  their  daily  wants,  or  pardon  for  their 
sins.  For  then  come  the  petitions,  "  Give  ns  this  day  our  daily 
bread,  and  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  them  that 
trespass  against  usP  Now,  if  this  were  the  general  spirit  of 
prayer  in  the  Church,  I  firmly  believe,  religion  would  wear  a  dif- 
ferent aspect  from  that  which  it  wears  at  present  in  the  world.  I 
believe,  that  all  the  genuine  servants  of  God,  would  stand  out  more 
clearly  and  separately  from  the  world— they  would  appear  more 
in  their  true  character — they  would  be  more  manifest  as  servants 
of  God — their  hearts  too,  would  be  set  more  at  liberty — they  would 
have  less  occasion  to  pray  for  their  own  individual  and  personal 
necessities,  because  they  would  feel  them  less — their  spiritual  state 
would  not  be  so  sickly  as  it  is,  if  they  were  to  pray  more  for  their 
Lord's  kingdom,  and  to  stand  up  faithfully  and  boldly  for  the  ser- 
vice and  glory  of  their  Master.  I  firmly  believe,  if  we  were  to  give 
ourselves  more  to  speak  of,  and  pray  for,  and  labor  for  the  king- 
dom and  glory  of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  for  the  salva- 
tion of  our  fellow  men,  we  should  not  feel  these  doubtings  and 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  623 

misgivings,  tliat  arise  from  our  own  selfishness,  and  continually 
moping  over  our  own  character,  and  poring  over  our  own  hearts : 
we  should  feel  them,  I  say,  far  less,  and  have  much  more  liberty 
in  the  Gospel  of  Jesus — much  more  love  to  the  brethren — much 
clearer  manifestations  of  the  genuine  character  of  the  servants  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  His  Church,  would  exhibit  a  far  clearer 
light  of  His  truth,  and  His  salvation  to  the  world.  We  do  not 
find  the  Apostle  Paul  asking  those  to  whom  he  wrote,  to  pray 
for  him  that  he  should  be  delivered  from  suffering.  No  doubt, 
he  did  suffer — we  know  he  did  deeply,  as  every  poor  sinner 
must  suffer  from  corruption  within,  but  we  do  not  find,  that  this  is 
the  subject  for  which  he  entreats  their  prayers,  but  the  glory  of  the 
Lord's  kingdom.  He  does  not  say  to  them,  "  Pray  for  me,  that  1 
may  be  enjoying  peace — that  I  may  be  enjoying  tranquillity  of 
mind — that  I  may  feel  comfortable  in  the  views  of  my  own  accept- 
ance with  God — that  I  may  be  satisfied  that  my  faith  is  strong — 
that  I  may  be  enabled  to  enjo}^  so  and  so,  and  to  feel  so  and  so." 
He  does  not  say,  pray  for  these.     No — but  "that  I  may  open 

MY  mouth    boldly,  TO    MAKE    KNOWN    THE    MYSTERY    OF    THE 

Gospel."  Pray,  that  I  may  stand  out  for  my  Master's  cause — for 
my  Master's  glory — that  though  I  am  "an  ambassador  in 
BONDS,"  in  the  midst  of  Nero's  court — in  spite  of  bonds,  and  in 
spite  of  men,  Pagans,  idols,  and  devils,  "  that  I  may  open  my 
mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  the  Gos- 
pel, THAT  therein  I  MAY  SPEAK  BOLDLY,  AS  I  OUGHT  TO 
SPEAK." 

See,  what  an  example  this  is  for  us  !  See,  what  an  example 
for  the  servants  of  Christ  in  this  country  !  If  we  were  more  em- 
ployed in  the  work  of  our  Master,  we  should  be  thinking  less  of 
ourselves,  and  doubting  less  of  our  own  character  than  we  are 
when  we  are  sitting  down  and  doing  nothing,  moping  about  our 
own  concerns,  whatever  they  are,  and  saying,  "  1  do  not  know 
whether  I  am  a  Christian  or  not,  or  whether  I  am  a  servant  of  God 
at  all."  No  wonder  men  doubt  so  much  about  themselves  and 
their  own  spiritual  state,  when  they  are  not  engaged  in  the  service 
of  their  Master !  Surely,  it  becomes  the  servants  of  a  Heavenly 
Master,  to  be  employed  in  doing  their  Heavenly  Master's  work. 
This  was  the  desire  of  the  Apostle's  heart,  and  the  object  of  his 
life,  and  therefore,  he  entreats  their  prayers  that  he  may  be  enabled 

"to  OPEN  HIS  MOUTH  BOLDLY,  TO  MAKE  KNOWN  THE  MYSTERY 

OF  THE  Gospel." 

It  requires  boldness  to  do  so — Why  ?  because  the  Gospel  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  stands  in  eternal  opposition  to  the  natural 
corruptions,  ignorance  and  wickedness  of  man.  Wherever  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  proclaimed,  wherever  the  Gospel  is  to  be  pro- 
claimed, it  has  to  encounter  rebellion,  opposition,  hatred,  contempt 
in  the  heart  of  fallen  sinners  ;  and  therefore,  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
is  an  eternal  controversy  against  man.  There  is  no  such  favorite 
principle  of  the  devil  as  peace.  Peace  is  the  favorite  watch-word 
of  the  devil ;  another  is  Liberality,  and  Charity  is  a  third,  all  these 


624  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPIIESIANS. 

are  favorite  watch-words  of  Satan.  "  Let  us  have  peace — let  us 
have  no  controversy.  Peace,  and  hberahty,  and  charity,  towards 
one  another !  do  not  let  us  find  fault  with  each  other,  "  Judge  not 
that  ye  be  not  judged, ^^  for  that  is  a  favorite  text  of  the  devil,  he 
has  many  favorite  texts  in  the  Scriptures.  "  Let  every  man  follow 
his  own  way,  we  all  agree  that  religion  should  lead  us  to  avoid 
contention — let  us  all  avoid  contention — let  us  c^uietly  pursue  our 
own  religion,  and  as  to  what  other  men  think,  say,  or  believe,  let 
that  be  a  subject  of  peace, — let  us  have  no  difference  about  that, 
no  controversy."  This  is  the  favorite  doctrine  of  the  devil  on  re- 
ligion, he  is  a  great  preacher  of  this  sort  of  charity.  It  is  thus 
that,  "  the  strong  man  armed,  keepeth  his  palace  and  his  goods 
are  in  peace^^  and  the  peace  he  wants  is,  to  let  him  alone,  and 
not  disturb  or  awaken  the  world.  But  God's  word  must  disturb 
the  world  !  God,  has  a  controversy  with  the  world  !  "  The 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness, ^^  1  John  v.  18,  or  as  it  might  be 
translated  "wi  the  loicked  oneP  asleep  as  it  were  in  the  arms  of 
the  devil.  And  it  is  the  business  of  the  servants  of  the  living  God 
to  testify  against  the  wickedness  of  the  world — to  testify,  that  the 
wrath  of  God,  abideth  on  the  world — to  proclaim  to  sinners  the 
glorious  salvation  that  there  is  in  Jesus,  and  to  call  on  them  thus 
to  turn  to  Jesus,  that  they  may  have  life  and  peace.  Therefore, 
the  Gospel  is  an  eternal  controversy  with  the  ungodliness  of  a 
wicked  world !  so  the  Apostle   calls   on   them  to  pray,  "  that 

THEREIN  HE  MAY  SPEAK  BOLDLY,   AS  HE  OUGHT  TO  SPEAK."       If 

Paul  was  aUve  in  these  days,  he  would  be  scoffed  at,  treated  as 
beside  himself,  a  fellow  that  "  turneth  the  -world  upside  down,'''  a 
disturber  of  the  peace,  just  as  he  was  before.  And  wherever  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  faithfully  carried  forth  against  the  ignorance, 
the  wickedness,  and  the  false  religion  of  man — there  the  same 
principle  in  the  corrupt  heart  of  man  will  always  give  the  same 
reception  to  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ.  And  therefore,  when- 
ever there  is  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  there  must  be  an  eternal 
controversy,  with  an  ungodly  world.  The  Christian  ought  to  be 
always  tolerant,  most  tolerant,  most  kind,  as  to  persons  in  what- 
ever error  they  may  be  sunk,  but  the  Christian  ought  to  know  no 
toleration  for  false  principles,  however  specious — or  for  wicked 
principles,  however  popular — for  any  principles  opposed  to  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  True  Cliristianity  is  utterly  intolerant  of  false- 
hood— it  will  not  bear  it.  God's  truth,  God's  word,  Christ's  salva- 
tion, His  cause — His  honor — His  glory — that  is  the  object  of  the 
man,  that  knows  and  loves,  and  serves  his  God.  It  ought  to  be 
the  object  of  every  one.  There  is  indeed  a  proper,  wise,  discrimi- 
nating, sound  judgment  always  to  be  exercised  in  things  that  are 
not  essential  to  salvation,  in  things  that  do  not  oppose  the  vital 
truth  of  God,  in  things  that  God  has  left  at  large,  or  indifferent 
things  that  men  may  hold,  or  may  not  hold,  without  opposing 
God,  or  dishonoring  His  word,  or  His  Gospel ;  and  with  respect  to 
these  things,  we  are  called  on  to  be  patient,  kind,  forbearing, 
."  endeavoring  to  keep  the  ufiiti/  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace^ 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  625 

that  is  the  duty  of  those  who  are  the  servants  of  God,  and  herein 
they  are  to  exercise  a  sound  scriptural  judgment.  But,  with  re- 
spect to  all  the  great  principles  of  God's  eternal  truth,  the  great 
principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus- — the  righteous  authority  of  His 
holy  word — the  integrity  and  perfection  of  His  sacred  vohune,  as 
the  standard  of  man's  salvation — the  instructor  of  His  youth,  and 
the  guide  of  His  age — the  man  who  surrenders  one  tittle  of  these 
principles,  surrenders  his  religion,  his  God,  everything  that  ought 
to  be  most  dear  to  an  immortal  being.  This  is  a  specimen  of 
Satan's  peace,  crying  '•'■  peace^  yeace^  where  there  is  jio  jjeace." 
But  the  servants  of  God  can  make  no  peace  with  Satan,  they  must 
open  their  mouths  boldly,  "  though  briers  and  thorns  be  with  them^ 
and  though  they  dwell  in  the  midst  of  iScojyions,^^  Ezek.  ii.  6,  yet 
must  tliey  set  their  face  like  a  flint,  and  lift  up  their  voice  like  a 
trumpet,  so  for  this,  the  Apostle  entreats  them  to  pray  for  him, 
"that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  him,  that  he  may 

OPEN  his  mouth  boldly,  TO    MAKE    KNOWN    THE  MYSTERY  OF 

the  Gospel,  that  therein  he  may  speak  boldly,  as  he 

OUGHT  TO  speak." 

This  was  always  the  case  with  all  the  servants  of  God.  If  you 
look  through  the  prophecies,  look  through  the  history  of  their  lives 
— their  doctrines,  and  their  fate,  and  you  will  see  that  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles,  so  far  from  being  men  of  peace,  (men  of  peace, 
indeed,  in  one  sense  they  were,  and  they  ought  to  be  men  of 
peace,)  but  you  will  see,  that  in  fact  they  were  men  of  contention. 
So  the  Prophet  Jeremiah  saith,  "  Woe  is  me,  my  mother,  that  thou 
hast  borne  me  a  man  of  strife  and  a  man  of  contention  to  the 
whole  earth.''"'  Jer.  xv.  10.  They,  as  well  as  the  Apostles,  were 
obliged  to  contend  ;  and  it  is  an  Apostolic  legacy  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  to  ^'■Earnestly  contend  for  the  faith  which  was  once  deliv- 
ered unto  the  Saints.''''  Jude  3.  God's  severest  judgments  were, 
we  see,  denounced  against  the  false  Prophets  who  deceived  the 
people  with  the  false  principles  of  hollow  charity  and  lying  peace 
— saying  "  Peace  when  there  was  no  peace.''^  Hear  His  words  by 
the  mouth  of  the  Prophet  Ezekiel : — "  Because,  even  because  they 
have  seduced  m,y  people,  saying,  peace,  and  there  was  no  peace  ; 
and  one  built  up  a  loall,  and,  lo,  others  daubed  it  luith  untempered 
mortar r — That  is,  with  false  principles-^false  doctrines— skinning 
over  the  wounds  of  the  consciences  of  sinners — plastering  them 
over  with  lying  flatteries,  and  deceitful  hopes  and  vain  delusions, 
like  a  stone  wall  built  and  plastered  over  with  untempered  mortar, 
which  cannot  endure  the  pressure  of  the  storm.  "  Say  unto  them^'' 
saith  the  Lord,  "  Say  unto  them  which  daub  it  with  untempered 
m^ortar,  that  it  shall  fall:  there  shall  be  an  overfloiving  shower ; 
and  ye,  O  great  hailstones,  shall  fall ;  and  a  stormy  wind  shall 
rend  it.  Lo,  lohen  the  wall  is  fallen,  shall  it  not  be  said  unto 
you,  where  is  the  daubing  wherewith  ye  have  daubed  it  ?" 
Where  are  your  lying  principles'? — -Where,  your  false  peace? — 
Where,  your  mock  charity? — Where,  your  hollow  liberalism,  when 
the  eternal  truth  of  the  living  God — the  authority  of  Jehovah's 

40 


626  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

despised  and  neglected  word,  and  the  judgment  of  the  great  day, 
shall  fall  like  a  tempest  on  your  head  ?"  "  Therefore  thus  saith 
the  Lord  God ;  1  will  even  rend  it  with  a  stormy  wind  in  my 
fury  ;  and  there  shall  he  an  overflowing  shower  in  mine  anger., 
and  great  hailstones  in  my  fury  to  consume  it.  So  will  I  break 
down  the  wall  that  ye  have  daubed  with  untempered  nior'tar^  and 
bring  it  down  to  the  ground.,  so  that  the  foundation  thereof  shall 
be  discovered,  and  it  shall  fall,  and  ye  shall  be  consumed  in  the 
tnidst  thereof :  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am,  the  hordP  Ezekiel 
xiii.  13,  14. 

Oh  consider  this ! — mark,  how  false  is  the  peace  which  false 
teachers  speak  to  an  ungodly  world,  and  how  certain  the  opposi- 
tion that  must  exist  between  that  world  and  the  testimony  of  God's 
eternal  truth  !  So  the  Lord  said  to  this  Prophet :  '•'■Behold,  I  have 
made  thy  face  strong  against  their  faces,  and  thy  forehead  strong 
against  their  foreheads.  As  an  adamant  harder  than  flint  have 
I  made  thy  forehead :  fear  them  not,  neither  be  dismayed  at  their 
looks,  though  they  be  a  rebellious  house.''''  Ezekiel  iii.  8,  9.  What 
wonder,  then,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  rejected  and  crucified ! 
What  wonder,  that  the  Apostle  felt  his  need  of  the  prayer  of  the 
Church  !  Whenever  the  faithful  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  borne 
in  an  ungodly  world,  there  must  be  an  eternal  opposition  between 
that  ungodly  world  and  that  truth.  There  can  be  no  peace  be- 
tween God  and  the  devil.  The  truth  of  God  cannot  make  peace 
witli  the  falsehoods  of  Satan.  And  Satan's  falsehoods  cannot 
make  peace  with  the  truth  of  God.  Therefore,  well  might  the 
Apostle  call  on  his  brethren,  when  he  was  in  bonds  for  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  to  pray  for  him,  that  he  might  be  enabled  "  to  open 

HIS  MOUTH  BOLDLY,  TO  MAKE  KNOWN  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE 
GOSPEL,  FOR  WHICH  HE  WAS  AN  AMBASSADOR  IN  BONDS  : 
THAT  THEREIN  HE  MIGHT  SPEAK  BOLDLY,  AS  HE  OUGHT  TO 
SPEAK." 

It  is  most  important  for  us  to  know,  and  to  attend  to  these  prin- 
ciples, because,  really,  in  the  present  day  it  seems,  as  it  were,  to 
be  the  perfection  of  charity  to  have  no  religion — to  prove  that  men 
have  no  sense  of  the  value  or  importance  of  any  religion  for  them- 
selves, by  the  avowal,  that  they  consider  it  of  no  consequence, 
what  is  the  religion  of  any  of  their  fellow-creatures. 

Charity,  falsely  so  called,  is  the  sheep's  clothing  of  the  wolf,  that 
preys  on  the  Church  and  Nation  at  this  day,  which,  with  the  cloak 
of  kindness  and  tenderness  to  men's  consciences — in  keeping  peace 
with  man,  and  having  no  disturbance  on  account  of  religion,  would 
trample  upon  truth  and  the  Bible,  in  the  land.  But  we  must  go 
to  our  Bibles,  we  must  remember  it  is  written,  '■'■Let  God  be  true, 
but  every  man  a  liar.''''  Jehovah's  word  must  stand.  Let  man 
think,  or  say,  or  do  what  he  pleases.  Let  us  remember,  that  God's 
Word  must  have  a  controversy  with  man,  and  so  must  all  those 
who  are  servants  of  Jehovah.  Men  do  not  put  on  armor  in  time 
of  peace — we  are  called  to  put  on  Christian  armor,  because 
Christianity  is  war — -war  against  Satan — war  against  sin — ^war 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  627 

not  against  sinneirf,  but  against  sin,  and  the  hardest  battle  of  all 
is  to  be  fought  in  our  own  bosoms. 

"77(6  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  hut  mighty 
through  God  to  the  pulling  doion  of  strong  holdsP  2  Cor.  x.  4. 
Men  may  wage  war  for  earthly  objects,  and  with  carnal  weapons, 
but  the  weapons  of  the  warfare  of  the  Christian,  are  God's  truth, 
God's  Holy  Word.  Oh  !  that  we  may  be  given  to  be  clothed  with 
His  armor,  and  armed  with  His  weapons,  and  that  we  may  be 
enabled  at  the  last,  to  say  with  the  Apostle,  -^I  have  fought  a  good 
fg'hf,  I  have  flushed  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith  :  Hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  tvhich  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and  not  to 
me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing.^''  2  Tim. 
iv.  7,  8.     Amen  and  Amen. 


FIFTY-SECOND     LECTURE. 


Ephesians  VI.— 21— 24. 


"  But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  and  how  I  do,  Tychicus,  a  beloved  brother 
and  faithful  minister  in  the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to  you  all  things  :  whom  I  have 
sent  unto  you  for  the  same  purpose,  that  ye  might  know  our  affairs,  and  that  he  might 
comfort  your  hearts.  Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with  faith,  from  God  the 
Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity.     Amen." 

The  boldness  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  in  those  who  are  really 
eminent  saints  and  servants  of  God,  is,  or  at  least,  ought  to  be, 
always  tempered  with  gentleness,  tenderness,  and  sympathy 
towards  our  fellow-sinners.  As  the  man  who  is  the  most  truly 
brave  is  always  the  most  truly  humane  and  benevolent ;  so  this 
ought  to  be  peculiarly  exemplified  in  the  spiritual  mind  of  the 
Christian.  It  was  eminently  so,  in  the  character  of  the  Apostle 
Paul.  For  we  see,  while  he  entreats  his  brethren  to  pray,  that  he 
might  ^'■Open  his  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  m,ystery  of 
the  GospelJ^  so  that  neither  the  bonds  he  endured,  nor  the  city  of 
idolaters  in  which  he  suffered,  nor  the  cruelty  of  a  Nero,  should 
make  him  shrink  from  his  duty  to  his  Lord  and  Master.  Yet  he 
exhibits  the  greatest  kindness  and  tenderness  of  heart.  So  he 
saith,  "But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  and  how  I 
DO,  Tychicus,  a  beloved  brother  and  faithful  minister 
IN  the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to  you  all  things:  whom 
I  have  sent  unto  you  for  the  same  purpose,  that  ye  might 
know  our  affairs,  and  that  he  might  comport  your 
hearts."  The  Apostle  knew  how  anxious  his  dear  brethren 
were  to  know  everything  about  him. 


628  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

"  Our  dear  and  faithful  Paul !  Our  beloved  Paul !  Our  beloved 
Minister  !  Our  blessed  Apostle,  who  was  so  long  with  us,  and  so 
labored  among'st  us  !  We  wonder  how  he  is  !  We  wonder  how 
he  is  enabled  to  stand  !  Is  his  life  in  danger  ?  How  does  he  get 
on  in  the  Heathen  Emperor's  court?  Who  supplies  his  wants? 
Who  attends  to  them  ?  Has  he  any  that  would  be  glad  to  minis- 
ter to  him  as  we  would  ?" 

All  these  anxious  inquiries  he  knew  were  in  the  heart  of  his 
Epliesian  brethren,  therefore,  he  says,  "  that  ye  may  know  my 

AFFAIRS,  AND  HOW  I  DO,  TyCHICUS,  A  BELOVED  BROTHElt  AND 
FAITHFUL  MINISTER  IN  THE  LoRD,  SHALL  MAKE  KNOWN  TO  YOU 

ALL  THINGS."  How  sweet  and  delightful  these  touches  are 
throughout  the  whole  of  God's  Word,  in  which  we  see  such  tender, 
affectionate  sympathies  that  come  home  to  our  own  hearts  !  We 
know  how  much  we  feel  ourselves,  for  those  we  love  when  in 
danger.  We  know  how  beloved  flocks  feel  when  their  pastor  is 
lemoved  from  them — and  see,  how  the  Lord  knows  we  feel  this. 
These  great  servants  and  saints  of  God  were  men  "  of  like  pas- 
sions loith  oiirselves,^^  we  see  they  were.  And  observe,  how  the 
Lord  is  so  gracious  even  in  these  things,  that  do  not  seem  intended 
to  instruct  us — that  do  not  profess  to  teach  us  points  of  doctrine, 
yet  how  beautiful  they  are,  and  how  illustrative  they  are  of  the 
true  character  of  genuine  Christianity,  tender,  faithful,  sympathetic, 
affectionate,  loving.  Such  was  this  mission  of  Tychicus,  by  the 
Apostle,  "Whom  1  have  sent  unto  you,"  he  says,  "for  this 

SAME   PURPOSE,  THAT  YE   MIGHT  KNOW  OUR  AFFAIRS,  AND  THAT 

HE  MIGHT  COMFORT  YOUR  HEARTS."  There  werc  many  circum- 
stances, no  doubt,  which  the  Apostle  would  not,  and  could  not 
commit  to  writing,  which  Tychicus  could  easily  communicate,  and 
much  to  refresh  their  hearts,  with  respect  both  to  himself  and  the 
cause  of  Christ,  in  the  court  of  Nero,  which  it  would  have  been 
wrong  to  embody  in  a  letter.  But  the  Apostle  sent  Tychicus, 
both  to  tell  them  all  things  and  to  comfort  their  hearts,  building 
them  up  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  enabling  them  to  see,  that 
though  in  bonds  at  Rome,  yet  ^'■Tliat  the  things  which  happened 
unto  him,  had  fallen  out  rather  unto  the  furtherance  of  the  Gos- 
pel." As  he  saith  to  the  Philippians,  "aS'o  that,'"  saith  he,  "my 
bonds  in  Christ  are  manifest  in  all  the  palace,  and  in  all  other 
places."  Phil.  i.  12.  13 — all  the  distress  and  difficulty  through 
which  I  have  passed,  in  the  end  have  been  made  the  means  of 
making  known  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  others ;  so 
that,  though  in  bonds,  though  a  prisoner,  yet  I  rejoice  in  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus  myself,  and  I  have  been  through  that  very  circum- 
stance, made  the  instrument  of  making  known  the  Gospel,  even 
to  those  who  are  of  Caesar's  household — even  in  the  midst  of  the 
Pagan  court  of  the  cruel  Nero ! 

What  a  privilege  then — -what  a  duty  is  intercessory  prayer ! 
What  a  blessing  it  is,  to  ourselves  and  others  !  We  see  how  this 
great  Apostle,  entreated  the  prayers  of  all  his  brethren  at  Ephesus, 
and  if  he  did,  what  need  have  we  of  prayer !     What  need  have 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  629 

we  poor  vile  sinners  !  and  above  all,  what  need  has  every  minister 
to  entreat  the  prayers  of  his  Christian  brethren  ?  If  those  in  pri- 
vate spheres  of  life  have  need  continually  of  the  prayers  of  their 
brethren,  how  much  more  do  those  who  are  engaged  in  spheres  of 
public  duty,  difficulty  and  trial,  how  much  more  do  they  need  con- 
tinually, the  prayers  and  supphcations,  of  all  those  to  whom  they 
are  known,  as  brethren  and  ministers  of  Christ !  I  am  sure,  if  I 
may  ask  a  favor,  a  kindness,  from  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  it  is 
that  you  will  remember  me  in  your  prayers,  at  the  throne  of  Grace, 
praying  the  Lord  Jesus,  according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace,  and 
my  deep  necessities,  to  pour  His  Spirit  into  my  heart,  and  O  !  what 
a  blessed  thought  it  is,  that  we  have  such  an  High  Priest,  ^'■who 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  all  that  come  unto  God  hy 
him."  I  trust  we  shall  be  enabled  to  bear  one  another,  in  our 
hearts  to  the  throne  of  His  grace. 

The  Apostle  concludes,  as  he  began,  with  a  benediction. 

The  beginnings  and  conclusions  of  the  Apostolical  Epistles  are 
like  the  beginnings  and  conclusions  of  the  life  of  grace  in  the  soul 
of  the  sinner.  They  begin,  as  we  have  seen,  with  the  benediction 
of  "  Grace  and  peace  from  God  the  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  as  in  this  Epistle,  "  Grace  be  to  you,  and  peace,  from 
God  our  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  chap.  i.  2, 
and  they  close,  as  we  see  here,  "  peace  be  to  the  brethren, 

AND     LOVE    WITH     FAITH,    FROM    GoD    THE    FaTHER    AND    THE 

Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love 
OUR  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  Amen." 

So  it  is,  my  dear  friends,  with  the  life  of  a  believer.  His  spir- 
itual hfe  begins  from  grace,  grace  commences  the  work.  His  spir- 
itual life  is  carried  on  by  grace,  grace  continues  the  work.  His 
spiritual  life  is  closed  by  grace,  grace  consummates  the  work. 
When  the  top-stone  of  the  spiritual  temple  shall  be  laid,  it 
shall  be  with  shoutings,  crying,  "  Grace,  Grace  unto  it,"  Zech. 
iv.  7. 

Grace  brings  peace  to  the  soul,  and  so  peace  comes  from  God 
the  Father  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  entrance  of  the 
Gospel  into  the  sinner's  soul  imparts  to  him  the  knowledge  of 
peace,  from  his  God.  The  sinner  is  at  war  with  God  by  nature, 
and  he  thinks  that  God  is  at  war  with  him ;  his  conscience  tells 
him,  that  he  has  provoked  his  God,  that  God  has  reason  to  be 
angry  with  him,  he  would  long  to  hide  from  Him— he  is  afraid  of 
His  presence,  and  therefore  he  trembles  to  meet  His  Heavenly 
Judge.  But  when  his  eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  glory  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus,  he  sees  it  is  a  message  of  love  from  God,  pro- 
claiming to  him  pardon  and  peace.  Whenever  the  Gospel  does 
really  come  to  the  sinner's  heart,  this  is  the  truth,  the  great  truth 
— the  light  that  breaks  in  upon  his  soul.  "  Can  this  be  true?"  he 
asks — "  Is  there,  indeed,  peace  for  a  sinful  wretch  like  me  ?  Is 
there  peace— is  there  pardon  from  my  God?  Is  it  indeed  my 
blessed  privilege  to  look  up  to  my  Heavenly  Father  as  a  reconciled 
God?     Can  I  come  to  Jesus  as  my  friend?     Can  I  pour  out  my 


630  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

heart  before  him  ?     Can  I  tell  Him  what  I  would  not  dare  to  tell 
my  dearest  earthly  friend  ?     Can  I  lay  bare  my  iniquity  before 
Him,  and  be  assured  that  He  will  not  cast  me  out,  but  will  cover 
me  with  His  righteousness,  and  wash  me  in  His  blood,  and  save 
me,  and  take  me,  and  bring  me  to  Sion  ?     Can  I  be  assured  of 
this  ?    Is  this  the  Gospel  ?    Oh  good  news  ! — Glad  tidings  of  great 
joy  ! — Oh  blessed  peace  !"     It  is  then  the  sinner  begins  to  under- 
stand the  sacred  Scriptures,  when  they  speak  the  language  of 
peace  to  his  soul.     He  comprehends  something  of  our  blessed 
Lord's  conversation  with  His  disciples  in  the  14th,  15th,  and  16th 
chapters  of  St.  John,  which  he  closes  with  these  memorable  words  : 
— "  These  things  I  have  spoken  mito  you  that  in  me  ye  wight 
have  peace.     In  the  loorld  ye  shall  have  tribulation  :  but  be  of 
good  cheer  ;  I  have  overcome  the  world.''^  John  xvi.  33.     He  begins 
to  comprehend  that  passage  on  which  we  dwelt  so  long,  in  the  2nd 
chapter  of  this  Epistle  : — "  But  7iow  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who  sotne- 
tim,es  were  far  off  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.     For  he 
is  oar  peace,  rvho  hath  made  both  07ie,  and  hath  broken  doivn  the 
middle  wall  of  partition  between  us ;  having  abolished  in  his 
flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  com^mandments  contaitied  in 
ordiiiances  ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  one  new  inan,  so 
making  peace  ;  and  that  he  m,ight  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one 
body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby :  and  came 
afid  jireached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that 
were  nighP  Chap,  ii-  13 — -17.     Peace  is  the  language  of  the  Gos- 
pel as  addressed  to  the  believer's  soul.     So  the  Apostle  saith  here, 
— "Peace  be  to  the    brethren,  and   love  with    faith, 
FROM  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."    The 
beginning  of  preaching  is  to  bring  peace.     The  end  of  preaching 
is  to  bring  peace.     Not  as  if  the  end  of  God's  glory  was  to  be 
found  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner.     But  the  end  of  God's  glory  is 
to  bring  up  the  sinner's  heart  to  God — to  bring  the  sinner's  affec- 
tions to  God — the  sinner's  will  to  God — the  sinner's  body  and  soul 
to  God — to  bring  him  into  the  service  and  love  of  his  Heavenly 
Master.     And  how  is  this  achieved?     By  peace  with  love  and 
faith;  so  he  saith,  "Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love 
with  faith,  from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesu.s 
Christ.     Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."     Peace  be  to  them  from  God 
THE  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Love  be  to  them 
from  God  the  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Faith  be  to 
them  "  from  God  the  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
These  are  all  his  gifts,  and  they  are  all  spoken  of  with  reference 
to  their  own  peculiar  ends  or  operations.     Peace  be  to  the  sinner's 
soul — a  proclamation  of  pardoning  mercy,  and  peace  from  God, 
through  Christ.     Love  be  to  the  sinner's  soul,  the  testimony  of 
God's  love — the  proclamation  of  God's  love,  as  the  Apostle  saith, 
"  Hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us." 
Romaas  v.  5.     The  Holv  Ghost  testifies  of  the  love  of  God  to  the 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  631 

sinner's  soul — commends — proves  that  love  to  him,  in  that  ^^  while 
we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us,'"  Rom.  v.  8.  That  love 
frotp  God  produces  love  in  the  sinner's  heart ;  we  have  a  common 
phrase,  "  Love  begets  love,"  and  it  is  a  very  true  one.  If  our  fel- 
low-sinners love  us,  and  manifest  their  love  to  us,  it  will  necessa- 
rily produce  in  our  hearts  love  to  them — we  cannot  but  love  them. 
How  much  more,  when  "  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us."  When  the 
Holy  Spirit  testifies  of  the  love,  the  exceeding  riches  of  the  love 
of  Christ,  in  pardoning  our  guilt — in  bearing  "  our  si)is  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree," — taking  us  out  of  the  midst  of  our  iniquity 
— washing  us  in  his  precious  blood — ^keeping  us  by  his  power — 
and  bringing  us  to  Sion.  When  the  Spirit  testifies  of  such  love 
to  the  sinner,  it  necessarily  produces  in  the  heart  love  to  God. 
Love,  then,  produces  the  fruits  of  love,  that  is,  holy  obedience — a 
desire  to  love ;  for  we  feel  our  love,  alas  !  so  cold,  and  our  best 
obedience  so  defiled,  compared  with  what  it  ought  to  be,  that  we 
can  scarcely  feel  it  amounts  to  more  than  a  desire  to  glorify  Him, 
and  to  manifest  that  we  are  his,  as  we  ought  to  do.  Therefore. 
we  have  ever  need  to  pray  to  Him,  as  in  that  beautiful  thanksgiv- 
ing of  our  Church,  that  he  will  "  give  us  such  a  due  sense  of  his 
mercies,  that  our  hearts  may  be  unfeignedly  thankful,  and  that 
we  may  show  forth  His  praise,  not  only  with  our  lips  but  in  our 
lives  ;  by  giving  up  ourselves  to  His  service,  and  by  walking  before 
Him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  our  days."  There  is — there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  godly  practice,  but  that  which  springs 
from  godl}^  principles.  There  can  be  no  such  thing  as  obedience 
to  God,  but  the  obedience  that  comes  from  God.  There  is  no 
such  thing  as  love  to  God,  but  that  love  which  He  imparts  to  the 
heart,  from  the  knowledge  of  sin  blotted  out  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  The  notion  men  have  of  loving  God,  from  the  loveliness 
of  God's  nature — the  amiability  and  goodness  of  God's  character, 
which  is  a  favorite  principle  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ;  and  as  we 
hear  of,  in  what  is  called  natural  religion,  is  all  a  mere  delusion 
of  Satan — a  well-dressed  lie,  coming  from  the  father  of  lies.  There 
is  not  a  shadow  of  truth  in  it.  "  The  world  by  wisdom  knew  not 
God."  1  Cor.  i.  21.  And  man  cannot  love  a  Being  of  whom  he 
is  totally  ignorant.  The  natural  man  cannot  appreciate  or  under- 
stand God's  character !  on  the  contrary,  when  God's  character  is 
set  before  him,  he  hates  the  Divine  Being.  He  loves  a  god  of  his 
imagination — he  loves  the  God  of  beautiful  flowers,  and  waving 
harvests,  and  sunny  days,  and  moonlight  nights — he  loves  the 
God  of  the  calm  sea — of  the  lovely  heavens  and  a  smiling  earth. 
He  loves  the  God  of  all  these  things,  but  he  does  not  love  the  God 
of  earthquakes,  darkness,  whirlwinds,  hurricanes,  famines,  and 
pestilences — the  God  that  shall  rend  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  to 
sit  in  judgment  upon  a  guilty  world,  and  "  take  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  Gospel."  Set  forth  God  in 
the  holiness  and  justice  of  his  character  as  a  God  that  "  will  by 
no  means  clear  the  guilty," — he  cannot  bear  that  God.     He  love?! 


C3w  LECTURES    OX    THE    EPHESIANS. 

a  God  of  wluit  he  calls  mercy — a  god  who  will  not  punish  sin; 
who  will  extenuate  his  failhigs.  and  make  allowance  for  his  faults 
— who  will  allow  for  the  religious  amiabilities  of  his  character, 
and  be  satisfied  with  his  eflbrts  to  please  Him  at  some  times*,  as 
an  aiojiement  for  his  sin  at  others  ;  or  who  will  be  propitiated  with 
his  self-hitlicted  penances  and  prayers  for  his  sin — he  likes  a  god 
of  that  kind : — but  he  hates  the  righteous.  jusU  holy  God,  who 
declares,  "  TT  hosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law.  and  yet  offend  in 
one  point,  he  is  gnilti/  of  all." — ••  Wiio  denounces  a  curse  on 
every  one  that  coutuuieth  not  in  all  things  tiiat  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law,  to  do  them."  He  abhors  that  God.  Therefore, 
when  you  set  the  real  character  of  God.  as  revealed  in  His  Holy 
Word,  before  the  sinner  hi  his  natural  state,  he  hates  the  God  of 
the  Bible  as  much  as  he  was  pleased  with  the  god  of  his  imagina- 
tion. The  notion  of  loving  God  from  the  contemplation  of  God's 
character,  is  a  dream — a  delusive  dream  of  lying  superstition,  or 
infidel  philosophy;  it  has  neither  truth  nor  Scripture  to  support  it. 
The  only  way  in  which  a  sinner  can  be  brought  to  love  his  God 
is  by  the  knowledge  of  God's  eternal  word:  the  knowledge  of 
God's  truth  bringing  peace  to  his  soul — by  pardon  for  all  his  guilt ; 
and  that  not  on  the  false  assumption  of  ignorance,  that  God  will 
not  punish  sin.  but  on  the  tremendous  terms — the  awful  purchase 
of  the  blood  of  our  blessed  and  adorable  Redeemer,  "  who  bore  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree." 

When  this  conveys  to  the  sinner's  soul,  the  peace  that  flows 
from  the  pardon  of  sin  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  then  indeed 
there  is  love  of  God's  character :  he  can  then  behold  Him.  in  the 
most  tremendous  exercises  of  His  attribute  of  justice  :  and  the  very- 
justice  of  God.  endears  and  exalts  his  character  to  the  conscience 
of  the  vilest  sinner,  because  he  sees  he  can  "be Just  and  the Justi- 
Jierofhini  that  believeth  in  Jesus  :"  he  sees  that  glorious  Redeemer, 
in  whom  mercy  and  truth  meet  together,  m  whom  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jehovah's  character,  and  still,  peace  to  the  vilest  sinner, 
have  kissed  each  other :  then  he  understands  the  Apostle's  word 
in  this  place,  ••  peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with 
FAITH."  By  God's  love  to  you.  your  love  is  kindled  and  your 
heart  is  drawn  to  your  God.  that  yoti  may  know,  and  love,  and 
serve  Him.  It  is  this  that  makes  religion  not  a  mere  nominal 
profession  ;  but,  a  vital  principle,  a  genuine  living  principle  in  the 
heart,  "  We  love  Him.  because  He  first  loved  us:'  1  John  iv.  19, 
we  love  Hun  "  TT'Ao  hath  loved  fis,  and  g-iven  himself  for  us" 
V.  2.  Then  death — death  so  horrible  to  nature — even  death  loses 
its  sting,  because  you  know  that  He  will  walk  with  you,  through 
the  valley  of  its  shadow.  And  then  the  coming  of  your  glorious 
Master,  the  coming  of  that  blessed  Lord,  to  which  the  unconverted 
sinner  looks  with  horror,  that  is  your  season  of  true  anticipated 
joy — that  is  your  harvest  time  of  hope  and  glory,  for  "  to  them 
that  look  for  Him  shall  he  appear  the  second  time  without  sin 
unto  salvatio)i."  Heb.  x.  2S.  Then  your  body,  raised  up  in  the 
glory  of  the  resurrection,  shall  be  reunited  to  your  glorified  spirit, 


LECTURES    ON    THt    EPHESIANS.  633 

and  then  you  shall  be  with  your  Lord  forever.  Then  peace,  and 
love,  shall  last  for  evermore. 

Peace  and  love,  can  .never  come  but  with  faith — through  faith 
alone  we  can  receive  the  blessing  of  peace,  it  is  "  being  justified 
by  faith,  that  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesiis 
Christ.'^  Rom.  v.  1.  It  is  by  faith  alone  we  can  apprehend  the 
love  of  our  blessed  Lord,  which  thus  makes  faith  work  by  love  in 
our  hearts,  faith  can  apprehend  these  now  in  a  degree,  but  then 
it  shall  be  lost  in  everlasting  joy  and  glory. 

Therefore  what  a  blessed  benediction  with  which  to  close  this 
Epistle,  "  Peace  be  with  the   brethren  and  love  with 

FAITH,     FROM      GoD      THE     FaTHER      AND      THE      LoRD      JeSUS 

Christ."  Then  shall  the  power  of  divine  truth,  the  power  of 
the  glorious  Gospel  be  really  manifested  to  your  soul,  and  really 
draw  your  heart  from  sin  and  Satan,  the  world,  the  llesh,  and  the 
devil,  into  the  love  and  service  of  your  Heavenly  Master. 

Perhaps,  some  one  here  may  complain,  as  all  are,  more  or  less, 
constrained  to  do.  '•  Oh  !  that  I  could  but  feel  the  power  of  love 
within  !  Jesus  is  my  only  Refuge — -He  is  all  my  hope,  and  all  my 
Salvation — but,  alas  !  I  feel  so  cold  and  dead,  1  never  feel  1  love 
Him  as  I  ought  to  do." 

My  dear  friends,  you  never  can  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as 
you  desire  to  love  Him  ;  but  the  very  feeling,  that  you  do  not  love 
Him  as  you  ought  to  do,  proves  that  you  do  love  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Mourning  for  the  absence  of  a  person,  proves  our  love  to  iiim,  as 
much  as  rejoicing  in  his  presence.  The  soul  that  is  cast  down 
under  a  sense  of  not  loving  the  Lord,  shows  that  it  loves  the  Lord 
as  much  as  when  it  rejoices  in  the  light  of  His  countenance. 
Therefore,  be  not  discouraged  when  you  look  within,  and  when 
you  find  yourselves  full  of  sin,  and  pride,  and  deadness,  and  misery, 
but  lift  up  your  eyes  and  look  to  your  glorious  Saviour.  See, 
what  a  blessed  ground  you  have,  for  loving  and  trusting  your  Lord 
and  Master  !  You  will  find  in  the  heart  of  Jesus,  a  Refuge  from 
the  deadness,  ancl  coldness,  and  baseness,  and  ingratitude  of  your 
own.  Oh !  look  to  Christ !  What  a  precious  Saviour  He  is  to 
poor,  helpless,  guilty  sinners  like  us  !  Oh  !  "  look  unto  him 
and  be  ye  saved T'     "Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love 

WITH    faith,  from    GoD    THE  FaTHER    AND    THE    LoRD  JeSUS 

Christ." 

See,  again  here,  what  a  blessed  thought  the  unity  of  the  God- 
head is  to  the  soul  of  the  sinner !  You  cannot  look  to  God  the 
Father  as  an  angry  God ;  and  to  God  the  Son  as  your  Peace. 
God  the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  are  One  in  essence,  in  glory,  in 
will,  and  in  all  the  covenant  of  Salvation,  '•  /  and  my  Father  are 
one,'^  saith  Christ.  John  x.  20.  All  the  blessings  that  are  pro- 
claimed to  you  in  Scripture  through  Jesus,  come  to  you  from  God 
the  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Our  blessed  Lord  sets 
this  forth  most  conclusively,  where  He  shows  that  the  Church  of 
His  people,  are  the  Father's  gift  to  Him,  that  in  their  salvation  He 
fulfils  His  Father's  will.  '■'  All  that  the   Father  giveth  me  shall 


634  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

come  to  tne,  and  him  that  cometh  to  me,  /  vnll  in  no  wise  cast 
out ;  for  I  came  down  from,  heaven,  not  to  do  mme  owji  will,  hut 
the  will  of  him  that  sent  tne.  And  this  is  the  Fathefs  will  that 
hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose 
tiothing,  but  should  raise  it  tip  again  at  the  last  dayP  John  vi. 
37 — 39.  See,  tlie  love  of  God  the  Father  is  but  manifested  in  the 
love  and  salvation  of  Christ  Jesus  to  the  sinner,  in  his  salvation 
from  first  to  last !  So  the  Apostle  but  sets  forth  the  glorious  cove- 
nant of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity,  when  he  saith,  "  Peace  be  to 

THE  BRETHREN,  AND  LOVE  WITH  FAITH,  FROM  GoD  THE 

Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  What  God  the  Father 
giveth,  the  Lord  Jesus  giveth — -what  God  the  Son  giveth,  God  the 
Father  giveth.  Oh  !  what  a  blessed  love  is  that  to  the  poor  sin- 
ner !  All  his  salvation  secure  in  the  eternal  covenant  of  God  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

Then,  it  is  remarkable,  he  says,  "Peace  be  to  the 
BRETHREN."  But  he  had  just  been  exhorting  them,  as  we  have 
seen  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  to  put  on  the  armor  of 
war — that  they  were  in  the  midst  of  war,  and  to  prepare  for  battle. 
Yet,  though  he  tells  them  they  are  in  the  midst  of  war  and  con- 
dict,  he  says,  "Peace  be  to  the  brethren." 

Well,  and  so  there  is  peace  in  the  midst  of  war — peace  in  conflict 
— peace  in  battles— peace  in  the  midst  of  enemies — peace,  while 
all  the  powers  of  darkness,  earth,  and  hell  are  raging  around  the 
sinner  who  is  brought  to  trust  in  his  Redeemer.  There  is  peace 
in  the  midst  of  all.  Not  peace  with  his  own  body  of  sin  and  death 
— not  peace  with  sin — not  peace  with  the  enemies  of  God — not 
peace  with  the  devil — but  peace  with  God,  in  the  midst  of  war  with 
them  all.  Oh  !  if  we  have  peace  with  God,  it  is  no  matter  through 
what  conflicts  we  have  to  go — and  if  we  have  not  peace  with  God, 
poor  and  wretched  is  the  miserable  peace  that  sinners  can  enjoy 
with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  "  When  he  giveth  quiet- 
ness who  then  can  make  trouble  ?"  Job  xxxiv.  29.  And  when  the 
sinner  has  not  peace  with  God — when  he  is  at  war  with  his  God, 
what  matter  with  whom  he  can  be  at  peace ! 

"  When  the  strong  man  armed  keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods 
are  at  peace ;"  but  that  is  a  terrible  peace,  for  the  end  of  that 
peace  shall  be  eternal  war  with  God.  But  when  the  sinner  has 
peace  with  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  then,  all  his  con- 
flicts shall  soon  be  past,  and  then,  eternal  peace  and  ^'everlasting 
joy  shall  be  upon  his  head.^^  Oh  !  my  beloved  friends,  I  trust  the 
Lord  will  give  us  all  that  peace  "Peace  from  God  the  Father 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

He  then  concludes  with  a  prayer  for  all  the  children  of  God, 
"Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
IN  sincerity.  Amen."  This  is  the  great  bond  of  union  be- 
tween God's  people.  It  is  not  an  outward  unity  of  form.  An 
outward  form  presents  a  very  slender  bond  of  union  indeed, 
between  those  who  bear  the  name  of  Christ.  Many  men,  we  see, 
are  united  in  outward  form,  whose  hearts  and  principles  are  totally 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  635 

and  diametrically  opposite.  They  know  not,  and  cling  not  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  No  form  can  graft  men  into  The  Living 
Vine.  And  where  there  is  no  vital  union  with  the  stem,  there  can- 
not be  a  vital  union  between  the  branches.  The  great  bond  of 
union  is  this — love  to  Jesus.  "  Grace  be  with  all  them  that 
LOVE  OUR  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."  Now,  observe. 
he  saith,  "Grace  be  with  them."  Remember,  that  those  who 
most  love  and  serve  Christ,  have  just  as  much  need  of  grace  at  the 
last,  as  at  the  first.  We  cannot  live  for  a  moment  without  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  freely  pardoning  our  sins.  We  want  par- 
don continually — we  want  grace  to  pardon  us,  and  mercy  to  keep 
us  every  day  and  every  hour.  We  must,  as  we  have  often  said, 
begin,  continue,  and  end  with  grace.  Therefore,  he  says,  "  Grace 
be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity."  And,  my  dear  friends,  that  is  given  to  the  sinner's 
heart  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus. 

It  is  love  to  Christ  and  love  to  His  servants,  which  proves  and 
tests  the  genuine  conversion  of  a  sinner  to  God,  this  is  the  love  of 
those  who  love  their  Redeemer,  "  We  knoiv"  saith  the  Apostle 
John,  ^^that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  ice  love 
the  brethren,^''  1  John  iii.  14,  and  that  is  as  we  have  seen,  the 
grand  principle,  which  is  declared  to  us  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
to  be  the  test  of  man's  salvation,  in  the  day  of  His  coming.  "/ 
was  an  hungered  and  ye  gave  me  meoi,  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye 
gave  me  drink,  naked  and  ye  clothed  me,  sick  and  in  prison,  and 
ye  visited  /?ie,"  and  then  He  illustrates  His  meaning,  and  the  ap- 
plication of  His  principle,  '-'In  as  ?mich  as  ye  have  done  it  unto 
one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 
Matt.  XXV.  40,  as  He  declareth  in  another  place  to  His  disciples. 
'•  Whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  my  name, 
because  you  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  not 
lose  his  reioard.^''  Mark  ix.  41,  but,  no  person  can  give  to  their 
fellow  men,  even  a  cup  of  water,  because  they  belong  to  Christ, 
unless  that  person  belongs  to  Christ,  himself.  Then  this  is  his 
language,  "  Here  is  my  brother,  or  my  sister,  who  loves  my  Lord, 
and  Master — who  "loves  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sin- 
cerity," therefore  my  heart  saith,  "  grace  be  with  them.'" 
They  are  the  children  of  my  Father.  They  are  one  with  mv 
Lord  and  Master,  and  one  I  trust  with  me  for  eternity.  Shall  I 
not  give  to  them  because  they  belong  to  Christ?  This  is  the 
principle — the  true  principle  of  love.  Hence  how  could  the  Apostle 
more  appositely  conclude  an  Epistle,  that  breathes  of  grace  and 
love,  than  with  these  words,  "grace  be  with  all  them  that 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."  This  is  the 
principle  that  ought  to  animate  the  heart  of  all  God's  people.  If 
we  belong  to  Him,  we  shall  surely  love  "  all  them  that  love 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."* 

*  Those  who  may  remember  the  delivery  of  these  Lectures,  will  perhaps  observe 
omitted  here  a  dissertation,  on  the  value  and  importance  of  Infant  Schools,  as  early 


633  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

And  now  my  beloved  friends,  I  must  bring  my  lectures  to  a  close ; 
I  cannot  do  so  without  expressing  my  gratitude  to  Almighty  God, 
for  the  privilege  of  having  been  permitted,  when  shut  out  of  any 
sphere  of  more  active  service  in  His  Church,  through  a  visitation 
of  His  own  Almighty  hand,  to  minister,  however  humbly,  in  His 
Holy  Word,  now  for  so  long  a  time  among  you.  I  trust  through 
His  grace,  these  plain  and  unpretending  elforts,  to  set  forth  in 
simplicity  the  truth  of  His  everlasting  Gospel,  may  have  been 
blest  to  awaken — to  help — to  strengthen — to  comfort  and  refresh 
the  souls  of  many  among  you,  on  your  way  to  Zion ;  and  that  so 
His  glorious  Word  may  have  been  made  a  blessing  to  your  souls. 
1  am  sure  it  has  often  been  a  blessing  to  my  own,  to  set  before 
you  that  truth  which  is  all  my  own  salvation;  and  so  far  from 
counting  it  a  trouble  to  come  here,  be  assured,  my  dear  friends,  I 
have  considered  it  a  happy  privilege.  But  having  now,  as  yon 
know,  other  duties  imposed  on  me,  having  undertaken  a  task 
which  I  have  not  been  able  to  attempt  for  many  years,*  I  do  not 
think  I  could,  under  any  circumstances,  have  been  able  to  continue 
my  lectures  among  you ;  and  therefore,  I  trust,  we  shall  all  see 
and  feel,  that  as  they  were  commenced  through  the  Lord's  provi- 
dence, so  they  are  by  His  gracious  dispensation,  providentially 
brought  to  a  close.  1  have  to  express  my  sincere  sense  of  grati- 
tude to  your  Rector,  for  his  kindness  in  permitting  me  to  conclude 
these  lectures  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians. 

And  now,  my  beloved  friends,  I  speak  to  you  who  know  the 
Blessed  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  when  we  cease  our  min- 
istrations in  any  way,  or  when  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  close  the 
door  of  them  by  any  of  His  dispensations — by  removal,  by  death — 
or  by  any  other  means,  we  ought  to  speak  of  it  with  thankfulness, 
for  the  blessings  we  have  enjoyed  in  any  means  of  grace  which 
He  has  afforded  to  us. 

When  we  meet  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Lamb,  before  our  glori- 
ous and  adorable  Redeemer,  we  shall  look  back  with  gratitude  and 
praise,  at  all  the  means  we  have  enjoyed,  whether  domestic  means — 
or  sermons  in  Churches — or  lectures  in  School-houses,  or  in  any 
other  way  which  His  mercy  has  afforded  us.  We  shall  be  enabled 
to  remember  and  recall  all  the  means  by  which  the  Lord  has  been 
pleased  to  strengthen  and  help  us,  and  build  us  up  in  our  most 
holy  faith — teaching  us  to  look  for  and  haste  unto  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  One  means  whereby  the  Lord  very  often 
builds  up  his  people  is,  by  teaching  them  not  to  lean  on  an  arm 
of  flesh — on  broken  cisterns.  Dear  friends,  it  is  a  blessing — ^a 
comfort — -a  ground  of  joy,  to  those  who  are  permitted  in  any  way 
to  minister  among  the  people,  and  to  be  of  any  use  to  them,  that 

instilling  into  the  breast  of  childhood,  the  principles  of  the  knowledge  and  love  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  an  appeal  to  the  inhabitants  of  Bray,  to  support  that  one  in 
which  these  Lectures  were  delivered.  The  Lecturer  trusts  they  do  not  forgot  the  sub- 
ject of  that  appeal,  but,  it  would  be  irrelevant  to  retain  it  in  this  publication. 

*  The  Author  was  just  at  this  time  appointed  to  the  Church  at  Harold's  Cross,  in 
1838 ;  having  been  for  many  years  unable,  from  inflammatory  attacks  in  the  trachea, 
to  undertake  any  stated  service  in  the  Church. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  637 

there  should  be  a  bond  of  union  and  affection  between  tbem,  as  I 
think  there  is  between  us,  and  shall  be,  I  hope,  for  eternity.  But 
like  every  other  blessing,  this  one  is  often  greatly  abused.  We 
are  alas  !  too  apt  to  lean  on  an  arm  of  flesh,  and  to  think  of  poor 
instruments  more  highly  than  we  ought  to  think.  What  are  we  .^ 
Nothing,  but  poor,  wretched,  miserable  earthen  vessels ;  the  best 
of  us  is  nothing  but  a  broken  cistern.  If  we  have  the  excellency 
of  the  treasure  of  God's  word  within  us,  it  is,  that  "  the  excellency 
of  the  po7ver  tnai/  be  of  God  and  7iot  of  nsJ''  And  indeed,  dear 
friends,  if  we  have  taken  sweet  counsel  together  with  our  teachers 
at  any  time,  or  in  any  way ;  and  enjoyed  the  blessing  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  their  ministrations,  we  are  too  prone  to  depend  on  them,  and 
to  think  of  them  above  what  is  written.  And  therefore,  it  is  often 
a  great  blessing,  that  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  break  these  bonds,  and 
to  teach  us,  that  '^  neither  is  he  that  planteth  anything,  neither 
he  that  watereth ;  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase,^''  1  Cor.  iii.  7, 
to  teach  us  that  all  are  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water ; 
and  therefore  to  make  us  turn  to  "  The  Fountain  of  living  waters^ 
So  dear  friends,  I  hope  we  shall  learn  to  drink  more  deeply  of  that 
Blessed  Fountain.  That  Ministry  alone  is  truly  blest  which 
teaches  us  to  prize  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  more  and  more,  to  grow 
in  grace^to  study  our  Bibles — to  pray  to  God  more  earnestly,  and 
more  diligently  to  seek  Him  in  His  Holy  Word.  If  you  had  Paul 
to  plant,  and  ApoUos  to  water,  God  alone  could  give  the  increase. 
No  matter  from  what  earthly  source  we  may  receive  instruction, 
we  can  receive  no  profitable  instruction  but  from  God.  None. 
Therefore,  let  me  earnestly  entreat  you,  as  a  parting  admonition, 
to  study  your  Bibles — to  search  the  Scriptures,  in  the  length  and 
the  breadth  of  them — to  bring  all  human  instruction  "  To  the  law 
and  to  the  testimony'''' — -to  pray  earnestly  and  devotedly  to  your 
Lord  for  yourselves — -for  your  families — for  all  whom  you  are 
bound  to  bear  on  your  hearts  to  the  footstool  of  the  Throne  of  Grace. 
If  you  are  enabled  to  rest  on  the  Lord,  and  to  drink  at  the  '■'•Foun- 
tain of  living  waters^''  you  will  learn  more  and  more  that  broken 
cisterns  are  nothing — you  will  learn  more,  to  '•'•Cease  from  man, 
lohose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils,  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted 
ofr     Isaiah  ii.  22. 

I  have  to  return  you  my  grateful  thanks,  (I  have  waited  till  now 
to  do  so,)  for  the  beautiful  Bible  with  which  you  have  been  so 
kind  as  to  present  me.  I  trust,  I  shall  keep  it  as  the  most  accept- 
able proof  of  your  love — and  as  the  most  grateful  token  of  your 
affection.  I  trust  I  shall  keep  it  with  an  affection,  at  least, 
proportionate  to  the  love  with  which  I  know  it  has  been  be- 
stowed. I  have  only  one  favor  to  ask,  and  that  is, — I  would 
most  humbly  and  earnestly  entreat  of  you  all,  that  I  may  have 
an  interest  in  your  prayers,  and  be  remembered  at  the  Throne 
of  Grace. 

My  dear  friends,  every  poor  sinner  needs  the  prayers  and  sup- 
plications both  of  himself  and  his  fellow-sinners ;  but  of  all  per- 
sons, ministers  need  it  most.     We  had,  in  our  last  lecture,  St.  Paul 


638  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

eatreating  the  prayers  of  his  Ephesian  brethren  ;  and  if  an  inspired 
Apostle  felt  it  needful  to  solicit  the  prayers  of  his  Christian  breth- 
ren, how  niucii  more  may  a  poor  unworthy  sinner,  such  as  I  am  ! 
Therefore,  dear  friends,  I  would  most  earnestly  entreat  your 
prayers  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  for  ni}'^  own  soul,  and  for  my  min- 
istry, especially,  as  you  know,  I  am  much  engaged  on  subjects  of 
controversy,  I  would  earnestly  entreat  your  prayers  in  my  behalf. 
Controversy  is  a  trial  to  the  spirit  of  a  Christian  ;  we  are  so  very 
apt  to  engage  in  it  in  our  own  strength,  and  we  are  so  very  apt  to 
forget  even  the  liighest  and  most  important  interests  of  truth, 
unless  our  gracious  God  keeps  us  by  His  Spirit  and  His  power. 
We  are  too  often,  alas  !  ready  to  forget  them,  and  perhaps  to  con- 
tend for  argument,  and  self,  and  victory  rather  than  for  truth — for 
the  glory  of  our  God,  and  the  salvation  of  our  fellow-men.  This 
is  a  great  evil  in  us  ;  but  it  does  not  make  controversy,  for  the 
cause  of  Christ,  a  less  important  duty.  It  is  a  most  solemn  dut}^ 
— it  is  a  most  awful  duty — imperative  on  every  Christian  in  this 
country,  and  I  hope  the  Lord  God  will  raise  up  men  to  a  sense  of 
their  duty,  till  our  poor  fellow-countrymen  are  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  But  all  who  are  engaged  in  it  need 
the  prayers  of  their  brethren,  for  their  own  souls — for  the  success 
of  their  work  and  labor,  which  ought  to  be  a  labor  of  love,  (and  I 
trust  I  can  say  I  desire  it  to  be  so,  as  far  as  I  can  engage  in  it.) 
for  the  souls  of  their  poor  fellow-sinners.  And  I  would  earnestl)' 
call  on  you  to  pray,  too,  for  our  poor  Roman  Catholic  coimtry- 
men,  that  God  would  send  out  His  blessed  Word  amongst  them, 
and  bring  them  out  of  darkness  into  His  marvellous  light,  and 
out  of  the  Apostacy  of  Rome  into  the  bosom  of  the  Christian 
Church. 

And  now,  my  beloved  friends,  let  me  speak  a  word  to  those  of 
you  who  know  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  whole  salvation  of  your 
souls,  and  who  "  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set 
before  youP  Heb.  vi.  18. 

How  sweet  is  the  consolation  of  the  Gospel  to  the  heart  of  the 
believer ;  how  does  it  temper  with  love  and  mercy  all  the  dispen- 
sations of  God  to  his  soul.  If  we  part  from  those  we  love,  but  to 
whom  we  are  united  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  affection,  how  is 
the  trial  tempered  with  the  joyful  hope,  that  it  is  but  for  a  season, 
that  when  we  part  from  each  other  we  have  a  blessed  prospect  of 
being  soon  reunited,  that  "  When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall 
appear,  then  shall  we  also  appear  with  Him  in.  Glory, ^^  Col.  iii.  4, 
when  we  '-shall  be  ever  ivith  the  Lord,^'  when  we  ''shall  go  no 
more  out^''  but  dwell  in  the  mansions  of  our  Father's  royal  house, 
which  is  our  home  and  our  rest,  forever  and  ever.  Therefore,  the 
very  trial  of  parting  from  friends,  with  whom  we  have  taken 
sweet  counsel,  serves  but  to  enhance  the  consolations  of  the  ever- 
lasting Gospel,  as  the  miseries  we  endure  on  a  journey,  or  a 
voyage,  but  give  a  double  relish  to  the  sweet  prospect  before  us  of 
arriving  at  our  journey's  end,  and  at  our  happy  home,  wherefore, 
let  us  "  comfort  one  another  tvith  these  words."  1  Thess.  iv.  18. 


LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS.  639 

But,  let  me  now  say  a  few  words  to  those  among  my  hearers, 
if  there  are,  as  I  fear  there  may  be,  some  who  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  attending  my  humble  ministrations,  but  who  are  still 
without  Christ,  and  without  any  hope  or  consolation  in  the 
Gospel. 

It  is  now  five  years  since  I  have  had  the  privilege  of  carrying 
on  these  Lectures ;  and  we  have  carefully  considered  two  of  the 
fullest  portions  of  the  inspired  instructions  of  the  Apostle  Paul — 
his  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and  Ephesians.  I  trust  I  can  say,  I 
have  endeavored  faithfully,  however  humbly,  to  set  before  you  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus ;  faithfully  to  warn  you  of  the  guilt  and  danger 
of  remaining  in  an  ignorant  and  unconverted  state,  and  of  reject- 
ing that  glorious  message  of  mercy  and  salvation,  which  is  pro- 
claimed to  you  through  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  a  crucified, 
risen,  and  ascended  Saviour.  And  now,  alas  !  my  friends,  is  it, 
indeed,  the  case,  that  you  still  continue  to  "  neglect  such  great 
salvation  ?"  Is  it,  alas  !  too  true,  that  the  glorious  mercy  pro- 
claimed in  your  ears,  is  but  "J.  savor  of  death  unto  deatW  to  your 
souls  !  O  !  consider,  my  dear  fellow-sinners,  "  What  will  ye  do 
in  the  end  thereof  7''''  Must  I  part  from  you  under  the  awful  im- 
pression, that  my  humble  efforts  to  instruct  you  in  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus,  shall  be  but  a  fearful  witness  against  you — that  instead  of 
hoping  to  meet  you  through  grace  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Lamb, 
if  I  am  brought  there  through  mercy,  I  shall  be  but  a  swift  wit- 
ness against  you  at  the  bar  of  God  !  O  !  think — think,  my  dear 
friends  and  fellow-sinners,  while  it  is  called  to-day,  think  of  what 
it  is  to  have  the  very  mercies  of  God  but  as  barbed  arrows  of  fire, 
rankling  in  the  conscience  through  an  unchangeable  eternity  ! 
Oh  !  think,  that  other  weeks,  and  months,  and  years,  perhaps, 
may  pass  away — other  opportunities  may  be  neglected — other 
ministrations  and  means  of  grace  and  mercy  disregarded — ^and 
all,  all  still  but  rise  in  awful  judgment  against  your  souls — and  all 
that  the  world,  to  which  you  are  enslaved,  shall  leave  to  you,  will 
be  but  agonizing  recollections  of  remorse,  and  anticipations  of  de- 
spair. The  summons  must  come,  and  ye  shall  cry,  "  The  harvest 
is  past,  the  sutnmer  is  ended,  and  ive  are  not  savedJ'  Jer.  viii.  20. 

Oh  !  then,  '^  to-day, ^^  this  very  day,  "if  you  ivill  hear  his  voice, 
harden  not  your  hearts.''^  This  day,  let  my  last  word  be  to  your 
souls,  a  proclamation  of  pardon,  through  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant— a  message  of  mercy — a  proclamation  of  salvation,  through 
Jesus,  the  only  refuge — the  only  salvation  of  the  lost.  Come  to 
Him  even  at  the  eleventh  hour — come  to  him  while  it  is  called 
to-day. 

"  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  hear- 
eth  say,  Com,e.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever 
will,  let  him,  take  the  water  of  life  freely  P  Rev.  xxii.  17.  Come  ! 
it  is  Christ  who  died,  yea  rather,  who  is  risen  again,  who  sends 
you  once  again,  an  invitation  of  His  glorious  love  and  mercy — 
"  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.''''  Heb. 


640  LECTURES    ON    THE    EPHESIANS. 

xiii.  8.     May  God  bless  His  Glorious  Word  to  us  all,  according  to 
our  wants.     "  Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with 

FAITH,  FROM  GoD  THE  FaTHER  AND  THE  LoRD  JeSUS  ChRIST. 

Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
IN  sincerity.     AmeNj  Amen." 


THE    END. 


^        ±^ 


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Expository  lectures  on  the  Epistle  to 

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